by Barrie | April 26th, 2011 Tweet 
Ubud is a place where you could spend your entire holiday in Bali and it is also a great place to base yourself for exploring the rest of the island. Being a relatively tranquil place, it is a haven for tourists, lovers of art and a delightful area to spend a whole day. There is so much of interest on offer in Ubud and the surrounding areas.
The centre of town is Jalan Raya Ubud and it is along this stretch of road where you can find some fabulous restaurants and warungs, and, great places to shop. Ubud certainly has a wide choice of places to eat; from cheap places serving traditional foods right up to the very trendy restaurants where the price tag fits. Of course in Ubud you will also find the crappy western fast food joints such as KFC and pizza places. But to experience dining on traditional foods is an experience not to be missed.
Here are a few places that I would recommend for those travellers desiring to relish in some mouth-watering traditional foods:
Bali Buddha: Located on Jl. Jembawan (opposite the post office) just off of busy Jl. Raya Ubud. They serve organic food, great sandwiches, teas, coffees and salads. Good for lunch or afternoon drink / snack.
Ph: 361 976324
Ibu Oka Warung: This place is an Ubud institution. Located on Jalan Tegal, this place is famous for its roast suckling pig, The restaurant opens at around 10.30am. The pork is sliced up, they are served in big chunks in a rattan bowl with rice, spicy vegetables and a very spicy yet delicious sauce.
Ph: 361 976435
Cafe Lotus: Another Ubud instituition located on Jalan Raya Ubud and is a popular place for locals and tourists alike. The cafe looks out over an immense lotus pond bordered by tall flowering trees. All the food is traditional Balinese
Ph: 361 975660
Naughty Nuri’s Warung: Located on Jalan Raya this place is my all-time favourite and a great hangout for expats. Patronised by tourists and locals alike they serve up some of the best barbecued spare ribs, lamb and pork chops, and fresh tuna. The whole place is one delight to dine in or partake in a lot of fun.
Ph: 361 977547
Ary’s Warung: Located on Jalan Raya Ubud it is a fabulous place to relax and enjoy some Asian cuisine. They do serve some delicious Balinese duck served in a spicy sauce that is tasty. Good place to go for a dinner.
Café Wayan: Located on Jalan Monkey Forest this place has been around for a while and does have a great bakery. They also serve a good range of Asian foods including Thai and traditional Balinese.
Bebek Bengil: Located on Jalan Hanoman this place is definite not-to-miss if you want some really mouth-watering traditional duck. You can have it smoked, fried, stuffed and baked, if you like, but it is all yummy. A paradise for lovers of good traditional Balinese cooking.
Ph: 361 975489
These are just a few and there are many more. Take a walk around the streets of Ubud and you are sure to come across other warungs serving great food. Ubud is a gastronomical paradise for foodies.
Seminyak is renowned as the place for expats to reside in Bali. It is also regarded as the centre along the tourist strip for hip and inventive fashion boutiques, other designer stores and art studios. Seminyak is more upmarket with mostly luxury accommodation and fashionable high-end restaurants and bars. The atmosphere is much more sophisticated and laid-back than Kuta. There is virtually no backpacker accommodation in Seminyak. Budget travellers will generally do better to stay in nearby Kuta or Legian.
It is said that to get to know a country one must immerse themselves in all aspects of the culture and that includes food. Unlike in the rest of Muslim Indonesia, the Balinese food is somewhat different to other Indonesian foods in that it often includes pork dishes such as lawar, babi guling amongst others, and tends to more spicy. Another factor is that the food is less sweet than its counterparts in the other islands. 
Some of the foods you will come across on your epicurean journey will be Bakmi goreng (fried noodle, meat and vegetables), Ayam goreng (fried chicken, often served with rice and lalapan), Gado gado (steamed cabbage, bean sprouts, potato and other vegetables served with peanut sauce), Cap cay (mixed fried vegetables) and Bakso (spicy meatball soup). These are just a few as the list goes on and on. One of my favourites is Urap-urap (a Balinese dish consisting of vegetables in shaved coconut and chilli) is one superb find in any warung or restaurant. 
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Talk about Bali to anyone and instantly the word ‘Kuta’ is mentioned. This long stretch of beach has some excellent hotels located right on the beachfront. There is a huge range of accommodation available in Kuta; mostly in the budget and mid-range markets. Private villas are few and far between as Kuta just lacks the space for expansive private properties. 
When you discuss hotels to stay at on the tourist strip of Bali more often than not a lot of tourists prefer the hectic nightlife area of Kuta. However, just north of Kuta is Legian; less manic than Kuta and popular with families staying in Bali. It is Bali’s second most popular area for tourists. Another attraction is the white sandy beach.