In Reply to: Monkey Forest & Bat Cave locations posted by Travelcat on Sunday, 24. November 2002 at 11:55 Bali Time:
another day trip here, if you are based in Nusa Dua.
(you could do it in half day - but take a driver and go around the surrounding villages in Ubud area- you wont be disapointed).
Ubud itself a village with a lovely cultural feel, hawkers pre- Oct 2002 were less persistent and aggressive than those down in beach areas. Monkey Forest sanctury at end of monkey forest rd- I found the monkeys Ok ( well behaved but that may be dependent on time of day and how well fed they are before you get there!)I sat and watched their antics for hours- take a walk along the pathways in the forest as well- lovely large 15-20 foot carvings of komodo dragons and small "temples".
In Ubud you have a lot of shops/ stalls as well as resturuants - great dances at night ( pretty much every night from memory)May be worth while to stay o/ night in Ubud - plenty of accomodation available.
In the villages around Ubud theres lots of artisans and outlets to buy goods ( Mas-woodcarving; Celuk- silver/ goldsmiths; Gianyar-textiles , Sukawarti- great markets that kuta shops buy from for their stalls, Batuan- painting, wooden panels )
Ubud is one of my favourite areas in Bali - I stay there each time I go to Bali and will continue to do so.