Hike the Campuhan Ridge Walk, Ubud, Bali. The Campuhan Ridge Walk is a beautiful walking track in the centre of Ubud, about 15 minutes walk from Monkey Forest. Best done either early in the morning or in the evening, the walk offers stunning views over the surrounding countryside. The trail is only 2 kilometres, but it’s not a loop track so you can just walk to the end and back again.
Remember to buy travel insurance for your trip. Receive a 5% discount on Heymondo travel insurance.
When to do the Campuhan Ridge Walk?
The Campuhan Ridge Walk is best in the very early morning, just after sunrise. This time of day is peaceful and quiet, and there generally aren’t many other people out on the walk. Alternatively, the evening just before sunset is also nice, but slightly busier. Ubud can get very hot during the day.
How to get to the Campuhan Ridge Walk?
You can find the start of the Campuhan Ridge Walk using the following directions:
- Follow directions to the Warwick Ibah Hotel sign
- Turn down the side road to the Pura Gunung Lebah temple
- Follow signposts to the Campuhan Ridge Walk
What to Expect During the Campuhan Ridge Walk?
Enjoy panoramic views of hills covered in jungle, with the occasional building peeping out through the trees. The colours will gradually change from dark green to gold as the sun comes up. The Campuhan Ridge Walk is not a circular track, so you need to walk from one end to the other and back again.
When you hike the Campuhan Ridge Walk, you do not need proper hiking boots (trainers / sandals are fine) as the entire track is paved. It is a bit uneven in some parts though. Quite a few people use this as a jogging trail, especially in the early mornings / evenings when it’s cooler. Despite this, the atmosphere is incredibly calm and peaceful.
Practical Guidance for Bali, Indonesia
Hopefully you have found this post on Hike the Campuhan Ridge Walk, Ubud, Bali useful. I’ve also included some useful information for Bali and Indonesia in general below. If you plan all the boring stuff in advance you can relax and enjoy your trip more!
How do I get a visa for Indonesia?
Make sure to check the Indonesian visa requirements for your own country as the rules can vary depending on what passport you have. Many countries can get a 30-day visa on arrival (VOA). I purchased mine at Bali Denpasar airport and was able to pay with my WISE card. You must meet passport validity requirements and have a return or onward ticket. You can explore different visa options on the official Indonesian Immigration website. If you overstay your visa there is a fine of 1 million rupiah a day.
Transport from Bali Denpasar airport to Ubud
Arriving at Bali Denpasar airport can be pretty hectic. It can feel overwhelming especially if you’ve just come off a long haul flight. A lot of flights seem to be scheduled to arrive quite late at night too, so I recommend planning in advance so that you feel safe. There will be a lot of local taxi drivers waiting at arrivals, but you will need to haggle which can be exhausting.
Personally, I booked an airport pickup in advance with Welcome Pickups. You prepay when you book at a flat rate that matches the local standard fare. The advantage of Welcome Pickups over rideshare apps (see below) is that there is no surge pricing. I did check my Grab app out of curiosity when I arrived to compare, and Welcome Pickups was indeed cheaper. The Welcome Pickups app is also incredibly easy to use and I was able to chat to my driver via the app to coordinate a meeting spot. Welcome Pickups operate in lots of different countries worldwide. You can sign up here.
How to get around Bali and Ubud
The easiest way to get around Ubud (and Bali in general) is to use Grab. Grab is a Singaporean-headquartered rideshare app (like Uber) that operates in a number of countries in South East Asia. You can choose to book either a car or a scooter. Scooters are cheaper and much faster as they can weave through the traffic. It’s also safer to use Grab and have a local driver rather than hiring a scooter yourself. I recommend downloading the app in advance before your trip so that you can set up the payment card etc. The best card to link in order to avoid high FX exchange fees is a WISE card (see below).
Money in Indonesia: (IDR)
If you’re visiting Indonesia you’ll need Indonesian Rupiah (IDR). To get IDR at the best rates, I highly recommend getting a WISE card before you go. This allows you to convert money into Indonesian Rupiah (or any other currency!) at the best rates and then spend on your Wise card as though it were a local bank card or withdraw cash in Indonesia without hidden fees. Wise is a UK-based financial services company (available in most countries worldwide) and is highly regulated in the various regions it operates in (in the UK it is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority).
Get your WISE card here.
SIM Card and Data for Indonesia
There are two main options for getting a SIM card and data to use in Indonesia:
Option 1: eSIM with Airalo
The main advantages of purchasing an eSIM via Airalo (enter the referral code ROWAN1271 for a discount) are:
- you do not need to insert a physical SIM card, so you can keep your home country SIM in your phone
- you can get a multi-country eSIM rather than having to get a new one each time you go to a new country
- you can download the eSim before you leave your home country, meaning that you will have data immediately on arrival. This gives you peace of mind and is perfect for using Google Maps and rideshare apps etc.
- You can top up your data allowance via the app
Option 2: Buy a local physical SIM card
The main advantages of purchasing a local SIM card are:
- Local SIM cards generally offer better rates. You can often (depending on the country) get a lot more data for a lower price.
- You will get a local phone number which is better for making local calls / text messages
Personally I think Airalo is the best for short holidays or if you are only spending a short time in each country. If you’re staying for a longer time, or if like me you use a lot of data, a local physical SIM card may be better.
Get your Airalo eSIM here. Enter the referral code ROWAN1271 for a discount.
Travel Insurance
Make sure that you have travel insurance to cover you for your trip. I can highly recommend Heymondo. I use them to cover me for all my trips and their app is very easy to use.
Purchase Heymondo travel insurance here.
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