01Ubud Palace (Puri Saren Agung)
The former seat of Ubud's royal family, and still partly used by their descendants today, Ubud Palace is one of the few royal residences in Bali visitors can walk into for free during the day. The Balinese architecture — carved stone gateways, ornate pavilions, a central courtyard — is worth seeing on its own, distinct from the temples that dominate most of the island's historic sites.
02Evening dance performances
In the evenings, the palace's main courtyard regularly hosts traditional Balinese dance performances — Legong and Barong among the most commonly staged — accompanied by a live gamelan orchestra. It's a more accessible way to see classical Balinese dance than seeking out a genuine temple ceremony, and one of the better evening activities in Ubud if you haven't caught a performance elsewhere. See our arts & crafts guide for more on what you're watching.
03Ubud Art Market
Directly across the street, the Ubud Art Market is a dense, covered maze of stalls selling sarongs, woven bags, wood carvings, jewellery, paintings and general souvenirs. It's touristy and the same items repeat across many stalls, but it's also genuinely useful for a wide, fast browse of Balinese craft styles before deciding what you actually want — and where you might want to buy the "real" version in a dedicated craft village instead.
04How to bargain here
Prices are rarely fixed, and the opening asking price is usually well above what a vendor will actually accept. A friendly, unhurried back-and-forth — starting at roughly a third to half the initial price and meeting somewhere in the middle — is completely normal and expected, not rude. Walking away (genuinely, not as a tactic) is often what produces the best final offer.
05Timing your visit
The market is busiest and hottest around midday; early morning or the couple of hours before closing tend to be quieter and sometimes better for negotiating, since vendors are more willing to deal to lock in a sale. Combine both stops with a wander through central Ubud's surrounding streets — many of the better independent shops and galleries sit just outside the market itself.