2025 Ubud Traffic Tips from a local

Bali is Back as one of world tourism hotspots winning awards such as Worlds Most Beautiful Island & Worlds Best Cultural Destination. Ubud No.9 Best Town/City in the World. But more tourists = More traffic + More crowds and same as every other popular tourist destination, Bali is no different.

After reading travelers questions on social media should they avoid Ubud because there is too much traffic, we thought best to share some local knowledge and give some local insider tips.

1. Plan when to travel – If traffic really drives you crazy then avoid the busiest times in Bali. The peak holiday months are July, August and Boxing Day until New Year’s Day. The peak holidays days are Indonesian public holidays and Idul Fitri.
2. Consider where to stay – Stay in different areas to see local sights don’t stay in south and plan to visit Ubud and do the activities in this area in day trips. Best idea is to stay in Ubud area and do all the activities and touring in this area and further north with Ubud as a base. There are more than 50 attractions in Ubud and its surrounding areas. You can even visit an area with great snorkeling in a 90 min drive from Ubud.
3. Stay in Seminyak and you can visit Canggu, Stay in Kuta and you can visit Legian. Stay in Canggu and you can visit Pereranan. Stay in Ubud and you can visit Tampaksiring, Kintamani, Sidemen, Bedugul and the east coast.
4. Don’t be fooled by google maps the distance may not be far but consider Bali mostly has single lane roads so if you get stuck behind a truck travelling time will be more…and then there’s roadworks and road closures due to ceremonies. On most roads in tourist areas, you will not drive more than 40kmph.
5. If you decide to stay out of Ubud Town, then consider the best time to visit the central town. The town area is usually not busy until midday, so our recommendation is to come around 10am. Use your hotel shuttle if available.
6. Be prepared to walk – To see Ubud Town it is best to stay in town and walk everywhere. Our recommended Ubud Town is Bisma Cottages, only 15 minutes walk to Ubud Market and Palace, 5 minutes walk to Monkey Forest and 20 minutes walk to Campuhan Ridge. There are also a number of great walks in the town area to see rice fields, temples and local life in Bali. There is good shopping – market style, souvenir shops and boutiques with set price. Tip: Many beautiful jewelry shops in Jalan Hanoman. There is also an abundance of great food from Indonesian Warungs, Vegan/Vegetarian, Cafes, Casual Dining and Fine Dining. You can taste delicious food from all around the globe in Ubud.
7. Don’t be part of the problem by booking door to door service from your Gojek driver in peak time? Why not choose a different drop off location and walk a few minutes. Suggestions are Ubud soccer field or monkey forest car park. Less stressful for your driver too.
8. Should you rent a motorbike? If you’ve never ridden a motorbike before, don’t start in Bali! Riding a motorcycle here requires much more than staying upright. You need to understand the nuances of the traffic and have eyes in the back of your head. Local police are cracking down on tourists who ride motorbikes without an international motorbike license and insurance will not cover you if you don’t have one.
9. GOJEK, GRAB and taxis are very cheap here so why risk having an accident and ruining your holiday. If you are a passenger on an authorized motorbike taxi – Wear A Helmet!
10. Use Ubud Drivers for pick up from other areas and tours who knows area, short cuts etc. These guys also make the best guides for Ubud area. Why not break up the trip with some sights on the way to Ubud from the south? There are new one way roads in the town area too. Best tours in Ubud area with Ubud Traveler as their itineraries are designed to avoid crowds.
11. Be aware of where you are walking and what’s around you. Exit from cars on the footpath side to avoid taking out someone on a scooter. Don’t look down at your phone and remember motorbikes sometimes use footpaths as roads. Don’t expect anyone to stop for you at a crosswalk/zebra crossing either! If you find yourself in heavy traffic, listen to a podcast or your playlist or give someone a call.
12. The people of Ubud have strong religion and traditions. This means there are a lot of ceremonies. Sometimes there are notifications shared public and sometimes not. Even though ceremonies will disrupt traffic they are a beautiful, unexpected experience for tourists to experience.
13. There are many opportunities to see Balinese dance performance in Ubud Town area. We highly recommended that visitors experience minimum one performance.
    All dance start at 7.30pm and finish approx. 8.30pm. Having several performances at temples in town at the same time certainly effects traffic.
    Our suggestions.
    – Come to town in the afternoon, have dinner and stay for the dance (Of course if you book accommodation in town this will not affect you as you can walk)
    – Ladies Gamelan Night every Tuesday at Pura Saraswati which is illuminated beautifully. Buy a delicious gelato at the stall near the entrance.
    – Kecak Fire Dance at Pura Dalem.
    – See here for complete dance schedule – https://bismacottagesubud.com/about-ubud/ubud-balinese-dance-schedule/
14. Ok so despite all of the above you got stuck in traffic. Relax and enjoy the slow pace, you are lucky to be on holiday in Bali. Call your mum. Play music and sing. Listen to that podcast, sight see from the comfort of the car and observe the local culture in their daily life.
15. Indonesian word for traffic jam = machet.
16. During the afternoon of 17 August 2024, a fire at Ubud Market caused significant damage. Sellers are now selling fruit, vegetable and flowers on the sidewalk and their small trucks with produce are parked in the first lane of traffic. The market starts before 6am until around 9am. Therefore, Raya Ubud in front of the market area can be busy.