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The Broad Place is a brand centered around tools for high grade living. At The Broad Place we have an absolute love of exploration and travel. Is there a richer experience than being pushed outside
your comfort zone and your daily routine, being faced with the unknown that a day abroad holds, absorbing all the little details that
you notice when you’re in the present moment and not in regular life?
We personally adore places where cultures are far different from that of our own where we live in Australia. Where there is rich diversity. Where the cities are
cramped, where the food is fragrant and full of flavour, where the streets are dirty and gritty. Places where you sweat just picking up a glass of water or the air is so
cold that speaking means puffs of steam come from your mouth. Spots where the surf is great, the salt crisp on your body and coconuts are a foodstuff in every meal. Places where no one speaks English and you have very little idea of what it is you are ordering from the menu. Cities where the streets are narrow, the hotels slick, the restaurants gobsmacking. Beaches were the huts are sandy, the food simple
and the locals kids swim naked in clear, clean water and wild dogs roam the beach.
Modern wellbeing is at the core of everything we do, and our travel experiences constantly expand on this. We research like crazy before we travel. No stone is
unturned in our endeavour to find out where to go once we land. Where to find the most interesting food, the most inspiring of art galleries, the finest ceramics, the furniture that makes one swoon. Where do the locals eat, where to stay on a
budget and where to stay for extravagance. Where is the best spot for reflexology? Can we practice yoga there? What about allergies and food intolerances? Where has the best staff? Where can we feel at home while away and where can we feel
completely shocked with contrast.
INTRODUCTION EXPLORATION MANUAL, UBUD - INDONESIA
Never will we refer to Trip Advisor and its ilk. For us, it is all about where our well travelled friends have eaten and where have they shopped. We go from the word of mouth of people we trust, from the words written within sophisticated
magazines, from blogs and online journals we trust and from sometimes unexpected emails that we send to people we have never met in our quest for
information. We seek advice from people that think like us, that we meet in shops, bars and restaurants while there. The advice of a well heeled local trumps all
advice. All of this gets scribbled in notebooks, saved onto ipads and iphones and pumped into colour coded spreadsheets. When we depart from a trip we arrive
home to folders full of business cards and scratched on coasters and torn pages of information. All of this is then collated into our Exploration Manuals.
Ubud in Indonesia is the first of our Exploration Manuals and we hope you enjoy it. It’s by no means perfect and it’s incredibly personal. We have centered the
information around certain categories that are non negotiable for us like Feast, Balance, Meditate and we have added in specific things about travelling with Kids
for parents like us. There were many non-fabulous experiences had, cafes that dissapointed and venues that underdelivered. However we don’t believe that you need to read about negative things and we don’t wish to discuss them in detail.
So we only included the very best, the Highest Grade.
The Exploration Manuals are a work in progress. We have decided to make them free as we know that travel is expensive enough on its own. We are lucky enough that we can photograph, write, edit and design all our Manuals between the two of us, such is our backgrounds. The brilliance of online platforms is that we can edit them at any time, so we invite you to help us correct any information that
you find incorrect with addresses etc. All feedback is welcomed, including your favourite spots, so that we can expand and grow our experiences and Manuals
over time. Thanks for reading, and happy travels.
Jac & Arran
EXPLORE
Tegallalang Rice Paddies
These are breathtakingly beautiful. Set aside some time to drift amongst the paddies and leave the main tourist outlook to explore on foot.
Gunung Kawi
Ancient rock temples set amidst a thick rainforest where the air is heavy with heat. Avoid all the street hawkers along the way and we recommend bringing
a sarong or wrap for men and women as the smelly old ones they provide in that heat aren’t so desirable. Take 1-2 hours to relax and walk around and
have a fresh coconut carved up by a local overlooking the magical view.
Pura Taman Saraswati
Known as the Lotus Temple, this is set in the heart of town and is a Hindu temple surrounded by huge ponds filled with lotus plants and flowers. The
stone work is beautiful and you head up to the back of the gardens to enter (bring a sarong for men and women to cover your legs) and you can enter the main temple and take a look around. Men gather before major Hindu events to hand make masks and tools for ceremony’s and it’s a sight to see them all
handcrafting these exquisite items, if you’re lucky enough to get the timings right!
