Canadian World Traveller Spring 2018 Issue

36
How to Ubud in one day
Article and photography by Gregory Caltabanis
In recent times, Ubud has emerged as
a bonafide hotspot in Indonesia offering
tourists much to see and do and
even acts as Bali’s cultural hub. Known for
its traditional crafts and dances, visitors
are often spoilt for choice when setting
their itineraries. Whether it’s their famous
Monkey Forest, the scenic rice fields or the
historic temples on display, it’s important
to inform yourself and diligently plan out
the day or tourists risk wandering around
in one of Ubud’s fourteen villages. While
getting lost is a concern, one thing’s for
certain: nature lovers, culture buffs and
shopaholics alike rejoice over the wide
array of activities on offer in this lovely
city.
Let’s start with nature. Ubud’s Monkey
Forest is where locals renew their contact
with the spiritual world as it is located in a
sacred village. Essentially, this forest is
where nature, humans and the cosmos
live in perfect harmony with one another
and has established itself as an important
part of Balinese culture and heritage.
Built in the middle of the 14th century as
part of the Gelgel Dynasty, the Monkey
Forest is rich in history and has three temples
to visit. The Pura Dalem Agung is one
of these temples and was initially created
to worship God, “The Recycler.” The second
temple, Pura Beji in the northwest
wing, acts as a place of purification as
well as physical and spiritual cleansing
before ceremonies and was built for the
Goddess Gangga. The third and final
temple, Pura Prajapati, is adjacent to the
cemeteries, however, it’s rarely used.
Ngebejiang ceremonies are often held in
these temples where locals join together to
sing and dance.
Entrance costs visitors 50,000 IDR or
about five Canadian dollars, while tourists
can see over 700 Balinese long-tailed
monkeys, also known as macaques but be
warned; these monkeys are professional
thieves! All in all, the forest is a natural
reserve of over 12.5 hectares and boasts