Full day · Ubud, central Bali
A slower Ubud: a purification ritual at a village temple, a session with a traditional healer, and the rice terraces at Tegalalang — the day people ask for after the film, done honestly.
Begin with melukat, the Balinese purification ritual, at Pura Sudamala in the village of Bangli — quieter and more personal than the queue at Tirta Empul. Then a visit to a balian, a traditional healer, for a reading or a treatment in their home compound. Lunch in Ubud, and the terraces at Tegalalang in the soft afternoon light. About eight hours with your own driver, at your pace.
The film sent a lot of people to Ubud looking for something the coach tours can't deliver. What exists is real and modest: village priests who bless anyone respectfully, healers who work from home, and a rhythm of the day that has nothing to do with ticking sights off.
We keep this day small and unhurried. Your driver knows the priest and the healer, explains what will happen before it happens, and will tell you plainly if something isn't right for you.
A typical day. Times shift with traffic and how long you want at each stop.
Wear something you can get wet in under a sarong; bring a change. Come without breakfast if you'd like — the ritual is best done light.
A village priest leads the purification at spring-fed spouts in a temple most visitors never see. Sarongs, offerings and the order of the spouts are all arranged.
A balian in their family compound. A short reading or a treatment; you can also simply talk. Donation-based.
A vegetarian warung or a rice-field café, your call.
The terraces in afternoon light, when the morning crowd has left. Walk the path, or sit with a coconut and look.
About 8 hours after pickup.
A sarong and sash (in the car), a change of clothes and a towel for after the ritual, a small offering (your driver helps you buy one), cash for the donations, and an open mind.
From your hotel or villa in the south and centre of Bali, included. Far-away areas carry a surcharge we tell you before you confirm.
No — Ketut Liyer died in 2016. The balian we visit is a respected practitioner in the same tradition who receives a few visitors a week; we'll tell you about them before you book.
You make an offering, the priest blesses it, and you go through the spouts in order while he chants. It takes 20–30 minutes in the water, cold but calm. Your driver walks you through it beforehand.
A sarong over swimwear or light clothes for the ritual; the temple lends bathing sarongs. Covered shoulders at the healer's. Everything else is up to you.
Only after we confirm the date — by bank transfer, within 48 hours of our confirmation. Sending a request costs nothing.
Tell us as early as you can — we'd rather move a date than lose it. Refunds follow the tiers in our terms.
Guest reviews
first name, country and the month they travelled, published with permission.
Putu was at the hotel right on time. We had Banyumala with very few people around, then the twin lakes and a slow lunch looking over Jatiluwih. He read the weather and swapped two stops so the walk stayed dry. Exactly the day the page describes.
The solo price was explained clearly before I booked — no surprises. Ketut stopped whenever I asked for photos and knew which warung to pick for lunch. The ATV and rafting were booked through him so I only paid once.
Afternoon rain in the highlands, so our driver reordered the route and we did the temple first. Sarongs were in the car. Nothing felt rushed and we were back at the villa at the time he said.
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Make it more than a day
Guests who stay with us skip the pickup logistics: the car is outside the bungalow in the morning. Tick what you need in the booking form and we quote everything together.
Send a date. We check the priest is available and tell you what to bring.
