Best Free Things to Do in Ubud That Cost Absolutely Nothing

I first lived in Ubud back in 2016, when I was still renting a tiny room above a workshop on Jalan Hanoman for 4.5 million rupiah a month. I have walked every back lane from Penestanan to Kaja and I have spent more mornings than I can count sitting on riverbanks that charge absolutely nothing to enter. If you are planning a trip and want the best free things to do in Ubud, here is the reality from someone who used to survive on a backpacker budget and found that the soul of this town rarely asks for an entrance ticket.

Campuhan Ridge Walk at Sunrise (Keliki and Ubud Proper)

There is a paved stone path that runs along the top of a narrow ridge between two river valleys, connecting the area near Gunung Lebah temple in the far west with the eastern edge of central Ubud. I have done this walk at 5:30 AM and again at 4 AM, and I cannot stress enough how different the experience is before the sun rises. The air is genuinely cooler, maybe around 24 degrees Celsius compared to the 30 plus you get by noon, and the only sound is roosters from the rice fields below and the occasional motorbike on Jalan Raya Campuhan far underneath you.

The southern side drops steeply to the Campuhan River valley where the old Dutch-era bridge used to be, and the view east toward Mount Agung at dawn is one of those rare free sights that actually rivals the expensive mountain lodges. You need to get to the top by at least 5:45 AM or the tour groups from the big hotels will be shuffling single file along the path with selfie sticks. I would recommend starting at the Gunung Lebah end near the small temple where the stones turn mossy after the rainy season, then walking east until the path ends near the Warwick Ibah Villa entrance, which takes about 40 minutes at a relaxed pace.

Local Insider Tip: Pack a small plastic bag with a wet towel in your daypack because the return trip back from the bridge on foot gets suffocating when the morning humidity spikes past 80 percent, and the small warungs along the way do not open until 7:30 AM.

If you want to lose the crowds entirely, do this walk on a Tuesday or Wednesday instead of Sunday when the local jogging clubs gather at the western entrance bringing their speakers.

The Camouflaged Exit on the North Side

At the eastern end of the ridge walk, there is an unmarked path heading northeast behind a large yoga studio that drops into a quiet neighborhood of family compounds. Most people turn around without seeing it. Taking that path beats cutting back down through the cafe area.

Ubud Monkey Forest (Mandala Suci Wenara Wana, Jalan Monkey Forest)

People tend to forget the southern edge of the Monkey Forest grounds has an unmanaged river gully behind the Pura Dalem Agung temple, frequented by the tribes of macaques that are not worth the risk of treating casually. Do not bother with the food-selling area right at the entrance because these monkeys are experienced at grabbing plastic bags and entire water bottles. Instead, the gully provides a quieter and less frantic observation spot as the trees close overhead. I have watched extended family groups groom here for 30 to 40 minutes at a time, which is exactly what primates need to form bonds.

Local Insider Tip: There is a small and unmarked stone stair behind the temple gully where locals in sarongs use a water spout for a ritual wash before heading upstream, and standing there early at 6:30 AM will save you the entrance fee for this specific stretch. However, you must be respectful and remain at a distance during ceremonies.

Avoid bringing food into Monkey Forest packages and tie your backpack tight against your chest. Monkeys here are far more aggressive than in the Sangeh forest because they have learned humans equal snacks.

Free Attractions Ubud: Ubud Water Palace and Saraswati Temple (Jalan Raya Ubud)

The Pura Taman Saraswati complex in the dead center of town on Jalan Raya Ubud opens its front courtyard from early morning until the traditional dance performances start at 7:30 PM. I like walking in around 10 PM, long after the open air stage lights have dimmed and the last tourists have peeled off towards the night market. During the day, the lotus pond reflecting the split gate of the water palace leaks onto Jalan Raya and the neon glow of the cafes across the street. However, the pool lilies peak around 10:30 AM when they fully open, and after that the flowers begin curling inward.

