Ubud's location in the centre of Bali makes it an excellent base for day trips across the island. Most destinations are within one to two hours by car or scooter, and the roads through the volcanic interior are scenic enough that the drive is part of the experience.
Tirta Empul (30 minutes north) is Bali's most important water temple, built around a sacred spring whose pools are used for ritual purification. Hundreds of devotees wade through the bathing pools each day, receiving a blessing by standing beneath each of the 13 carved spouts in sequence. It is one of the most atmospheric active religious sites in Bali — go early before the tour buses arrive.
Mount Batur and Kintamani (1.5 hours north) is a volcanic caldera lake visible from a ridge at 1,500 metres. The drive north from Ubud through increasingly cool and misty terraced fields is one of Bali's best road journeys. You can hike to the Batur crater rim at dawn for the views, or simply stop at Kintamani for coffee overlooking the lake. The lakeside village of Trunyan, accessible by boat, has an unusual Bali Aga cemetery.
Pura Besakih (1.5 hours east) is Bali's "mother temple", the largest and holiest temple complex on the island, set high on the slopes of Mount Agung at around 1,000 metres. The complex comprises over 20 temples and is the focus of major island-wide ceremonies. Worth combining with a stop at the traditional Bali Aga village of Tenganan, which maintains pre-Hindu customs including the distinctive double-ikat textile known as geringsing.
Tanah Lot (1 hour southwest) is a sea temple built on a wave-lashed offshore rock and one of the most photographed images in Bali. The setting is genuinely dramatic, especially at sunset, though it gets extremely crowded by late afternoon. Consider combining with a stop in Tabanan or the rice fields of Jatiluwih, also a UNESCO-listed subak landscape.
Penglipuran (45 minutes northeast) is a traditional Balinese village preserved in its original layout — a single main street flanked by family compounds, a temple at each end, and a bamboo forest behind the village. Entry requires a small fee; it remains a working village, not a museum piece.
A hired car with driver (arranged through your accommodation) is the most straightforward way to cover multiple sites. Half-day rates start around 300,000–400,000 rupiah; full-day rates around 500,000–600,000 rupiah, more for longer distances. Agree the itinerary and price before you set off.