Travelers are venting their frustrations about an “Australian favorite” holiday destination that has been overrun by tourists.
Ubud, in the highlands of Bali, is famous for its lush rainforests, luxurious stays, vibrant markets, ancient temples and expansive rice fields, which often provide the backdrop for idyllic social snapshots.
However, the search for the perfect Instagram post has caused thousands of people to flood the area, turning it into a crowded, gridlocked “mess” that is far from luxurious, according to traveler complaints.
‘What happened to Ubud? “I just arrived this afternoon and was very disappointed with the amount of traffic and people here,” one woman wrote on Reddit.
‘I was here 14 years ago and I don’t remember being so busy and (stressful). I’m so depressed… I knew Ubud would be busy, but not that busy, especially in April. I’ve been traveling to Bali for a month now and I think he’s almost worse than Canggu.’
Expectation versus reality: Travelers say Ubud in Bali used to be a stunning hidden gem, but its popularity has turned it into a crowded, gridlocked ‘mess’.
One guest said the hotel he was staying at offered to shuttle visitors downtown, but had to suspend service during peak travel months due to traffic.
Many other Bali travelers were quick to agree, with one saying he had had a “horrible experience” on his most recent trip because there was “tourist nonsense everywhere” instead of the “historical and cultural” attractions they remembered.
‘I first saw Ubud in 2004. Basically a single long street with a market at one end. I remember the Jazz bar, there was a small shop that had internet access. Beautiful place,’ they recalled.
“I came back in 2018 with my wife – I thought I got lost and ended up in Melbourne commuter traffic at rush hour or something.”
One guest said the hotel they stayed at offered to shuttle visitors downtown, but had to suspend service during peak travel months due to traffic.
‘We visited Ubud for the first time in August 2017 so peak season and traffic was bad. Then we visited in February this year and the traffic was worse in low season than in August 2017. They responded.
Another recalled that when they visited in 2004, Ubud was a “beautiful place” with “a single long street with a market at one end.”
Many noted that a bad experience in Ubud should not deter travelers from Bali entirely and recommended that those planning a visit look for quieter nearby towns to stay in.
‘We asked the hotel shuttle driver and he told us that the traffic had become so heavy that the hotel could not even drop off its guests in central Ubud in the months of June, July and August. Totally crazy.’
‘The last time I was there it was a pretty quiet place. This time it was totally over the top, with continuous traffic jams, hundreds of people clogging the very poor roads and basically it was an unhappy place,” someone else agreed.
Another said they had planned a five-night stay in Ubud but canceled it after one day due to the chaos.
“Ubud is busy all year round thanks to social media,” one user complained.
Many noted that a bad experience in Ubud should not deter travelers from Bali entirely and recommended that those planning a visit look for quieter nearby towns to stay in.
“Take a taxi 20 minutes north to the area around Tegallalang and it will be like Ubud 20 years ago,” one person suggested.
“I stayed 3 kilometers away and only entered the center when I needed to,” said a second.
‘I’ve just returned from two weeks in Ubud. Our twelfth time there in 10 years. It’s still beautiful but it’s busier. We just walk everywhere. Small towns like Nyuh Kuning are getting busier (they’re like the old center of Ubud) and getting closer to the monkey forest. Some beautiful little restaurants…enjoy them,” chimed in a third.
