Our Insiders Guide to Ubud & Pejeng

OUR INSIDERS
GUIDE TO
UBUD & PEJENG
www.globalvillasltd.com

Possibly nowhere else on earth but Bali does
S P I R I T U A L I T Y & C U L T U R E
a culture offer visitors the opportunity to “live
like a local” purely through being there. On
THE REAL
UBUD
from morning to evening, the
Bali,
activities of the Balinese people
uncontrived
evident on the streets, in the temples and
are
the numerous ceremonies. And Ubud,
at
than anywhere else on the island,
more
embodies this spiritual and cultural essence.
" L i f e , r e l i g i o n & a r t a l l c o n v e r g e
i n B a l i . T h e y h a v e n o w o r d i n
t h e l a n g u a g e f o r ' a r t i s t ' o r ' a r t ' .
E v e r y o n e i s a n a r t i s t . "
- A n a i s N i n -
restaurants, fantastic spas, spiritual
excellent
and varied courses. Pejeng, situated
practices
15 minutes from central Ubud, is
about
to be one of the oldest, and most
fortunate
Ubud is famous for its charm, its shopping,
historically rich areas on the whole island. As
such Pejeng has many of the best sights that
tourists want to visit while in the Ubud area.
N O M A D I C | 2 4

25 years ago my husband, David, still young, single
About
fancy-free, came to Bali as part of a whistlestop tour of
and
Asia, but paused long enough on Bali to realise
South-East
he needed to come back again – soon and for longer!
that
OUR
STORY
So began his love affair with the island, which then saw us
visit together for the first time on our honeymoon - and I
(luckily!) fell in love with it in the same way he had.
M A I L I E G R E E N
Once we had our two boys, Adam and Jed, we started
staying in villas rather than hotels, and immediately realised
that villas are the ideal way for families, friends and groups to
holiday. That set us dreaming about owning our own villa on
Bali and, in 2010, after extensive (and I mean extensive!)
research, we settled on Villa Sagitta in Pejeng, just outside
Ubud.
Our boys have grown up with Bali as their second home.
Over the years we have brought family and friends on holiday
here (it’s amazing how your social group grows when you
suggest a holiday in paradise!), and our boys are now at an
age that their friends are joining us too.
Yet, sadly, one of the tragedies of life is that one can't holiday
year round(!), so we also rent out Villa Sagitta to guests.
We subsequently purchased Villa Cocoa Maya in Candidasa,
and Villa Bebek in Seminyak. Together with our two
properties in South Africa we now run the five properties as
Global Villas Ltd.
We really enjoy the experience of being long-distance hosts,
and we are very serious about making sure that our guests’
hard-earned holiday goes well on our watch!
It’s always fun to read the guests’ reviews in our guestbook,
T R I P A D V I S O R
and on TripAdvisor, and our staff get a huge kick out of it too.
R E V I E W S
There’s something very satisfying about knowing that our
guests get as much enjoyment out of our homes as we do!

4 EXPERIENCES
YOU DON'T
WANT TO MISS

We’re fortunate to be in close proximity to many of the Ubud sights that
you won’t want to miss – the following is my selection! Besakih is not quite
"in the hood" but it is a worthwhile day-trip, and we're situated on the
'right' side of Ubud to make getting there that much easier and quicker.
GUNUNG KAWI
Gunung Kawi is a very impressive collection of large shrines
that were cut into the rock face in about the 12th century. In
addition, there are temples, small caves in the rocks and
interesting paths that lead you through beautiful scenery. It's
worth spending at least an hour or two here.
TIRTA EMPUL
If you're going to Gunung Kawi, Tirta Empul is just a short
distance further. Dating back to 962 A.D., it is a very busy,
and photogenic, water temple with plenty of locals
purifying themselves in the holy waters at most times of
the year.
SARI ORGANIK WALK
The easiest way to walk the Sari Organik is from the top
down, then you come out in central Ubud. You will pass
beautiful rice fields, interesting little stalls and the Sari
Organik restaurant where you can stop for a delicious fruit
juice (or some not-so-delicious organic alcoholic cocktails!).
PURA BESAKIH
Not known as Bali's Mother Temple for nothing, a visit to
Besakih is very worthwhile. You should put aside a day as it
takes about 90 minutes to get there (through magnificent
scenery so it's not a hardship). There's lots to see when you're
there and the views of the volcano, Mt Agung, are lovely.

