Enjoy Ubud's Arts, Crafts and Culture on Bali Holidays

If you're considering a holiday in Bali but want to do more than soak up some rays, a trip to Ubud should be a priority when it comes to your itinerary. Bali is famed for its beach holiday offerings, but if you head a little further inland you'll find a cultural hotspot in the form of the town of Ubud. This particular area is home to some fascinating ruins dating back to the ancient Bali kingdom and should therefore be visited by anyone with a passing interest in the island's history. Here you can see the Tirta Empul temple, as well as the temples and museum in Pejeng, which is situated a few kilometres away. The Goa Gajah cave - whose name translates into Elephant Cave - has an unusual demon-shaped opening and legend says that the rocky attraction was created from a fingernail belonging to a giant. If you want to indulge your interest in historical attractions further, a trip to nearby Bedulu might be worthwhile as it is home to numerous archaeological sites. Meanwhile, if all you want to do is relax, look into the various spas offering all manner of treatments and services that are located in the Ubud area. Conversely, if you're the active type, why not try a spot of white water rafting or another adrenaline-pumping pursuit? Bali is a particularly scenic island, so there's plenty of scope for long hikes taking in some spectacular views. If you're interested in the local culture, make sure you check out the various dance performances on offer in Ubud. Weekly Kecak, Legong and Barong dance shows are a fixture in Ubud, as are the Ramayana and Mahabharata ballets and concerts by the local orchestra, which uses traditional instruments. For a wildlife-themed day trip, it might be a good idea to head to the Ubud Monkey Forest, which is a temple complex and nature reserve that houses hundreds of long-tailed macaque monkeys. Ubud is a unique destination when it comes to Bali holidays, so make sure you don't miss this hotbed of arts, history and culture on your trip to the Indonesian island.