EXPLORATION MANUAL, UBUD - INDONESIAEXPLORE
EXPLORATION MANUAL, UBUD - INDONESIAEXPLORE
ON FOOT
Walking around Ubud is simply amazing. There are beautiful rice paddies, walks through farm lands and sweeping rainforests
to explore. Get on foot with some insect repellant and start exploring. Behind JL Raya Sanggingan (the street that you access
Yellow Flower, Indu’s, Bali Botanica and more from) there are some beautiful rice paddies and luscious forests to walk quietly through, with gurgling rivers and beautiful silent cemeteries and
small Hindu temples.
EXPLORATION MANUAL, UBUD - INDONESIAON FOOT
EXPLORATION MANUAL, UBUD - INDONESIAFEAST
FEAST
Our favourite category, Feasting, results in Ubud being an utter delight. When travelling, eating for the mind and the body as well as the tastebuds proves a mighty challenge in most towns and cities. However the sheer
plethora of organic, locally sourced, produce driven and vegan eateries ensures eating well in Ubud is utterly simple. Delicious discoveries from raw vegan through to
Japanese, brilliantly executed local Balinese and some incredible desserts make keeping a track of the time a focus, as it’s always top of mind as to when the next meal will be...
EXPLORATION MANUAL, UBUD - INDONESIAFEAST
Yellow Flower
An absolute favourite for us as a casual and relaxed venue with lounge style seating. At Yellow Flower they pick turmeric from
the tiny garden at the front to make elixirs, blend strawberries with ice and mint for
refreshing beverages, use organic chicken in the curries and make a selection of
super tasty breakfast dishes. Hard to find but worth the walk to get to. We were very impressed with their dedication to sourcing local, sustainable and organic produce and there is not much to not love. It’s a huge hit with the yoga lovers (there’s a school down the road) and the ambience is chilled and inviting and you could literally sit here for a few hours. It’s a challenge to find mind you, be persistant and ask around, you
can wander through fields and alongside streams and wonder if this could possibily
be the right way. Chances are it is.
Campuhan Steps, no road access, you need to walk it!
Alchemy
Alchemy is the kind of place that makes you yearn for somewhere just like it near home. Earthy miso soups accompany raw
vegan maki rolls with the salads you choose the ingredients from a ‘bar’ and they are freshly mixed, abundant and delicious. The selection of juices and smoothies is incredible, and you can boost up with
shots of coconut kombucha, wheat grass and tumeric for an extra hit of health.
The raw dessert bar is fabulous, and the adjoining store is the perfect place to pick
up dehydrated crackers, baba ganoush and cashew cheese for snacks in your hotel or
while on the road later. Another hang for the health loving yogis.
Jalan Penestanan Klod62 361 971 981
alchemybali.com
Indu’s
A huge balcony overlooks the sweeping valley and the lush rainforest below is
breathtaking. If you have dinner make it early to enjoy a drink before the sun sets.
The curries and vegetarian salads are wonderful. On sale at Indu’s and some book stores is a delightful read by the
owner called Fragrant Rice that we would recommend with lots of detail on Balinese
cooking concepts and dishes. The owners of Indu’s also have Casa Luna Cooking School
that we highly recommend also, see our section Inspire within this Manual for details.
JL Raya Sanggingan Br Penestanan Kaja Sayan
62 361 977684casalunabali.com
EXPLORATION MANUAL, UBUD - INDONESIAFEAST
Uma By Como
Set up by Como Resorts the attention to detail and service in this venue is incredibly
polished. An Italian influence is strong on the menu, with a few other interesting options. A delicious raw fish crudo and their modern
salads are a must.
Banjar Lungsiakan Kedewatan62 361 972448
comohotels.com/umaubud
Sari Organik
Set amongst rice paddies, this organic restaurant takes 20 minutes to get to on
foot and the scenery is beautiful. We didn’t make it to lunch here sadly, although it was so highly recommended to us that this was a big disappointment! By all accounts, its great and the Nasi Campur (pronounced
‘champ-ohr’) seems to be the dish of choice.
Sari Organik Penestanan Penestanan,Campuhan Road 62 361 780 1839
Wayans Warung
Wayans Warung is in the heart of town, and does the best vegetarian Nasi Campur
(pronounced ‘champ-ohr’) in town! Nasi Campur is a selection of local Balinese
dishes. Every dish we had was tasty, and enjoyed while sitting in small huts in the extensive garden thick with lush palms.
Monkey Forest Road62 361 975447
EXPLORATION MANUAL, UBUD - INDONESIAFEAST
Four Seasons
The perfect location for a special lunch, Four Seasons has an
Indonesian restaurant overlooking the valley that is spectacular. The attention to detail is such that the sate comes with fish or meat on
skewers cooking over its own smokey charcoal barbecue. It’s not as cheap as the many other options available, yet worth every dollar, for the view
and experience alone.