OUR 5
HIDDEN
GEMS

I've chosen some of our favourite hidden gems that are close to the
villa or within easy driving distance - I hope you enjoy them too!
OUR LOCAL VILLAGE WALK
One of the highlights of many of our guests' stays is to take a
walk through our local village with our staff, to see village life
and the inside of the traditional residential compounds. From
there it's a lovely walk into the beautiful rice fields in the
immediate area.
GOA GARBA
Goa Garba, believed to have been built in the 1100's, means
"cave in the belly of the earth". It's a very tranquil walk from the
road to the hermitage and it is a nice calm place to spend
some time exploring. You are unlikely to see anyone else there.
More adventurous guests walk, or run, from the villa.
SECRET CAVE TEMPLE & WATERFALL
David and I did a bit of exploring one day and happened
upon a beautiful little temple hidden in a cave with an
underground river. Right next to it (but closer to the road), is
a beautiful waterfall. You can park just opposite the laundry -
it's worth a visit.
PEJENG TRADITIONAL MARKET
This smallish food market is frequented by all the Pejeng
locals who shop here daily for vegetables, fruit and meat.
There is a selection of fruit and vegetables that are foreign to
most international visitors, and it's very interesting to see
what's on offer.
GIANYAR NIGHT MARKET
This is a wonderful "live like a local" experience as most of the
shoppers are locals and it is priced accordingly. Although there
is an indoor market in the day, it is at night - particularly on
weekends - when the large market comes alive with different
street food, vendors and general milling around and socialising.

I've said this many times before but it
O U R F I V E B E S T P I C K S
remains a fundamental truth - it is
OUR
FAVOURITE
RESTAURANTS
impossible to find bad food on
virtually
and particularly in Ubud.
Bali,
are plenty of places to eat in
There
and, if you look on the local and
Ubud
international "Best of..." lists, many
even
Ubud's, and the five-star resorts',
of
restaurants are in the Top 10, and
rightly so.
" T r a v e l i s w i s h i n g f o r o n e m o r e
b i t e o f w h a t e v e r t h a t j u s t w a s " .
- A n o n -
not eat at 5-star resorts in a foreign
land, so I've picked my favourites based
My personal preference, however, is to
on a variety of reasons, including
ambience, service, affordability,
location and, of course, food quality.
N O M A D I C | 2 4

LOCAVORE
LOCAVORE.CO.ID
Despite being voted as one of
Asia's Top 50 restaurants,
Locavore remains the most
unpretentious fine cuisine
restaurant possible. The food
might look too artistic to eat,
but it is quite delicious (a
contemporary take on
Balinese cooking); the
portion size is perfect; the
service is impeccable and the
atmosphere is relaxed.
Locavore ticks all the
"conscious gourmet" boxes -
95% of their produce is
locally sourced and they are
committed to environmental
sustainability (which they
really practice and don't only
preach).
It's not going to be your
cheapest meal out in Ubud
but it might well be your
most memorable!
The space is surprisingly tiny
so be sure to book for both
lunch or dinner. I prefer
going for lunch, when we're
wandering around in Ubud
anyway. That way we get to
go back to the villa for an
afternoon nap, sundowners
and a relaxing evening round
the pool!

CAFE WAYAN
ALAMINDAHBALI.COM/CAFE_
WAYAN.HTM
Let's face it - there's only so
much nasi goreng one girl can
eat but, if you want really good
traditional Balinese food, then
Cafe Wayan is the place to go.
Wayan was Ubud's original
famous chef and all her
culinary ventures have been
very successful.
Don't be fooled by the
unassuming exterior - at the
back of the restaurant, in a
picturesque traditional
Balinese garden, are beautiful
Balinese benongs (gazebos)
with atmospheric lighting that
will make you feel you are
many miles away from bustling
Ubud. I prefer to go at night
when the atmosphere is at its
best.
KEBUN
KEBUNBISTRO.COM
While a Mediterranean/French
bistro might not be the first
culinary choice that springs to
mind in Ubud, Kebun, in bustling
Jl Hanoman, is worth it! It's a
great place to people watch
while snacking on really excellent
tapas-type food in a very relaxed
atmosphere.

THREE MONKEYS
THREEMONKEYSCAFEBALI.COM
Three Monkeys is an unexpected oasis in
the busy heart of Monkey Forest Road.
You walk through an unassuming
entrance to the garden at the back,
which is situated right next to (very
unexpected) lush rice paddies and a koi
fish pond.
It's cool even on Ubud's hottest days and
the food is excellent. There's a good mix
of Indonesian (with a twist) and global
food - all beautifully presented and really
delicious.
BRIDGES
BRIDGESBALI.COM
Bridges is situated at the bridge (no
surprises there!) on Campuhan Road. It
can be a much more "cheffy" experience
than many restaurants in Ubud yet it
has a very relaxed atmosphere.
There is wine pairing, complete with a
sommelier (only if you choose) and,
combined with its excellent food, it
provides a really worthwhile dining
experience.
The best tables have a view of the river
below, you can ask our staff to make a
reservation in advance to get one of
those - it's worth it.

