There are many good reasons to visit Ubud, and there are many things you can do in Ubud. One of the activities you can do in Ubud is hiking. It can be hiking in the city, to look at shops and people, a trip to Monkey Forest or a hike along the rice fields. For me, the highlight was hiking on the “Campuhan Ridge” – an incredibly beautiful and breathtaking hike, through green nature and hills.
What to expect
On this beautiful hike along Campuhan Ridge, you can expect fantastic nature experiences. The path itself is paved, making it an easy hike. You can expect to see trees, hills, green vegetation, jungle/forest, rice terraces, and fields. However, there is no reason to take the hike if all you seek are rice terraces; you can see many of them closer to Ubud as well.
Things to know about the trip
Go early and remember water
One of the mistakes we made when we hiked the “Campuhan Ridge” was that we didn’t think much about how hot it is at noon. We hadn’t brought enough water, and we set off just before noon. Bad idea! It was hot. Very hot!
There isn’t much shade on the hike, so it’s also a good idea to start early in the day – or late afternoon. It can become unbearably hot to walk in the blazing sun, and even the locals seem to feel hot in the middle of the day.
Expect to spend 1½-2 hours
The hike itself is not long. My family and I took the hike for about 1 ½ hours, measured from the “Ibah” sign to Karsa Kafe – and back again. We didn’t rush on the hike and took many short breaks.
Check the weather forecast
If you know in advance that there will be lots of rain, storms, or other weather phenomena, remember that you are very exposed to the weather during the hike. Therefore, I would skip the trip and choose another day.
How to get there
Of course, it’s difficult to say exactly how to get there, as it depends on where you live in Ubud. This short guide is based on coming from the western end of the city.
If you follow the road Jalan Raya Ubud towards the bridge, simply continue along the road a little further into town until you find a sign that says “Warwick IBAH villas and spa.” Here, you walk into the road until you find another sign from IBAH villas. Here, another sign is placed indicating “Going to the hill” with an arrow in the direction you should go.
The hike itself is easy, and even children can walk it without major problems. Our son was 7 years old when we took the hike, and he didn’t complain much during the trip, except for the heat – which we also felt.
Karsa Kafe
Most people choose to end the hike at Karsa Kafe, a cafe located in the most beautiful surroundings, with an atmosphere that cannot be described. The place is nothing short of magical!
The food at the cafe was really good, and the coffee was excellent! Food and coffee definitely tasted better after burning energy on the hike, while we could sit and enjoy the fantastic view from the cafe.
A glimpse of the view from Karsa Kafe can be seen in the video here:
There is no doubt that we enjoyed sitting at the cafe, enjoying the view, savoring the coffee and food. Karsa Kafe itself is divided into two parts. There is a main building where it is possible to dine, and from this main building, there is a beautiful view over rice fields and the rest of the cafe’s grounds. The other part of Karsa Kafe consists of small ponds filled with water lilies, along with small covered terraces with tables.
The journey doesn’t have to stop at Karsa Kafe. For the more adventurous, it is also possible to continue the trek westward, towards Bangkiangs Sidem, down to the Sungai Cerik River, and then climb up the hills in Payogan, in the village of Kedewatan.
If you plan to stay overnight in Ubud, I highly recommend hiking on Campuhan Ridge. It’s a great experience!
