Indonesia > Traditional dance in Ubud

I wake up early. All the windows and the balcony door were open last night, letting a pleasant breeze through. The temperature in the mountains is very comfortable. Last night I enjoyed all the natural sounds around me. Only now, as it gets light, does my room also brighten. It’s a shame that I’m only staying one night at this location. On the other hand, there isn’t much more to do here. Today I continue my journey to Ubud. Ubud has traditionally been an artist’s town, but nowadays it’s a true backpacker’s paradise. The road to Ubud winds through the mountains. The bus climbs higher and higher.

Indonesia - The pagoda of Pura Ulun temple beautifully reflects in the water

At the top, there’s a viewpoint overlooking two mountain lakes. When I get out, I can see Lake Tamblingan and Lake Buyan. It’s cloudy today, and it looks like it won’t stay dry. How lucky we were yesterday with good weather for the walk. At the viewpoint, there’s also a man with reptiles. You can take a photo with a snake, an iguana, or a flying fox. I let this pass. A little further on is the Pura Ulun temple on Lake Beratan. Just as I’m about to get out, it starts to rain. I open my umbrella and walk into the temple. There are a lot of local tourists, many of whom seem to have Chinese roots. At the tall pagoda on an island in the lake, people again ask if they can take photos with me. Of course, that’s fine. This pagoda is one of the most photographed locations in Bali, mainly because of the beautiful reflection in the lake. With the rain, that’s not happening today. Around noon, I arrive in Ubud. The hotel is a little outside the center. I stroll past the many souvenir shops, restaurants, and tour offices.

Indonesia - The traditional Kecak dance

Clearly, there are more tourists here. At the corner of Jalan Gootama and Jalan Raya Ubud is the artist market. Many stalls are now set up as souvenir shops. Next to the market is an offering place to worship the god of commerce. All the vendors make daily offerings here. Opposite the temple is the Ubud Palace. The palace is partly open to the public and partly still in use. The entrance gate, in particular, is beautiful. In the same street is Ubud’s largest and most important temple. The temple is closed, but I can get a good view of the complex over the fence. Finally, I visit the Pura Taman Saraswati, the Lotus Temple. Through a path across a pond full of lotus flowers, I reach the Saraswati temple. The temple itself is closed, but the entrance gate is already beautiful enough. In the adjacent Lotus Café, I order a beer and enjoy the view of the temple. In the evening, I attend a traditional dance performance. The special Kecak dance is performed near a temple. During the dance, parts of the Ramayana story are depicted. No musical instruments are used; all sounds are made acapella by the eighty-member dance troupe. I enjoy experiencing it this way. I also appreciate that only parts of the story are shown, rather than the full three-hour tale. The dance concludes with a fire dancer. Barefoot, he stomps through the fire. Bizarre!