Helpful information for those planning to travel to Ubud for yoga practice.

If you are travelling to Ubud to practice yoga with me, you may find the following information helpful. Please email me requests for other information that is not listed here.

Travellers from most countries will receive a tourist visa on arrival at the airport in Denpassar. Please check the details for your nationality.

There are currently two types of tourist visa offered at the airport. Visa details are changed frequently, so please double check for current information before your arrival:

1) A free 30 day tourist visa is offered – however this visa is NOT extendable. You must leave the country after 30 days.

2) Another type of 30 day tourist visa is offered which costs around USD 35. This visa is extendable by another 30 days, which you can do through one of the many visa agents in Ubud. The extension costs around USD 80 if you use an agent.

To get to Ubud from the airport in Denpassar, a prepaid taxi should cost you about 25 USD and the journey will take 1.5 – 2 hours, depending on traffic. Alternately, you could pre-book a taxi with one of these two reliable drivers whom I both know personally. Send either of them a friend request on facebook, and then message to ask for pickup:

Wayan Sudiastawa
Wayan Sudira

The yoga shala is located on the second floor of The Seeds of Life Raw Food Cafe and Tonic Bar. The address is # 2 Jl. Goutama which is near the intersection with Jl. Raya Ubud in the center of town. Click here to see the location on Google Maps.

The heart of Ubud is very small. Our yoga shala and many nice restaurants and shops are all within walking distance (including the healthiest and tastiest restaurant in town right below the yoga studio!). If you choose to stay in the center of town, you can get around by walking quite easily.

The center of Ubud is also quite busy and bustling, so many prefer to stay a short distance outside where things are more peaceful. 1 – 2 Km away you can be in a different world of rice fields and nature. If you stay outside of the center, a scooter is a popular way to get around. Scooters are available for rent from around 5 USD per day or 60 USD per month. Ask around and bargain a bit to get a good scooter and a good deal. Be sure to bring your international driver’s license and wear a helmet at all times. Good bicycles are also available to rent. There are also many taxis available to take you wherever you need to go.

For scooter rental I can recommend Dharma Putra services on Jl. Jembawan, across from the post office and close to Bali Buddha restaurant.

There is plenty of accommodation in Ubud to suit all styles and budgets. I don’t have specific recommendations for places to stay as everyone has different preferences and tastes. The following resources will help you find what you are looking for:

The best way to know exactly what you are getting is to simply show up and check things out in person before deciding. If you are staying longer term you can start with a simple homestay in the center of town and explore for a few days until you find the longer term dwelling you are looking for.

If you wish to stay in the center of town, I can recommend two places. Either one would be good as a landing place to get your bearings, or for long term if you decide to stay in town:

1) Gayatri Bungalows – 41 Monkey Forest Road, Beji Lane. +62 361 979 129 gayatribungalows@gmail.com

This guest house is an ideal choice as it is owned and operated by a long term practitioner at our yoga shala named Bagus Ikonen. Bagus gives the following description of the guest house:

We are less than a five minute walk from the yoga shala, meaning people don’t need scooters if they don’t want them and can also enjoy the other conveniences in the Ubud village centre. As we are situated on a lane off one of the main roads there are enough buildings in the way to keep the noise and pollution away and the other flanks of our property are rice fields and a patch of greenery which leads to a river valley below. Very often our guests are amazed at the total quiet and tranquillity we enjoy in the evenings despite being so close to the centre.

2) Pangkung House: Jl. Hanoman. (0361) 972301

Pangkung house is very a clean, comfortable and safe family run compound. The only drawback is that it is on a main road so you will hear traffic noise. It is a good place to base yourself and look for a longer term place. If you are only staying short term, it could be fine for your entire stay.

For longer term housing, there are many types of apartments and villas available. Many of these can be rented on a monthly basis and prices can range from as little as 400 USD per month up to thousands of dollars per month, depending on the facilities and the owner. It is advisable to browse and compare to get a good idea. Sharing a larger villa or house with friends is a good way to cut costs. If you are interested in booking one of these places in advance or just to browse what types of places are available, I suggest the following two resources:

airbnb

This is a wonderful service for travelers – not only for Ubud but anywhere you go in the world. The hosts advertise directly on the website and you book with them through the website. There are many listings for Ubud. You can refine your search based on budget, type of accommodation, etc. This can be more expensive than showing up and negotiating in person, but it can be worth it if you are staying for a few weeks and don’t want to spend your first days searching for a place to live.

Housing Options on Facebook

Several facebook group have longer term rentals as well as short term sublets. You browse the listings, and you can also join the group and post your dates and requirements. You’ll likely get several offers.

