Dance
Gorgeous, fun and fascinating, Balinese dance is part of an ancient tradition of religious and artistic expression. Performances usually follow traditional folk tales and the great Hindu epics, with stunning costumes, precise movement and a great cast of characters. Many performances halted during the pandemic, and there aren't quite as many as there used to be in Ubud. If you find any performances not on this list, please let me know in the comments.
The Kecak dance features many dancers, a fair bit of chanting and a fiery crescendo. The Barong, the mythical giant lion, features in the never ending battle between good and evil and is great for younger kids with its mix of animal costumes and dancing. The Legong is Balinese dance drama with precise and expressive face and body movements that takes years to master.
Pura Dalem
Kecak Fire Dance
Mondays and Fridays 7.30pm
R100,000 per person: go to the ticketing office at the temple
ARMA Museum
Kecak Dance
Saturdays 7pm
Legong Dance
Wednesdays 7pm
Barong Dance
Sundays 7pm
All R150,000 per person. You can usually show up and get in, but contact them to be sure.
Ubud Palace
Ramayana Ballet, Legong and Barong Dances
Nightly 7.30pm
Pick up a tickets from any of the sellers outside the palace at around 6.45pm.
R100,000 per person
Balerung Stage
Legong and Barong Dance
Friday Nights 7.30pm (Peliatan)
R100,000 per person
Go there before 7.15pm to get tickets to book here for a better seat.
Saraswati Temple
Various Dance Shows
All week except Sundays 7.30pm
R80,000 per person
You can also watch the shows at Saraswati while you eat dinner at Cafe Lotus.
Shadow Puppets
Brought from Java a thousand years ago, the Wayang Theatre is entertainment and ritual and lesson. Puppets made of leather and wood are danced behind a screen and lit by lamps. Performances most often feature stories from the Mahabharata epic.
Oka Kartini Arts Centre
Wednesdays and Sundays 7.30pm
Jl. Raya Ubud (opposite Jl. Tirta Tawa)
Pondok Bambu
Mondays and Thursdays 8pm
Jl. Monkey Forest
You can usually just show up
R75,000
Music
The hypnotic sound of the Gamelan orchestra often accompanies dance and puppetry performances and many religious ceremonies. An orchestra can be made up of just two or three instruments, to up to dozens of performers.
Pura Dalem
The famous Gamelan Semara Ratih orchestra plays at the Pura each week.
Saturdays 7.30pm
Jl. Raya Ubud
R80,000 per person
Bentuyung Village
Jegong (Bamboo Gamelan)
Fridays and Sundays 7pm
Jl. Suweta
R80,000 per person
Saraswati Temple
Women's Gamelan Orchestra
Tuesdays 7.30pm
R80,000 per person
You can also watch the shows at Saraswati while you eat dinner at Cafe Lotus.
There are other dance performances at the temple on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.