Bali Trip: Ubud vs Seminyak

1. Bali Trip: Ubud vs Seminyak It may seem like Bali is a tiny little island, one you can buzz around in a few hours. It’s true, Bali is only 5,780 km² (2,232 Miles²) but the lean streets, combined with traffic congestion in urban areas, will slow down any ideas you may have of “buzzing.” If you really want to see more than one part of Bali, beyond just Ubud and Seminyak, it may make more sense to plan a longer trip and stay in different parts. For busy travelers, time in limited. Lost days moving from location to location cut into their vacations too much. So, with hotspots like Ubud and Seminyak, travelers want to know which is the better destination? Tough question. That’s a little like asking, pizza or hamburgers? Coffee or tea? Lentils or Steak, which is better? Personal tastes play a huge part in the answer. To answer the question of Ubud vs Seminyak, this blog will look at both destinations from a practical standpoint, location, and activities. We'll not, however, tackle pizza or hamburgers today. To figure out which is better for you, first consider the nature of your travels. Rather than consider every possible motivation for seeing Bali, I’ll use the toughest trip to plan as our lens: the honeymoon. Ubud or Seminyak for Honeymoon?

2. The straightforward answer to this question is a matter of preference. Are you and your betrothed the sort of folks who prefer to lounge on the beach until the sun sets? OR, do you like your skin crispy, even in the darkness of a nightclub? Here's the short answer: Will you likely sleep until peak sun? Go for Seminyak. If you’re more the activities sort of people, consider Ubud. BUT, there's more to consider. Both are great destinations so let’s dive in a little deeper. Where is Ubud located? About as far as you can get from the city of Denpasar without leaving civilization completely, that’s where you’ll find Ubud. It’s not the bullseye-center of the island, slightly southeast of it, but it's definitely in the middle. This is why many consider Ubud the heart of Bali. For folks who want to stay in a centralized location to see more of the island, Ubud makes the most sense. From there you can launch any number of tours, rice paddy treks, cooking classes, surfing, ruins, and more...

3. Ubud What to do? As the cultural center of Bali, most folks know Ubud for its arts scene. That scene includes everything from unique architecture to a diversity of painting styles but also includes performing arts like dancing. What not everyone realizes is the full scope of things to do in Ubud. If you like to hike, trekking Ubud will put you on level-10 selfie-taking peaks. If hiking sounds like a lot of work for an Instagram selfie, you might prefer Ubud’s yoga scene or even more chill than that, you could visit a real Balinese healer. Because of its proximity to so much, a trip to Ubud is not too far from great surfing,

4. Where is Seminyak Bali? On the beach just east of Denpasar, the Indian ocean mixes with the Sea of Bali, lapping the southern shores of Bali with endless peace. That is where you’ll find Seminyak. It’s far enough from Ngurah Rai International Airport that you can nap on chaise lounge chair in the sun without the roar of airplane engines every second, but not so far from anything that you feel remote to civilization. In fact, on the streets of Seminyak, you might feel reminded of home, but on the beach, you’ll only feel ocean breezes as you gaze out into the endless sea. No doubt, it’s a beautiful and exciting part of Bali.

5. What to do in Seminyak? It’s such a beautiful place, Seminyak has grown considerably in the last few decades. The downside to this growth is that many luxury hotels have taken over the area. As far as being an authentic Balinese experience, it is arguably one sort of Balinese experience, but none that reflects the traditions of Balinese people. That said, it’s a great place to find nightlife, shop, and wander the streets for days. Don’t be surprised to see many familiar businesses, Starbucks, McDonald's, even Circle K mini-markets. It’s not even that hard to get out of Seminyak for a day to see other parts of Bali.

6. Seminyak to Ubud People often ask, how do I get from Seminyak to Ubud? The good news is, they much closer than you might think. It’s a small island. Taking a cab, for example, is the easiest way to get from one area to another. You can even hail an Uber, a service hardly used by locals, but works just like at home. You may have more luck finding a taxi, though, because they far outnumber Ubers. If you’re renting a car, you can map your route like you would back home by using Google Maps or your preferred mapping application. Your other option is to contact the Authentic Bali team and let us help you make arrangements. More than tourism outfit, Authentic Bali is your local connection in Bali. We’ll not only help you organize the best memories of Bali through the authentic door, we’ll network you with the connections we’ve know all our lives. Kedewatan Street - Kedewatan Ubud, Bali 80571, Indonesia USA Telephone: +1-646-583-1228 Indonesia Telephone: +62-812-3679766 E-mail: contact@theauthenticbali.com Visit: www.theauthenticbali.com