My wife and I have been coming to Bali for many many years. Short stays, long stays all over the Island.
We hadnt been to Ubud for about a year but I have to say that we have just had the misfortune to return.
Ubud has changed dramatically, extensive new building just about everywhere, and the traffic [oh the traffic !] It has always been an issue of course but now it seems it is totally out of control.
We stayed in Penestanan Kelod which we have always liked. Plenty of character, a reasonable distance out of town with plenty of easily accessible walks.
However Penestanan Kelod seems now to be a throughfare for continuous through traffic from early morning until late at night. The narrow street has become quite dangerous to walk down - no pavements of course - but that used to be rarely an issue. A taxi to town takes ages due to the traffic jams - so one just doesnt go there any more. We have friends who set out to visit us from the south but gave up and turned around and went back !
I really dont know the answer - perhaps it is too late ?
The danger is that eventually people just wont come to Ubud and maybe until visitor numbers start to fall nothing will happen ?
Unfortunately we certainly wont be going back as there are still many parts of Bali that one can at least call the 'real Bali'.
We hadnt been to Ubud for about a year but I have to say that we have just had the misfortune to return.
Ubud has changed dramatically, extensive new building just about everywhere, and the traffic [oh the traffic !] It has always been an issue of course but now it seems it is totally out of control.
We stayed in Penestanan Kelod which we have always liked. Plenty of character, a reasonable distance out of town with plenty of easily accessible walks.
However Penestanan Kelod seems now to be a throughfare for continuous through traffic from early morning until late at night. The narrow street has become quite dangerous to walk down - no pavements of course - but that used to be rarely an issue. A taxi to town takes ages due to the traffic jams - so one just doesnt go there any more. We have friends who set out to visit us from the south but gave up and turned around and went back !
I really dont know the answer - perhaps it is too late ?
The danger is that eventually people just wont come to Ubud and maybe until visitor numbers start to fall nothing will happen ?
Unfortunately we certainly wont be going back as there are still many parts of Bali that one can at least call the 'real Bali'.