1

Ubud (at least in the centre)is pretty upmarket these days.

More SUVs and mobile phones than rats and starving dogs.......

2

Kalimantan and Bali are both in Indonesia but actually worlds apart. Borneo is a huge island with very little tourist infrastructure and oil and forestry are the main economic drivers. Kalimantan, the Indonesian side of Borneo, was was ruled by the Dutch not British and therefore was not "tamed" the way the Malaysian Borneo was.

Bali (where Ubud is located, in the center of the MUCH smaller island) is a Hindu Island where agriculture, handicrafts and tourism are huge economic forces, which makes it a great touristic island, even while huge parts of it retain their traditional religious culture. Kuta and the beachy places in the south, are kind of wild and crazy and very modern, to the point where it's not even seemingly a part of Bali.

Ubud is kind of a "haven" for cultural tourists, with lots of comfortable small losmen and hotels, cafes and restaurants, spas, museums, shopping and all that tourism brings, both good and bad. (sadly) But the people are still really great and most are still primarily focused on families, village life and frequent ceremonies and religious duties. But as a tourist you MIGHT NOT see it right away...but at least you will be in a great place to access it.

Edited by: putriduyung

3

Seriously...there are plenty of nice shops,massage places and very good restaurants.It is pretty clean (very clean by Indonesian standards-maybe too much for some people)but is still an interesting and relaxing place.

Its the place I always go to after a month in Papua,Kalimantan or Sumatra........

4

Yes, I think you'd like Ubud.

I just spent 2 months in rural Sumatra then went to Bali for a month and I remember thinking how it was hard to believe they were the same country (and Sumatra, I'm sure is not as '3rd word' (for want of a better term) as Kalimantan.

I spent 7 months in Ubud a few years ago, staying in budget accommodation and think I saw a rat once, and just a couple of stray dogs. Ubud sounds like it would suit you well.

5

Hi Leanne
I was in Ubud 1991 and am going back to relax and chill after Sumatra and Java but I am not exspecting the same Ubud, way back I dont think anything was open after 8pm but now it sounds very upmarket but Im ok with that, its a great base to explore and the people lovely, a friend told me a bit of construction is going on so keep in mind the noice during the day, so get out and about

Enjoy

jen

6

Ubud is a favourite destination for female foreign tourists.

They like the good restaurants, massage, shopping, yoga etc

7

Love Ubud! Yay!

8

Hi Leanne! I was in both Borneo and Ubud last fall, and they are worlds apart- not to worry about Ubud
Ubud is a great place as Bali's cultural showcase, with lots of top notch restaurants/bars/lodgings. Bali's also more convenient for travellers as the whole island centers around
taking care of visitors so the language barrier is non-existent. In Borneo, the open sewers, polluted city
beaches (with raw sewage) and air pollution in the cities was a rude surprise. You'd think all the visa-
on-arrival collections and airport departure taxes and oil revenue- the government could at least deliver clean water and
decent sanitation to its own people. Go to Ubud- You will love it!

9

Thanks everyone I feel more at ease now. Keno that is exactly how I found Borneo, just like your description. It is such a shame

10

I forgot to mention another good thing about Bali is there is a Australian-run medical clinic in Kuta-the BIMC
clinic (www.bimcbali.com). It's good to know it's there if ever needed. If you need to de-stress, there's a great
hair/massage salon called Milano Salon in Ubud. Great therapists & one-hour massages are less than $10. It's
just south of the soccer field on Monkey Forest Road. Have Fun!

11

Thanks kenko the massages sound wonderful
Leanne

12

Hi Ubud is different from Borneo. You will find that it is “richer” and generally the hygiene standards are higher. You will not see as many rats as in Borneo (although there are rats in Ubud too). I am a big animal lover and I can say that unfortunately dogs are not very well treated in Bali, as they are thought to be the reincarnation of evil people. Therefore they are often kicked, abused or killed just for no reason. There are lots of organisations (especially Australian ones) which try to relieve the situation for animals. I volunteered for one of them, they are called BARC and they are situated in Ubud. If you like animals, I would strongly recommend that you just pop in and visit them (and perhaps offer to help for half a day or so) or bring some old clothes or shoes they can sell at their second hand charity shop (http://www.balidogrefuge.com/theshelter.htm). They are really doing an amazing job at curing and rescuing needy dogs and cats.
Ubud is a great place to enjoy Bali at its best: there are plenty of nice restaurants, lovely café, cheap (but good) beauty saloons and great shopping opportunities. There are also lots of classes for all interests: cooking classes, yoga classes, batik painting classes, meditation classes, balinese dance classes….. something for everyone!
And you can find simple but comfortable accommodation at a very good price.
I am sure you will enjoy your stay in Ubud!!!

13

Thank you Ciglre

If I visit the refuge for animals, will it be upsetting, as i am an animal lover to but will be upset if i see bad circumstances for the animals.

14

Hi! If you go to the refuge, the animals are all in good conditions, so it will not be upsetting at all.

If you go to the Good Karma Clinic there are lots of puppies (really cute!) but there are also some dogs with amputated legs (they are kept at the clinic so they can keep an eye on them) or who are recovering from operations, so it might be a bit more upsetting. I am also very sensitive.... I always cry when I see animals suffering, but I was ok at the clinic, I was happy to see that although the dogs have gone through a very bad time, they are now taken care of.

You can find the addresses of the refuge and the clinic on BARC's website:
http://www.balidogrefuge.com/findus.htm

They are only a few km apart.