Ubud Off The Beaten Path Tips by Tijavi Top 5 Page for this destination

The school kids of Nyuhkuning

Nyuhkuning is one of the quiet villages surrounding Ubud. It could be accessed through the Monkey Forest Sanctuary.

It was a schoolday when I visited Nyuhkuning. As I reached the village center, I was warmly greeted by pupils in the village school - some speaking very good English. I had a great time chatting with them - they know a lot about the Philippines! - and taking snaps.

I wish I had brought candies and chocolates with me for these kids - I'm pretty sure they would have appreciated these tokens.

The herons (and dance master) of Petulu

Petulu was initially not part of my itinerary, but who could refuse an invitation to a Balinese home, much less to the home of a Balinese dance master. So, sans any protective helmet, off I rode with Kade on his scooter to visit his family in Petulu.

Besides having the pleasure of meeting Kade's family - mother, wife, kids and other members of the extended family - I did have the opportunity to witness a spectacle that unfolds every sunset above Kade's house - the thousands of herons scrambling for perching places on the trees in Petulu.

The spectacle has become an attraction of sorts, and the at the time of my visit, there were three busloads of Japanese tourists who came there to watch the herons.

The herons, which are Java pond herons characterized by their large sizes and white color, started to perch on Petulu's trees around 1965 for no apparent reason at all, and have since entertained visitors and delighted villagers, who believe the birds bring luck (not to mention hordes of tourists as well).

And while the Japanese tourists scramble for strategic places to watch the birds, I had the best seat in the village, sipping good Balinese coffee, and basking in the warm hospitality of Kade and his family.

The green, green grass of Katik Lantang

Rice (Oryza sativa), is perhaps the most vital of grass species, at least in Asia. It feeds billions from China, to some parts of India, and almost throughout of Southeast Asia.

It is no wonder that farming in Southeast Asia is synonymous with the planting, growing, and harvesting of rice. As this cycle is repeated throughout the year, the rice paddies go through a colorful transformation that is truly a visual treat - from dull grayish muddy fields during preparation, the verdant green fields after planting, to the golden brown hues just before harvesting.

Tourists who venture out into Katik Lantang are in for this special treat. The rice paddies were particularly verdant green at the time I visited this small village near Nyuhkuning. It is so refreshing to see swathes upon swathes of rice paddies, so verdant, so alive.

An artsy surprise at Bangkiang Sidem

To make the most of your Ubud experience, venture into the nearby villages. It's the best way to really soak in the local culture, mingle with the locals, sample real Balinese food, and be surprised by peculiarities of the local customs (read my 'Invisible to the naked eye' tip under Local Custom, and you will know what I am talking about).

One of the walks I took was through the small village of Bangkian Sidem. To go there, pass through the Ibah Luxury Villas, following the concrete path to Pura Gunung Lebah, along the Campuan Ridge, where two rivers - Sungai Wos and Sungai Cerik - meet. You pass by fields upon fields of elephant grass, scenic rice paddies, and on to Bangkiang Sidem.

Along the way, I stopped by a shop (mainly to take shelter from the searing midday sun) by an artist named Made Sudarsana who invited me to see his works, obviously with commercial intentions. But the conversation went beyond commerce and his art - we talked about life in Ubud in general, traditions and family life. His wife used to work for a large hotel in Ubud as a spa specialist but had since moved to another of the hotel chain's property in the Caribbean.

I also got the honor to be invited to Made's house to meet his family - his father, mother, sister, and two kids. Over cups of aromatic Balinese coffee (and some leftover cake from the kids' birthday party), we chatted about the Philippines and Indonesia, about local customs in Ubud, and showed me the family compound. I took snaps of the Made and his family and would like to invite you meet Made and his family in one of my Ubud travelogues.

There is no better way to completely engage yourself with the gentle and very hospitable local population.