Jl. Raya Sayan62 361 977577
fourseasons.com/sayan/
Minami Japanese
This is a sweet and small Japanese restaurant where the dining room overlooks a garden as big as the
eating area, filled with stones and palms. The food is simple yet
executed well, with a great selection of vegetarian and fish focused
dishes.
Jalan Raya Sanggingan, Samping Museum Neka, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
+62 361 970013
Room4Dessert
Will Goldfarb who is the brains behind this delicious establishment
is so passionate and interesting that we would go just to chat to
him. It’s an evening only haunt, that depending on its clientelle can stay
open into the early hours of the morning. We try to stay off refined
sugar although we have total sweet tooths and they only make desserts here. It is worth every mouthful of the indulgence. Served alongside interesting cocktails, liquors and
wines, this is an after dinner kind of venue. That said the desserts are so good, one night we skipped dinner
to go there for multiple desserts instead.
Jl Sanggingan UbudNext to Nuri’s Warung
Seniman
A trendy local coffee house with lots of thought regarding the details. The glassware and ceramics are custom made, the coffee is incredibly good
and there’s nothing lovelier than their sweet treats to accompany them. The breakfast is Western
and executed well with aesthetics playing a big role. Be sure to buy
some ground coffee or beans to take home to enjoy the local Bali Kope (thick local style coffee). Across the road is their Cold Brew Bar which is
also worth a visit.
#5 Jalan Sriwedari081236076640
senimancoffee.com
EXPLORATION MANUAL, UBUD - INDONESIAFEAST
MEDITATE
Vedic Meditation is especially essential for us when travelling (especially as it’s what we specialise in teaching!), where we employ it to eliminate jetlag as well as release the stresses
and tensions that mount through international exploration. No matter what your meditation practice, being such a spiritually rich area, Ubud makes for inspiring meditation experiences.
The rich tones of the jungles and rainforests vibrate through the air, the cooling breeze from large timber fans in your room, and the many day beds to choose from wherever you may find your self, mean that securing 20 minutes for meditation is easy and
enjoyable.
EXPLORATION MANUAL, UBUD - INDONESIAMEDITATE
INSPIRE
The inspiration comes thick and fast in Ubud. Whether it’s spiritual inspiration you are after or you want to immerse yourself in nature, to discover the noise that only nature offers, Ubud provides. If you would
like to push your body and mind with a yoga practice or learn wonderful cooking techniques and enrich your knowledge about ingredients and
how to use them then Ubud is the place to do it. There are fantastic book stores and beautiful venues in which to sit for hours and devour them. The locals are always chatty and happy to be questioned by an enquiring mind. One of the things we discovered that we loved is that
in Bali, the women wake incredibly early, go to the markets for fresh produce and then cook for the entire day ahead. Whatever is fresh,
seasonal and available gets made into three meals for their family and they eat the same thing that day for breakfast lunch and dinner centred around rice. Their attitude is, who has time to cook three times a day? And they want freshly cooked for the day, not store bought or leftovers
from the day before. This then, is their solution. Genius we say.
EXPLORATION MANUAL, UBUD - INDONESIAINSPIRE
Periplus
If you are looking for some travel books, business books or design and
art or books on Bali this is a great place to stop. Periplus is a chain of
bookstores throughout Indonesia and the one in Ubud is a great resource.They also have a great selection of kids books and activity sets if you’re
stuck due to the endless rain that seems to beset Ubud.
periplus.com
Casa Luna Cooking School
There is a class here every day of the week and the Food As Medicine class we highly recommend. Friendly staff walk you through every ingredient and how to cook each vegan dish,
that you then undertake cooking as a group. You then get to feast on these
tasty dishess, followed by an indulgent coconut sorbet that is a delight.
Jalan Bisma62 361 973283
casalunabali.com
Yoga Barn Store
If you are in need of inspiration, the Yoga Barn book store has some amazing books on Yoga, Ayurveda
and wellbeing as well as a neat selection of yoga and fitness related
products.