What most tourists skip is the small museum and the family temple behind the public courtyard at the rear towards Jalan Suweta, which holds original 1930s carvings commissioned when the palace was built by Cokorda Gede Agung Sukawati. There is an amazing display of the Cokorda's original architectural plans and photographs of early dance rehearsals. While you can explore the lotus pond area and the front courtyard without paying, entry to the family temple may be restricted during ceremonies depending on the twenty-one day Odalan cycle, so always check the notice board at the main gate.

Local Insider Tip: On the night of the full moon when the Werdani Rejang dance is performed, the front lane of Jalan Raya Suweta behind the complex transforms into a semi-permanent market of food vendors selling jackfruit sopi and fried noodles for around 15,000 rupiah less than the cafes out front.

You will save serious money skipping the famous fire dance performances. The free Kecak show in the village of Batubulan is better produced and charges nothing behind the donation box by the parking area.

The Cemetery Path at Sunset

Exit the water palace courtyard and walk 100 meters north towards Jalan Suweta. At dusk, there is a small cemetery there where the combined aromas of incense and frangipani hang thick along the stone wall. It is the perfect second-day stop after visiting the main palace, with quieter photo opportunities of the temple lights reflecting in the local offerings.

Budget Travel Ubud: The Tegallalang Rice Terrace Walk (Tegallalang Village, approximately 20 minutes north of center)

Everyone pays the new entrance fee to see the lower terraces with the expensive swing setups, but I have taken a different walk that costs nothing at all. Instead of trying to climb down through the most photographed mid section terraces, park or leave your scooter at the top parking lot and take the dirt track heading northwest away from the main overlook, which drops through an area locals call the North Loop. The terraces are less sculpted and quite green if the irrigation is flowing, and you will see real working farmers adjusting the water gates.

The best time is definitely mid-morning around 9 AM when the terraces turn a deep jade green before the heat bleaches them, and you will usually have the path completely to yourself. Take a right at the first fork where a faded wooden sign points towards Desa Manukaya until the trail connects with the road leading to Pura Luhur Lempuyang. That whole section takes you past multiple ancient banyan trees that local farmers use as landmark shrines. Note that the North Loop trail can be muddy during the wet season from November through March, and trekkers who buy coconut water from the family near the first fork are helping support the farmers.

Local Insider Tip: The family living at the first fork usually sells fresh coconut water for 8,000 rupiah, but if you arrive before 8:30 AM, they may give it free because the water is leftover from the morning's offering preparation.

Bring your own water and a good hat. The upper trails have no shade and the reflected sun off the paddies is merciless by 11 AM.

Free Sightseeing Ubud: Pura Gunung Kawi Sebatu (Tegallalang Subdistrict, Jalan Raya Tegallalang)

I have visited Pura Gunung Kawi Sebatu maybe 30 times, and it is one of the few temples in Ubud proper that I can confirm measures you in centimeters while never charging an entrance fee. Located about 15 minutes north of the Tegallalang rice terraces, this water temple sits in a narrow spring gully with moss covered shrines dating back to the 11th century. The five main shrines are carved directly into the cliff face above a series of purifying pools that feed into an holy spring regarded by local farmers as the most sacred subak source for ceremonies at Bulan Bingkasa. There are no aggressive ticket collectors, just a small donation box managed by the local banjar and a self service sarong lending system at the entrance.

Go around 6:30 AM while the mist from the valley pools rises through the carved stone lotus basins. The light filtering through ginkgo trees at that hour makes the 1,000 year old reliefs appear as fresh as when they were carved. I used to swim freely in the far pools at the back because there were no barriers, but villagers recently placed markers to protect the water purity, so do not enter any pool with a yellow sign. The custodians are real temple keepers who live in the village compound to the north and work on a rotating schedule.

Local Insider Tip: After your visit, follow the path behind the left edge of the offering hall in the far gully where you can access the rear pool that tourists never find because they do not know it exists. The water there is extremely cold from constant deep spring flow.

