Central Bali is famous as the cradle of Balinese art. The island’s artisans, based primarily in the town of Ubud, produce both traditional and modern artwork for a growing international market.
Ubud
Ubud’s higher altitude provides a welcome respite from the muggy Bali weather. It’s also home to several museums and art galleries, all signs of the town’s devotion to art. Both traditional and modern art styles are practiced here, produced by Balinese artisans and foreign artists who have settled down in Ubud’s creative environment.
Two Ubud museums you should not miss:
- Museum Puri Lukisan: a private museum that showcases traditional Balinese art
- Neka Art Museum
Batubulan, Celuk and Mas
The village of Batubulan is famous for its sandstone carvings of divinities, created by masters still hard at work in the village’s workshops. If your timing is right, you can stop by in time for local Kecak and Barong performances.
East of Batubulan, the village of Celuk is worth visiting for its artisans of silver and gold jewelry. And the village of Mas hosts numerous art galleries showcasing the works of its resident woodcarvers. Masks for traditional Balinese dances are made here – you can visit the town workshops to watch the artisans produce them.
Bedugul
It’s not every day you can tee off in a golf course built inside a volcano crater – you can do just that at the Bali Handara Kosaido Country Club, Bali’s first golf club, near the mountain town of Bedugul. Another attraction close by: the Ulun Danu temple rising from the surface of Lake Bratan.
