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Ubud used to be the top digital nomad hotspot in Bali before Canggu took over, but it still offers a solid experience for those looking to work remotely. The area has great coworking spaces, fast internet, and plenty of excellent food options ranging from budget-friendly warungs to high-end restaurants. There's also a big yoga and wellness scene, making it popular with health-conscious visitors. It’s more laid back than Canggu, and some prefer it for being less pretentious and more walkable.
However, Ubud has its downsides. The traffic is a major issue, especially in the center, and there are no rideshare services or metered taxis, so having a scooter is almost essential. The town can also feel overly commercialized and busy, particularly in certain tourist-heavy areas. It attracts an older crowd compared to Canggu, which might be a pro or con depending on your preferences.
Overall, Ubud is great for digital nomads who want a calm, nature-filled environment with access to good amenities. If you’re into yoga, good food, and a slower pace of life, it’s a fantastic option. Just be prepared for some traffic and transportation hassles.
AI-generated summary of reviews
The whole city is a well made jungle flavored theme park. A well-designed area where even the inconveniences are intentional. If you are not a party monster I still recommend living here. It's heaven on earth. The downside is the road network infrastructure. I don't recommend planning a lot of moving schedule when living here. Drivers use Klaxons as a way to communicate on the one way road at night, so pick a your house that's set back from the road. I hope they build a good subway throughout the whole island of Bali.
1 month ago
Ubud is dead. I plan to stay here for a month starting today, but my heart is already breaking. The traffic is too much. The center of Ubud is always crowded with cars and motorcycles, not a very relaxing environment. It's a pity.
10 months ago
Spent 10 months here in 2019 (Nyuh Kuning) and another 10 mo in 2023 (Penestanan). Worked at Outpost, which had reliable internet and organized socials. Met some folks starting up a business or working remote. Around 3pm (or 9am Moscow time) the ambient language shifted to Russian. Before you come, learn to ride a scooter. Seriously. Noisy, dirty, chaotic, incredibly beautiful and kind people. Avoid staying next to a rice field during burning season.
10 months ago
Can’t recommend Ubud. It’s just the same overdeveloped and overpriced mentally isolated tourist trap that is Canggu, just a bit worse. If you have never been anywhere else, it might be okay for 2 weeks, but to any seasoned traveller it’s a the type of place you dread.
2 years ago
Great place for Digital Nomads :) Fast internet, many Co-working spaces and beautiful views around - rice fields, jungle, palms :) Oh, yeah! One of the best place in the World to work remotely!
2 years ago
Honestly, this is an awesome place to be if you're actually trying to get work done. It's a bit of an older vibe than Canggu, and there's certainly a big chunk of yogi's kicking around — but I liked it much better than Canggu and found it less pretentious. Plus, you can drive down there in 45mins whenever you want some beach or party vibes.
As others mentioned, there's some great coworking spaces, cheap warungs, some really nice spots to stay cheaply if you go just outside of the mad touristy areas like Hanoman/Monkey Forest/Penestan.
You're definitely going to want a scooter, and you'll learn quickly which roads to avoid at what times because the traffic can be pretty crazy — but that's true for Canggu as well.
It's green and lush, there's great food and a handful of good bars, lots of great pools and chillout spots, good yoga and gyms, and you're within 45mins ride of the beach, waterfalls, and jungles. Pretty damn good in my books.
5 years ago
Ubud is great for older nomads over 35 who are over the party scene. It has great amenities like coworking spaces (HUBUD and Outpost), a dope-ass gym (Titi Batu) and some of the best yoga studios in the world (Yoga Barn and Radiantly Alive). And that's not even mentioning the food, which is incredible. Cons: no Uber or metered taxis so getting around is a total pain and the wild dogs at night can be treacherous. Overall, I don't understand why it's slipped in the rankings bc it really is awesome.
6 years ago
I like it here better than Canggu. It's more walkable, more cheap warungs, more convenient. You could find all kinds of shop catering to different type of visitor, from cheap to luxurious. Not a party place if you're looking for it, which made it even more perfect. More female than male, great for dating.
6 years ago
Agree with the other comment. Full of weirdos and yogis.
6 years ago
This used to be the hotspot for digital nomads in Bali until 2016 when Canggu took over. It’s more deserted now and mostly filled with Chinese tourbuses, older Euro families and some yoga girls and yogi’s. Not as hip as it once was. Who knows when it will make a revival. I hope.
7 years ago