Jalan Raya Pengosekan 62 361 971236
theyogabarn.com
Yoga Barn
Yoga Barn is by far the most famous of the yoga schools in Ubud, and
for good reason. It is essentially like a village, with multiple yoga rooms of varying sizes, two cafes, a cloth-
ing store, book store and Ayurvedic Treatment Centre called Kush (see the Balance Section in our Manual). Classes are run all day from sunrise
almost every hour and teachers from all over the world travel to teach here. The workshops are extensive and the
knowledge gained invaluable. Oh, and there’s a retreat centre and guest
house as well in case you can’t stay away!
Jalan Raya Pengosekan 62 361 971236
theyogabarn.com
EXPLORATION MANUAL, UBUD - INDONESIAINSPIRE
BALANCE
Balancing the body and mind are most definitely a focus in Ubud. The amount
of day spas and massage houses is mind boggling, and finding the highest grade
can be a challenge. Swaying towards traditional Balinese healing is rewarding,
with many things on offer in the way of treatments. And due to the yoga
focussed centres and Hindu traditions, Ayurveda plays a large role in Ubud too. There is something so heavenly about entering a massage room overlooking a rain forest or rice paddies, with the sound of cicada shrill in the air. There is something so soothing having your
feet bathed in a traditional timber bowl with rose petals and little slices of local
limes and then settling in to a treatment a few hours long where your body is
kneaded and pummeled into submission. Completing the experience with a warm
sweet ginger tea or an ice cold towel and iced tea is a refreshing treat that brings you back down to earth. In Ubud, the
treatments are incredibly affordable when you compare them on a global scale, so splash out, and be sure to tip a beautiful
treatment well.
EXPLORATION MANUAL, UBUD - INDONESIABALANCE
Alila Spa
This hotel is absolutely stunning and its spa does not dissapoint. A small but excellent selection of therapies will absolutely delight. If you can time it, the Moonlight Ceremonies sound incredible,
where on the new and full moon you are immersed outdoors in a completely rejunvenating
healing ceremony and treatment. Designed to align the body, mind and spirit with nature’s powerful healing properties, this is one special
experience.
Desa Melinggih Kelod, Payangan, Gianyar+62 361 975963
alilahotels.com/ubud
Bali Botanica
Bali Botanica have a 2.5 hour Ayurvedic treat-ment that is sublime. It begins with an extensive and thorough massage and marma therapy and
finishes with Shirodhara. After washing all the oil from your body in the shower with its huge
window overlooking the rainforest you then have a foot bath with crushed rose petals and lime, with
sandalwood incense burning and the sounds of the birdsin the forest echo through your windows. A sweet ginger cookie accompanies a cinnamon
and ginger tea to complete the treatment. A total indulgence.
Jl Raya Sanggingan, Kedewatan, Ubud +62 361 976739
balibotanica.com
Kush
Kush Ayurvedic Centre is part of the Yoga Barn and they focus on balance and rejuvenation. Kush is Sanskrit for happiness, and you can certainly feel it here. You can immerse yourself in an Ayurvedic Rejuvenation Package, or simply indulge in one of the treatments on offer. There is Indonesian body work, massages, Ayurvedic treatments or
figure out exactly what you need by starting with an Ayurvedic one on one private consultation to
discover ones true nature.
Jalan Raya Pengosekan 62 361 971236
theyogabarn.com
EXPLORATION MANUAL, UBUD - INDONESIABALANCE
ARTISAN
There is such beauty to be admired in traditional Balinese handicrafts. Ikat prints tell stories of purity and balance with each
representing something you want to inspire in your life. Timber and silver is exquisite and
ceramics are beautiful. We try to limit our shopping when travelling to a few handpicked items that for us represent the trip and what that city or country offered us. In Ubud we purchased a huge, heavy hand printed and hand sewn quilt coloured with dyes made
from natural methods involving saffron, nuts and leaves. We bought a few small timber
pieces that we will employ in the kitchen, as well as some local salt and honey and metres of locally printed fabrics that we will give to friends. Our advice when shopping abroad is keep it simple, keep it minimal and buy
ethically and sustainably.
EXPLORATION MANUAL, UBUD - INDONESIAARTISAN
Kou
Kou is a sweet store with a lustworthy Japanese aesthetic. Home made jams, special salts, linen clothing and ceramics fill the two pocket sized stores. Be sure to try the milk caramel jam, the
passionfruit and cinnamon jam and the Kusamba herb sea salt.
JL Monkey Forest62 361 972319kou-bali.com
Dypt
Hidden up a tiny lane way (that is worth exploring regardless of this fabulous shop), Dypt specialises
in hand printed textiles that you can buy by the metre or that have been crafted into hand
stitched quilts, pillows, table runners and napery. The store is quaint and tiny and worth burrowing around in for one off pieces that will make you
swoon.