Female visitors who are not wearing a sarong must borrow one, and the custodian at the south entrance will lend them for free. Avoid swimming in the front pools to respect ongoing prayer activities.

The Back Streets of Nyuh Kuning Village (Off Jalan Nioman, west of Ubud Palace)

Nyuh Kuning is a traditional Banjar located just a five-minute walk west of the Ubud Art Market, and most visitors never find it because there are no signs on the main road. Enter through the gap at the end of Jalan Nioman and walk towards the main pavilion; you will find a complete functioning village with workshops, gamelan practice sessions, and an open field that doubles as a soccer pitch for local teenagers. I have watched on Fridays around 2 PM as the village's 40 piece gamelan orchestra rehearses, and they welcome silent observers who sit in the back gallery under the pavilion.

Continue past the pavilion two compounds down and ask permission to photograph the stone carved family temples with so many ornamental details they appear to be rotting. The village is historically significant as the home district of the Basubian painters who pioneered abstract Balinese painting in the 1930s, and you can visit several private studios continuing that tradition. Entry is free everywhere in this quiet village, though donations are welcome in the wedding pavilion where local guides offer free ceremony explanations.

Local Insider Tip: The private studio sharing the wall of the first alley near the Pura Pande Mas Kajeng shrine contains an internationally exhibited but locally forgotten artist who works daily from 7 AM to noon; he is willing to let visitors watch if you remove your shoes before entering the stone courtyard gate.

Do not arrive after 2 PM because students return from school and the practice pavilion becomes crowded. A quiet morning visit is best.

Jalan Gootama School and the Free Market Stalls

A walk down Jalan Gootama introduces the local community's purest daily economic reality. At the school gate around 2 PM, vendors set up fresh food stations without any tourist markup, and I once watched a cartoonist who sold his hand drawn booklets for 20,000 rupiah right on the sidewalk, causing a minor traffic jam of friendly students. This area is a genuine lifeline for budget travelers who want authentic Balinese food without overpaying.

Prices here are about 30% lower than those in the Ubud Art Market, and typical eats include lawar sega, duck satay, and jaje batun bedil sweet potato balls. You can walk the entire 600 meter stretch from Jalan Hanoman to Jalan Sriwedari for a culinary tour, but skip the 2 PM to 4 PM school dismissal hour as motorbikes completely pack the street.

Local Insider Tip: Pass the school gate and enter the alley on the right side marked "Kresna" lane; here a mother of nine sells herbal jamu kunyit turmeric tonic from her front door for 5,000 rupiah per glass, a tradition she has kept alive without any official signage.

Keep to the mornings before 2 PM to avoid the chaos of eager students leaving school for the day.

The Youth Center and Open Field at Jalan Kanas Ubud (Banjar Nyuh Kuning)

Behind the main gym hall of Banjar Nyuh Kuning, locals have maintained an open soccer field and a stage where events such as skateboard competitions for Balinese kids are held, such as a well attended competition each Sunday beginning at 3 PM. It is a fantastic way to experience Ubud's genuine youth culture, as teenagers eagerly show off kickflips while the village announcer provides commentary in heavy Balinese dialect. I have sat through the entire afternoon competition without spending a single rupiah, and organizers welcome donations through their painted wooden donation box.

You stumble upon this culture art center purely by luck if you flash through Nyuh Kuning on a bicycle from the main road, but it captures exactly where Ubud's future is heading. The competition typically lasts four hours until sunset, which is when the local football trickers come to perform. Bringing your own camera is available to take photos, though it is wise to avoid revealing gear and small valuables.

Local Insider Tip: The local skateboard organizer for this event collects used boards and shoes donated by travelers for village kids; his booth is located right next to the wooden donation box at the edge of the skate ramp, and this has become a heartfelt connection with visitors.

Attend on Sunday to experience Ubud's youthful artistry without the tension of organized tourist events.