3 FOR
THE KIDS

THE GREEN SCHOOL
GREENSCHOOL.ORG
A kids' activity with a difference - the Green School in Ubud is world-famous for its sustainable bamboo
architecture and construction, its pioneering educational philosophies and its many
recycling/environmentally friendly programmes. You can book a tour - your kids will get a real kick out of
seeing what, and where, the students learn - classrooms with no walls and in the jungle!
BALI BIRD PARK
PURI LUKISAN
BALIBIRDPARK.COM
MUSEUMPURILUKISAN.COM
Puri Lukisan Museum is in central Ubud and has many
The Bali bird park is a very well-run and entertaining
park. Your kids (and you!) will love the 250 different
excellent, and professionally run, short courses aimed
at tourists (adults and kids) - everything from Balinese
bird species, all set in beautiful tropical gardens. The
reptile park is right next door - complete with Komodo
dancing to making offerings for the Gods to
traditional painting - take your pick!
dragons!

3 FOR THE
ADVENTUROUS

CLIMBING MT BATUR
Although climbing Mt Batur, which is the closest volcano to Ubud, is easier than climbing Mt Agung, it is still
not for the faint-hearted - or the unfit. A guide is compulsory and is organised once you get there. You walk
up the volcano in the dark (at about 3am) so that you get to the top in time for the sunrise, and some of the
walk is on loose volcanic sand and shale. That said, it is very worthwhile when you get there!
(Sidebar: Please support the little kids who climb up with you to sell you cool drinks - or a beer! - at the top
and then descend again to go to school!)
RIVER RAFTING
BALI SWING
SUPPLIERS DIFFER DEPENDING ON BUDGET
BALISWING.COM
I can't profess to having tried it myself but it is very
River rafting in the Ubud area takes place on the
Ayung river. The rapid size depends on the time of
popular if that makes you feel better! There
are five swings from 5 - 78m, a tandem swing and two
year (rainy or not), but it normally has something for
everyone, even kids - needless to say through
couples' nests on which you swing (attached to a
harness) over the valley - with amazing views!
beautiful scenery.

3 FOR THE
LAID-BACK

RICE-FIELD YOGA
THEYOGABARN.COM
It's a yoga cliché that when in Ubud you need to do a yoga class at The Yoga Barn. But there's a reason why -
it's a beautiful structure next to pretty rice fields, with excellent local and international teachers, and classes
throughout the day. Everyone is welcome - there are many first-time practitioners there.
Another undeniably beautiful destination (although considerably pricier), is the new dharma barn at the 5-star
Four Seasons hotel in Sayan (pictured below). Its bamboo, lotus-inspired design has won many international
architectural awards - and the rice field location doesn't hurt either! It's best to pre-arrange a class here.
BALINESE COOKING
SPAS
SUPPLIERS DIFFER DEPENDING ON BUDGET
BALISPAGUIDE.COM
Ubud has some of the best spas in the world. There is a
There's no shortage of cooking courses in Ubud, but
two of the most popular are with Janet de Neefe at
wide cross-section ranging from the 5-star hotel spas
like Como Shambala and Maya Ubud (closest to Villa
Casa Luna and Paon Bali, near Ubud. The most "cheffy"
(read expensive!) option is at Mozaic. Alternatively our
Sagitta), to dedicated wellness centres like Fivelements.
cooks at the villa are very happy to show you how it's
There are also much better-priced day spas like Bali
done, and Pejeng also has some good cooking schools.
Botanica. We also offer massage at the villa.

5 THINGS
TO AVOID

LUWAK COFFEE
This is a definite no-no. To satisfy global
demand of the world's most expensive coffee,
which is made from civet's poo, (it's a longer
story but that's the gist of it), most of today's
suppliers keep captured civets in cages and
feed them almost exclusively on coffee
cherries.
Enduring appalling living conditions and
unhealthy diets, these nocturnal solitary
omnivores suffer from mental distress and
succumb to illness and death.
The grim luwak plantations are not confined
to Indonesia but they are plentiful on Bali.
Please don't support them - apparently the
coffee doesn't even taste very good!
THE MONKEY FOREST
MONKEYFORESTUBUD.COM
The Monkey Forest should actually not be
missed - it is unique, beautiful and full of
magnificent photo opportunities...the only
problem is the monkeys!
They are very cute but, through years of being
fed bananas by tourists (sold at the entrance),
they have become quite aggressive and
sometimes bite (which involves a painful, and
expensive, course of rabies injections).
They will definitely jump on you if you have
bananas for them, and will often make a dive
for your bag to look for possible bananas if
you don't. I advise that you don't buy
bananas, avoid taking a bag if possible, and
generally just keep your distance.