JL Goutama 15, Padangtegal Kaja081 338 301 013
dyptemporium.com
Wayans Shop
There seem to be a few thousand stores selling silver wares and smaller items, and so it’s a bless-
ing to know in advance the very best.Wayans Shop is a family run store, selling intricate silverware, antiques and homewares for when you want an delicate authentic Balinese feel in your items.
JL Raya in front of Puri Sekar Ayu Bungalows
62 361 971997
EXPLORATION MANUAL, UBUD - INDONESIAARTISAN
KIDS
Our daughter Marley is 8 yrs old and we are constantly fascinated with how brilliant a traveller not only she, but all kids are. Their ability to accept delays, missed trains, taxis not showing etc is in complete
alignment with the way they live in the moment. They are unconcerned usually with what’s around the corner and thus as long as there are
entertainment back ups, all is well in their tiny worlds.
Travelling through Ubud with kids is bliss. The Balinese adore children and the sweet natured way in which they are welcomed everywhere
results in kids feeling pretty special. The food selection is so vast that there is usually always something for them to eat, although we always encourage Marley to eat local cuisine. We found everywhere we ate
they were happy to make changes to the menu so this was feasible, eg Nasi Goreng with no chicken or pork, or steamed fish with local rice and
vegetables, hold the garlic and chilli.
Marley attended yoga classes with us daily and loved it, and if you can have a private instructor (we’ve listed one within the Manual Notes) it’s a excellent way to burn through some of their energy. Take into
account you walk a lot, so this can make for sweaty, cranky little people if you don’t stop for fresh coconuts, watermelon frappes and pineapple mocktails throughout the day, which is a simple pleasure and easy to do
absolutely anywhere!
Given massages are so affordable, taking your kids along is a healthy treat that they adore. Seeing them in paper underpants with a long robe on and their hair askew and blissed out afterwards is so cute that it alone
makes the experience worth it.
EXPLORATION MANUAL, UBUD - INDONESIAKIDS
EXPLORATION MANUAL, UBUD - INDONESIAARTISAN
NOTES
This section holds a few little notes that we wanted to include as small extras.
When it comes to tipping, tip the person you want the tip to go to as a general rule. And tip generously. Please don’t forget a lot of the workers in Bali make in a month what we spend on a single nights luxury accommodation. If someone
delivers a great service, tip them accordingly. When it comes to bargaining whilst shopping, it’s considered to be one of the ways in which to shop. We feel that if the price is suitable and we are comfortable with it, then we don’t bargain. You’ll
get a feeling for if you are getting ripped off, and if you shop at all the places we have mentioned, then bargaining isn’t even an option as they stand by their prices. It’s when you hit the tourist spots that you’ll be hounded and bargaining
will be something that will come into play. People seem to think that every moment is the opportunity to hammer someone on the price of things and it’s
not the case. Show some respect and don’t bargain when it’s inappropriate.
We recommend getting a great driver whilst in Ubud for missioning around to everywhere you want to explore. The trick is to find one that will take you to genuinely great places, not just places that belong to a relative or where they
get slipped payment for bringing you there. We recommend using
Wayan Sukirta62 87 861 582 644
Also for yoga, we worked every day with a wonderful private teacher called Kembar Madrawan and his details are below. Depending on the schedule (he runs the premium hotels yoga classes) he can come to you most of the time.
Kembar Madrawan62 81 338 506 907
EXPLORATION MANUAL, UBUD - INDONESIA
The Broad Place is a brand centered around tools for high grade living run by husband and wife team Arran Russell and Jacqui Lewis who with their daughter Marley and Jack Russell dog Honey are based in Sydney,
Australia.
The Broad Place was founded on exploring and providing ancient knowledge for modern, High Grade Living.Through conscious approach The Broad Place has three main areas of focus; Education, Product and Projects. The Broad Place Exploration Manuals are highly researched,
personal travel guides that fall under the banner of Projects for the modern, conscious traveller.
All information within this guide was curated, written and edited by Jacqui Lewis and Arran Russell. If any information needs correcting please
don’t hesitate to get in touch with us! The entire trip was paid for by The Broad Place and we are not sponsored or paid for the information
included. All photography was taken by Jacqui Lewis.
www.thebroadplace.com.au+61 414 99 83 82
EXPLORATION MANUAL, UBUD - INDONESIA
