Monkeys, palaces, and rice terraces in one half-day. This Ubud City Tour II strings together the big-name sights without making you shuffle maps all morning, with Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary and the Tegalalang Rice Terrace as the photo stars. You also get direct pickup and drop-off from Ubud (and many south Bali addresses), so your day starts and ends with less hassle.

I especially like the tight mix of animal encounters, temple culture, and shopping. You’re not only seeing sights—you’re also getting time at the Ubud Traditional Art Market to pick up practical souvenirs you can actually use back home.

One possible drawback: the palace stop is quick (about 15 minutes), and it can feel a bit short if you’re hoping for a deeper cultural walkthrough. If you care a lot about context, ask your driver for extra explanations during the drive.

Key highlights in this Ubud City Tour II

• Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary with about 340 crab-eating macaques in a working temple setting
• Short, central hit of Ubud Palace, right in the middle of Ubud Village
• Ubud Traditional Art Market for silver, batik, wood carvings, and lots of ready-to-buy gifts
• Happy Swing Bali as an adrenaline add-on included in the tour schedule
• Tegalalang Rice Terrace scenic viewpoints, plus the option to trek with a donation to farmers

Price and what you’re really paying for

At $65 per person, this tour lands in the “worth it if you hate logistics” category. You’re paying for a private service, hotel pickup and drop-off, an English-speaking driver, and entrance tickets (plus service and government tax). That matters in Ubud, where prices and lines can pile up when you start hopping between sites on your own.

A big part of the value is that the tour isn’t just a drive-by. You get set time at each stop—Monkey Forest gets around an hour, the market around an hour, and the rice terraces around an hour—so you’re not constantly rushing to the next pickup point. And if you do the optional rice-terrace trek, you only add the farmer donation (not included). Meals are also not included, so budget a snack or plan to eat after you get back.

In short: if you want a simple route with tickets handled, this is priced like convenience. If you want a slow, thorough cultural tour with long temple time, you may feel the palace stop is too short and the pace too “grab the highlights.”

Getting to your stops: pickup, timing, and how long it feels

The tour starts at 9:00 am, and it’s listed at about 8 hours. In practice, you should plan for a day that ends in the mid-afternoon if traffic is kind and you move at a normal pace.

The route is designed as a “half-day essentials” style tour: you start in central Ubud, then sweep through the major sights—temple grounds, a palace complex, an art market, and finally the rice terraces viewpoint area. That structure helps you avoid backtracking, which is where time really disappears in Ubud.

The private vehicle is also a real quality-of-life upgrade. You’re not waiting around for multiple hotel pickups, and you don’t have to negotiate your way into and out of small parking lots. One of the best parts is that you can be dropped directly back near where you started (Ubud and many south Bali addresses are covered).

Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary: photos, temple paths, and macaque rules

Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary is where this tour earns its reputation. You’re visiting a nature reserve and temple complex, and you’re very likely to see macaques up close throughout the shaded paths.

Expect around an hour here, which is a good length for wandering slowly, getting photos, and watching how the monkeys move through the trees and temple areas. It’s also enough time to locate the areas that feel busiest without feeling like you’re being herded.

A practical note: monkey areas come with their own set of expectations. Keep your phone and bag secured, don’t tease the animals, and be careful around people feeding or waving. Even if you’re just trying to take a quick selfie, remember that these are wild temple macaques—not posed attractions.

If you’re going purely for photos, this is the stop that usually delivers the most “I can’t believe that just happened” moments. It’s also the stop where your time feels most cinematic, especially when you get a macaque framed against the temple greenery and stonework.

Ubud Palace: a quick central visit that may feel short

Ubud Palace is located right in the center of Ubud Village, and on this tour it’s a quick stop—about 15 minutes. That’s enough to walk through key areas, snap a couple photos, and get your bearings around the palace grounds.

Here’s the honest trade-off: if you’re the type who likes a slow temple reading—stone details, stories, and a guided explanation—this stop can feel like a photo break more than a deep cultural lesson. Some visitors treat it as a must-see because of its location, while others skip it if the day is already packed.

My advice: treat Ubud Palace as orientation. Use it to understand where you are in Ubud’s royal-town layout, then lean into the places that give you more time—Monkey Forest and the rice terraces.

Ubud Traditional Art Market: shopping time with real variety

Ubud Traditional Art Market is one of the more useful stops on this kind of itinerary because it gives you a full hour to browse without pressure. It’s known for a wide range of souvenirs, from silver jewelry and precious stones to batiks, T-shirts, beach sarongs, wood carvings, and cane-work bags.