TEMPLE TOUTS
Temple touts are at all the large temples on the island. You are under no obligation to use one and generally
they don’t get pushy if you say no politely. If you get offered a “free” tour, or are told they get paid a salary by
the temple, don’t believe it for a moment – you will be asked for a donation at the end anyway, and it’s a hard-
hearted tourist who can then say no! So, if you want to use a guide, discuss a fee upfront (it will be a
bargaining process) and then everyone’s happy from the get-go. It’s often very worthwhile – most of the guides
do have a good knowledge of their local temple. Don’t forget to bring your sarong – no entry without one!
PLASTIC
TRADITIONAL DANCING
This really is a matter of taste. The big traditional
Like so many places in the world, Bali is drowning in
plastic. Please avoid buying new plastic bottles every
venues in Ubud (the most famous being Ubud Palace),
host wonderful dancing but, be warned, the
time you want water – there are a lot of places in
performances can go on a bit! If that’s a problem for
Ubud where you can fill up for a very small fee, and
we have a free water dispenser at the villa. Similarly,
you, I would recommend that you sit near the back
don’t take the plastic bag if you can avoid it and
where you can surreptitiously disappear after a while if
you so desire,
please avoid plastic straws too!

"If we were meant to stay in one
place, we'd have roots instead of
feet", he said.
- Rachel Wolchin, singer & songwriter -

THE BIG 3
CEREMONIES

One of our favourite things to see on Bali are the ceremonies that are part and
parcel of everyday life for any Balinese. Ubud is probably the most spiritual of all
the areas on Bali, so you are most likely to be rewarded with ceremonies here.
Although we can’t guarantee it, you will see in many of our guest reviews that our
staff take great delight in finding local ceremonies, often in Balinese homes, for
our guests to attend. It’s always a crowd-pleaser because it is such an authentic
experience that you are unlikely to have when staying in a hotel or resort.
Below are the three main ceremonies that happen each year, but there are
literally hundreds more, as well as cremations, weddings, blessings etc.
GALUNGAN
30 MAY 2018 & 26 DECEMBER 2018
Galungan happens twice a year - every 210
days. It celebrates the creation of the
universe and the victory of good against evil.
The festivities last for 10 days and culminate
in the Kuningan celebration. However the
preparations begin long in advance, and
Galungan activities will be obvious all over
the island on the days preceding it.
KUNINGAN
9 JUNE 2018 & 5 JANUARY 2019
Ten days after the start of Galungan, festivities
come to an end with Kuningan, which
celebrates purification.
On that day, the ancestors’ souls leave their
family’s temple after the celebrations of
Galungan and beautiful offerings are made
for the ancestors as they leave.

MELASTI - NYEPI
14 MARCH 2018
Melasti is a purification
ceremony, where the world is
cleansed of sin and bad karma.
Entire communities march to
the sea for purification - an
amazing sight of parasols, flags
and Balinese dressed all in white.
Inland, there are big celebrations
at all the local temples.
Melasti at our village temple, 100m from Villa Sagitta
OGEH-OGEH
16 MARCH 2018
This incredible sight happens on
Nyepi Eve. Local communities
build very large effigies to scare
the bad spirits away. It is great fun
and, if you drive through the
countryside on the day before
Nyepi, you can see the finishing
touches being put to the statues
in the villages. That night the
monsters are paraded and then
burned at a central point.
NYEPI
17 MARCH 2018
Nyepi must be the world’s most chilled celebration of the New Year.
It is observed as a day of silence where nobody (tourists included), is
allowed to leave their home (or hotel – but you can still use the
facilities). The TV stations are shut down, the airport is closed and
there is a general shutdown from 6am until 6am the next day. Any
outdoor activity is policed and you can be fined quite heavily.
The reason for all this? Firstly this day of calm gives Mother Earth a
much-needed chance to reboot after 364 days of activity. And
secondly, the evil spirits come down to earth on this day and, when
they see Bali completely deserted, they leave again for another year.

WE'RE HERE TO HELP
Whether you decide to stay with us or not, we know how
tedious, and time-consuming, it can be to plan a holiday and
get the information you need. We’re not travel agents but, if
you need our help, we can hopefully offer some tips to make
your stay in Bali even better.
CONTACT DETAILS
Mailie Green or Lauren Schnell
Email: info@globalvillasltd.com
Website: www.globalvillasltd.com
Telephone: +27 83 378 5632