Ubud's quiet side: the Yeh Pulu cliff relief, riverside Pura Gunung Lebah, the carvers' village of Nyuh Kuning and the heron-filled lanes of Petulu.
Last updated 31 May 2026 · Written by the Buktrip travel team
Most visitors to Ubud cluster around the Monkey Forest, the rice terraces at Tegallalang and the palace on the main road, and miss the town's quieter soul entirely. The genuine hidden gems sit just a short ride away: a 14th-century relief carved into a jungle cliff at Yeh Pulu, the riverside temple at Campuhan where Ubud itself began, the sleepy wood-carving village of Nyuh Kuning, a serene water temple in Sebatu, the heron colony of Petulu at dusk, and Bali's first art museum tucked into a garden off the main street. Each offers space to breathe, real local life, and a sense of discovery the headline sights have long since lost. This guide gives you the names, neighborhoods, hours, ticket details and a half-day route to string a few together.
Just south of the Monkey Forest, this small village of wood and stone carvers keeps its calm despite being a few minutes from the centre. Lanes lined with carved doorways open onto rice fields, and family workshops sell pieces at gentler prices than the tourist shops. It is an easy, atmospheric stroll rather than a single attraction.
Why go: Real artisan life and quiet lanes a stone's throw from Ubud's busiest sight.
Each evening thousands of white herons and egrets stream back to roost in the trees lining this village north of Ubud, a ritual locals tie to a 1960s blessing of the village. Arrive before sunset, find a spot along the road near the temples, and watch the birds settle in clouds of white against the dark foliage.
Why go: A free, genuinely local spectacle at dusk that few short-stay tourists ever see.
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Where the crowds go, and the quieter alternative locals choose.
| Where the crowds go | The hidden gem | Why it’s better |
|---|---|---|
| Goa Gajah (Elephant Cave) | Yeh Pulu relief | Both are ancient sites near Bedulu, but Yeh Pulu's centuries-old cliff carvings stay quiet while Goa Gajah fills with tour groups. |
| Tegallalang Rice Terraces | Pura Gunung Kawi Sebatu | Minutes from the packed terraces, this spring temple offers koi ponds and calm instead of selfie swings and crowds. |
| Sacred Monkey Forest | Nyuh Kuning village | Right beside the busy forest, Nyuh Kuning trades macaques and crowds for carvers' workshops and quiet rice-field lanes. |
Sort the logistics in two taps, then spend your time on the gems, not the queues.
Two are: wandering Nyuh Kuning village and watching the herons at Petulu cost nothing. Yeh Pulu, Gunung Kawi Sebatu and Museum Puri Lukisan charge modest entry fees, and Pura Gunung Lebah works on donation.
Most are within a 15 to 30 minute drive. Nyuh Kuning, Pura Gunung Lebah and Museum Puri Lukisan are walkable or a few minutes away; Yeh Pulu, Petulu and Sebatu need a scooter, car or driver.
Yes. At Pura Gunung Lebah and Pura Gunung Kawi Sebatu wear a sarong and sash; sarongs are usually provided or rented at ticketed sites. Modest dress is appreciated at Yeh Pulu too.
Arrive in the late afternoon and be settled by about 5pm. The birds stream back to roost before sunset, and most have landed by around quarter to six.
Yes. A logical loop runs Yeh Pulu, then Sebatu, back through central Ubud for the museum and Campuhan temple, and finishes at Petulu for sunset, an easy half to full day with a driver.
Seek out the quiet temples and villages near the busy sights. Yeh Pulu in Bedulu shows ancient cliff carvings without Goa Gajah's crowds, and Nyuh Kuning's lanes hold real artisan life a short walk from central Ubud.
Bedulu, Campuhan, and Sebatu reward a short drive. Bedulu hides the ancient Yeh Pulu reliefs, Campuhan holds the river-confluence Pura Gunung Lebah by the ridge walk, and Sebatu has the spring-fed Pura Gunung Kawi Sebatu with its koi ponds.
A few of the best cost nothing. The artisan village of Nyuh Kuning is free to wander, and Petulu Heron Village charges no entry to watch thousands of herons return to roost around 5pm. Pura Gunung Lebah asks only for a donation.
What are some hidden gems in Ubud?
Lesser-known Ubud spots include the Yeh Pulu cliff relief, Pura Gunung Lebah at Campuhan, the carving village of Nyuh Kuning, Pura Gunung Kawi Sebatu, the Petulu heron village and Museum Puri Lukisan.
Where can I see herons near Ubud?
Head to Petulu village, about 15 minutes north of central Ubud, in the late afternoon to watch thousands of white herons return to roost before sunset. Access is free.
What is the quietest temple in Ubud?
Pura Gunung Lebah at the Campuhan river confluence is remarkably peaceful, as is the spring-fed water temple Pura Gunung Kawi Sebatu in Sebatu, both far calmer than Ubud's headline sights.
Honest guides to the quieter side of more cities near Ubud.
