Ubud with Kids: Rice Terraces, Monkey Forests, and Chocolate Farms

Ubud Monkey Forest (Mandala Suci Wenara Wana)

Ease into Ubud with a walk through this 27-acre sanctuary home to over 1,000 long-tailed macaques and three 14th-century Hindu temples. Kids absolutely love watching the monkeys, but keep snacks hidden in bags and hold onto glasses, as the macaques are boldly opportunistic.

Locavore NXT

This casual sibling to the acclaimed Locavore restaurant serves creative Balinese-inspired small plates in a relaxed setting that works well for families. The rotating menu highlights local ingredients, and the staff are warm and accommodating with younger diners.

Ubud Palace (Puri Saren Agung)

A short walk from the main market, this royal palace complex is still home to Ubud's royal family and is free to enter during the day. Kids can wander through the ornate carved gates and open pavilions and get a grounded first look at Balinese architecture and ceremony.

Kecak Fire Dance at Pura Dalem Taman Kaja

Most evenings around 7pm this temple hosts a 45-minute Kecak performance where a circle of chanting men retell the Hindu Ramayana epic by firelight. It is visually dramatic enough to hold any kid's attention and is widely considered the most atmospheric dance performance in Ubud.

Tegalalang Rice Terraces

Arrive early, around 8am, to beat tour groups and walk the stepped paths that wind down through Ubud's most iconic UNESCO-recognized terraced paddies. There are swings and small warungs along the edge, but the real payoff is the lower trail where kids can walk alongside farmers and peer into the flooded paddies.

Sari Organik Warung

Tucked in the rice fields above Ubud, this farm-to-table warung is accessible via a short walk through the paddies and serves simple Indonesian dishes made with vegetables grown on site. The setting is genuinely magical and the nasi campur is excellent for adventurous young eaters.

Bali Cycling with Banyan Tree Cycling Tour

This family-friendly guided cycling route coasts mostly downhill from the highland village of Kintamani through rice paddies, temple villages, and jungle paths toward Ubud. Guides are patient with kids, bikes are fitted by size, and the route is manageable for children ages 7 and up who are comfortable on two wheels.

Campuhan Ridge Walk

End the day with a gentle late-afternoon stroll along this 2km ridge trail that runs above two rivers through open grassland and jungle canopy. The path starts near Pura Gunung Lebah temple, is easy enough for kids of all ages, and the golden hour light over the valley is hard to beat.

Mason Adventures Chocolate Factory Tour (Big Tree Farms Cacao)

This guided tour takes families through the full bean-to-bar process at one of Bali's most celebrated chocolate operations, with plenty of tastings at every stage. Kids can grind cacao, pour molds, and leave with their own bars, making it one of the most hands-on and universally beloved stops in the region.

Warung Babi Guling Ibu Oka

This legendary warung near Ubud Palace has been serving Bali's most famous slow-roasted suckling pig since the 1950s and is a rite of passage for any food-curious family. Arrive before noon because they sell out fast, and adventurous kids who try the crispy skin rarely regret it.

Tirta Empul Temple

This 10th-century Hindu water temple in Tampaksiring is built around sacred natural springs and is one of the most spiritually significant sites in Bali. Families can watch (or respectfully participate in) the purification ritual where worshippers move through a series of fountains, and the carp-filled pools and carved stone courtyards are endlessly interesting for kids to explore.

Ubud Art Market (Pasar Seni Ubud)

Across from Ubud Palace, this two-story market is packed with vendors selling batik, wood carvings, woven bags, silver jewelry, and painted kites that make excellent kid-friendly souvenirs. Bargaining is expected and even kids enjoy the back-and-forth, just start at about half the asking price.

Ayung River White Water Rafting with Sobek Bali

Sobek is the most established rafting operator on the Ayung and runs a 10km family-friendly route through jungle gorge and past carved cliff faces, with minimum age typically 7 years. The rapids are Class II to III, thrilling enough for older kids but not overwhelming, and guides are trained and safety-focused throughout.

Bridges Restaurant Ubud

Perched over the Campuhan River on a series of suspension bridges, this is one of Ubud's most scenic lunch spots and the menu covers Indonesian, Asian, and Western dishes so everyone can find something they like. The bridge seating over the rushing river makes it feel like you are eating inside a Balinese jungle painting.

Casa Luna Cooking School

Janet DeNeefe's legendary cooking school runs afternoon classes that take families through a market visit, spice garden tour, and hands-on cooking session culminating in a full meal you prepare yourselves. Classes are structured so that kids have active roles in grinding spices and assembling dishes, not just watching.

Alchemy Ubud

After a full day, this raw vegan cafe and juice bar is a great spot to let kids design their own smoothie bowls loaded with tropical fruit and granola. It sounds niche but the flavors are genuinely crowd-pleasing and the colorful bowls photograph well for any family travel journal.