The Campuhan River Hidden Path (exact route from Gunung Lebah Bridge)

If you exit Pura Gunung Lebah and walk south along the river behind the Sayan House on Jalan Raya Sayan, the land narrows and bushes reveal an actual dirt lane leading to the water's edge. It is not a formal platform but an isolated riverbank hidden from the big villa complexes. The river splits around smooth volcanic rock here, creating a small natural pool perfect for an ultra private free dip, unlike the famous Campuhan Ridge Walk which gives the same perspective from a distance.

The water below the meeting of the Campuhan and smaller side streams is a deep jade green, the comfortable temperature in the morning after the early mist burns off. I use this spot when I need to cool clients off after walking to the ridge, and the sand under toe is surprisingly grit-free. However, the rainy season in December and January can make this riverbank path muddy and the water cloudy, so it is best visited during the dry months from April through October.

Local Insider Tip: The riverbank path is completely hidden from the main road, but you can find it by looking for a small wooden sign with the word "Sayan" painted in faded white letters on a tree trunk just past the Sayan House entrance.

Bring a sarong to change into and a plastic bag for wet clothes. The path is narrow and you will need to step over exposed tree roots.

When to Go / What to Know

The dry season from April through October is the best time for walking and outdoor sightseeing, though mornings in the wet season from November through March are still pleasant. Always carry a sarong and a sash for temple visits, and wear proper shoes for the rice terrace walks. The local warungs are your best friend for cheap food, and you should never pay more than 30,000 rupiah for a full meal at a local food stall. Download the Grab app for cheap transport, and remember that the best free things to do in Ubud are often found by simply walking down alleys that look like they lead nowhere.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best free or low-cost tourist places in Ubud that are genuinely worth the visit?

The Campuhan Ridge Walk at sunrise, Pura Gunung Kawi Sebatu, and the back streets of Nyuh Kuning village are all completely free and offer genuine cultural experiences. The Tegallalang rice terrace walk via the North Loop trail costs nothing if you avoid the main entrance, and the Ubud Water Palace front courtyard is open to visitors without charge. These places give you the real Ubud without the entrance fees that have crept into the more commercialized spots.

How many days are needed to see the major tourist attractions in Ubud without feeling rushed?

You need a minimum of four full days to cover the main attractions at a comfortable pace, including the ridge walk, Monkey Forest, water palace, and at least one rice terrace walk. If you want to include the free attractions like Gunung Kawi Sebatu and the Nyuh Kuning village, add a fifth day. Trying to do everything in two days will leave you exhausted and you will miss the early morning moments that make Ubud special.

Do the most popular attractions in Ubud require advance ticket booking, especially during peak season?

The Monkey Forest and the major temples like Gunung Kawi do not require advance booking, but the traditional dance performances at the water palace often sell out during peak season in July and August. The rice terraces at Tegallalang now have an online ticket system that can save you time during the busy midday hours. For the free attractions, no booking is ever required, which is one of their greatest advantages.

Is it possible to walk between the main sightseeing spots in Ubud, or is local transport necessary?

You can walk between the central attractions like the water palace, Monkey Forest, and the ridge walk entrance in under 20 minutes each. However, reaching the rice terraces and Gunung Kawi Sebatu requires either a scooter or a Grab car, as they are located 15 to 20 minutes north of the center. The back streets of Nyuh Kuning are easily walkable from the main palace area in about five minutes.

Is Ubud expensive to visit? Give a realistic daily budget breakdown for mid-tier travelers.

A mid-tier traveler can expect to spend between 350,000 and 500,000 rupiah per day, which is roughly 23 to 33 US dollars. This includes three meals at local warungs totaling around 120,000 rupiah, a scooter rental for 60,000 rupiah, and a few small entrance fees or donations. Accommodation ranges from 200,000 rupiah for a basic guesthouse to 600,000 rupih for a mid-range hotel with a pool. The free attractions in this guide can easily cut your daily spending by 100,000 rupiah or more.