What makes this stop practical isn’t just the variety—it’s the ability to compare prices and materials in one place. If you’ve ever bought a souvenir in a hurry, you know how fast regrets can pile up. Here, you get enough time to check details, look at quality, and decide what’s worth carrying home.

A couple quick shopping tips:

• Start with the items you’re sure about (like a small carving or a piece of jewelry), then branch out.
• If you’re buying fabric (batik or sarongs), inspect the stitching and fabric thickness before you commit.
• Bring small cash if possible for smoother purchases.

If you’re not into shopping at all, this hour can feel like a chore. But if you do want gifts, art, or something wearable, this is the stop that’s most likely to pay off.

Happy Swing Bali: the adrenaline stop that changes the mood

This tour includes a visit to Happy Swing Bali, with about 1 hour 30 minutes allocated. The concept is simple: you swing from a cliff-style setting with a view, trading museum-time for action-time.

This stop is a good mood-shifter. After walking through monkey paths and browsing markets, the swing gives you a burst of energy—plus a different kind of photo than the temples and rice fields.

Two practical considerations:

• Bring shoes you can trust. The ground around swing areas can be uneven, and you’ll want secure footing.
• If you’re sensitive to heights or speed, decide early whether you’ll do the swing. If you only want photos, you might still spend time there, but you’ll want to manage expectations.

Tegalalang Rice Terrace: viewpoints, breezes, and optional trekking

Tegalalang Rice Terrace is where your day slows down. You get about an hour here, with scenic views down across the paddies on the slopes. The roadside viewpoint is often cool and breezy, which helps after a morning of walking in warmer Ubud areas.

The best part is that you can choose your style:

• If you want an easy visit, stick with viewpoints and photos.
• If you want to walk, you can trek, but there’s a donation to the farmer at your own expense if you do the trek.

That donation detail matters because it’s tied to local farming livelihoods. If you go for the walk, it feels good to treat it like a small, direct way to support the people maintaining the terraces.

My practical suggestion: bring water and be ready for stairs or uneven paths if you trek. Even if you’re not doing anything extreme, rice-terrace paths tend to be slippery or dusty depending on recent rain.

Drivers and the difference between a driver and a guide

This tour is run with an English-speaking driver, and the quality can vary based on how your driver chooses to explain what you’re seeing during the ride.

Some drivers are described as sharing lots of interesting details about the sights along the way. Names that showed up include Mera and Irwan, with a focus on teaching about Balinese culture during the drive. Others, like Wena, were described as friendly and attentive but not acting like a full guide, which can mean you get less context for the sites you pass.

So here’s your best move: ask questions. If you want more cultural meaning, ask right away at pickup:

• What should I notice at Monkey Forest besides the monkeys?
• Why is Ubud Palace laid out the way it is?
• What’s the story behind the rice terraces?

Even if your driver isn’t a formal guide, a good conversation can turn car time into extra value.

Who this tour suits best (and who might skip it)

This tour is a strong fit if you want a fast, structured Ubud sampler. It’s ideal for:

• First-time visitors who want the main highlights in one route
• People who hate planning tickets and timing
• Anyone who wants Monkey Forest and the rice terraces without dealing with logistics

It may not be ideal if you:

• Want deep temple history and long, slow explanations at every stop
• Prefer a full-day pacing (this is built for efficient site-to-site movement)
• Don’t want any adrenaline activity, since Happy Swing Bali is included

Should you book Ubud City Tour II?

Book it if you want an efficient, ticket-included Ubud highlights route where Monkey Forest and Tegalalang Rice Terrace take center stage. The price makes sense when you factor in pickup/drop-off, entrance tickets, taxes, and the extra stop at Happy Swing Bali.

Skip it or adjust expectations if palace time is a dealbreaker for you. The palace visit is short, so use it as a quick central stop and focus your attention (and photo time) on Monkey Forest, the market browsing, and the rice terraces.

If you book, plan for minimal meal time during the day and bring water. Also, go in knowing that macaque encounters are real animal interactions—not a staged show. That’s part of the magic, as long as you follow basic monkey safety.

FAQ

How long is the Ubud City Tour II?

The tour is listed at about 8 hours.

What time does the tour start?

The start time is 9:00 am.

Is hotel pickup and drop-off included?

Yes. The tour includes hotel pickup and drop-off, including from Ubud and many south Bali addresses.

What’s included in the price?

Private tour service, hotel pickup and drop-off, an English-speaking driver, entrance tickets, and service and government tax are included.

Are meals included?

No, meals are not included.

Do I need to pay anything extra at the rice terraces?

If you do trekking in the rice terrace area, there’s a donation to the farmer at your own expense.

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