Ubud Rentals

Ubud Bali Housing and Rental

Ubud House and Villa for Rent

Ubud Houses and Accommodation

Some of the surrounding areas that are popular and quieter than the center of Ubud are Penestanan, Nyuh Kuning (both of which are within 30 minutes walk). The roads Jl. Sri Wedari and Jl. Tirta Tawar run North from the main road in Ubud and are my personal favorite areas. These villages include Kutuh and Junjungan. A scooter or bicycle would be advisable for living in these areas.

If you stay long term and rent a house with kitchen facilities you can use the markets to self-cater at home. Ubud also has many good restaurants that serve healthy food. A few of my favorites are listed below:

The Seeds of Life Raw Food Cafe and Tonic Bar

You don’t even need to leave the building to get the healthiest and tastiest pre-practice tonic or post-practice meal. Raw and Vegan gourmet cuisine by Sayuri and Ben. You won’t be disapointed!

Kismet

17 Jl. Goutama near the yoga shala. Great vegetarian Asian fusion cuisine.

Soma

Also on Jl. Goutama just south of the Seeds of Life. Delicious vegetarian and vegan food.

Dayu’s Warung

28 Jl. Sugriwa. Healthy and clean vegetarian food. A little less expensive than some of the other places.

Sari Organik

Beautiful and relaxing location in the rice fields, and excellent food.

Atman

38 Jl. Hanoman. Not dedicated vegetarian, but the menu is clearly labeled with numerous vegetarian, vegan, raw and gluten free options.

Warung Sopa

Two locations, one on Jl. Sugriwa and one in the village of Nyuh Kuning. Vegetarian local Balinese food. Great for pure vegetarian Nasi Campur (rice and vegetable dishes similar to the Indian Thali).

Down to Earth

Pure vegetarian restaurant and health food store off Jl. Hanoman near the yoga shala.

My favorite yoga schools and resource websites

KPJAYI

The Ashtanga headquarters in Mysore, India.

Ashtanga Yukon Collective

The Ashtanga Tradition in Whitehorse, YT being carried on by my former students and assistants.

Ashtanga Yoga Victoria

High quality Ashtanga instruction in Victoria, BC by my good friends Harmony and Jeff

Ashtanga Yoga Canada

Central resource for Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga in Canada.

Ashtanga.com

Worldwide resource for Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga

AshtangaYoga.info

Another very good Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga resource.

Resources for developing a sitting practice

Vipassana Meditation

Vipassana in the tradition of S.N. Goenka

Resources and products to aid and integrate the transformative process of yoga

Brendan Brazier

I highly recommend Brendan Brazier’s books and products for an authentic tried and true approach to plant based nutrition.

Vega Sport

Vega products are the cleanest burning fuel out there. Vegan and gluten free, their potent formulas are easily assimilated into the body. I find them to be extremely beneficial in the life of a serious Ashtanga practitioner and teacher. In particular I recommend the “recovery accelerator” and “performance protein” to anyone who does a 6 day per week Ashtanga practice.

The Seeds of Life

Raw Food experts Sayuri and Ben provide a variety of high quality services, including the cafe and tonic bar that will be the new home of Spacious Yoga!

Joel Kramer and Diana Alstad

Joel and Diana are revolutionary thinkers in every sense of the term. I feel that exposure to their ideas are absolutely essential to anyone engaged in any form of spiritual or religious practice and is not afraid to have their beliefs and worldviews challenged in a healthy and productive way. The future of a healthy humanity requires more of this kind of forward thinking. In particular, I recommend “The Guru Papers: Masks of Authoritarian Power”.

Lois A. Leonhardi

Lois is a wellness coach and the author of “Eat Well, Be Well – Ayurveda Cooking for Healthy Living”. She has worked successfully as a private yoga instructor and ayurveda personal chef in Los Angeles and the east coast, helping clients reach their wellness goals.

Excellent products which I personally use because they are consistent with my yoga refined discernment

Trav-L-Pure Water Filter

For travellers to places with questionable water quality, this is the most reliable and user friendly filter I have found. I use it for all my drinking water on long trips to India.

Black Diamond Backpacks

For those who use a backpack regularly – whether for shopping around town, day hikes, back country trekking or travel – the chronic tensions that build up in the body from carrying your possessions on your back can make your yoga practice much harder! Black Diamond packs have many innovative features which make them the most conducive packs available for keeping the body aligned and minimizing tension while carrying a load on your back. I recommend the “Octane” for day use and shopping and the “Mercury” Series for trekking and travel (available in gender specific and different sized models). I have not tried their other packs, but I am sure most of them are great. Find the right pack for your body size and gender before purchasing. Their customer service is extremely reliable and helpful in this process.

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