Ubud Palace (Puri Saren Agung)

The royal palace at the centre of Ubud, hosting nightly dance performances

Puri Saren Agung — the Ubud Palace — occupies the central intersection of Ubud's two main streets, and it is both the physical and symbolic centre of the town. The palace is a working royal residence; the family of the Ubud royal house still lives in part of the complex. The outer courtyard is open to visitors during the day, and the elaborate carved gates, pavilions, and gardens give a sense of traditional Balinese court architecture.

In the evenings the palace courtyard becomes the main venue for traditional dance performances — Kecak, Legong, and Barong dances are staged here most nights of the week. The setting, with the ornate pavilions lit by torchlight and the sounds of the gamelan orchestra, makes this a better experience than purpose-built tourist venues. Tickets are sold at the gate and are reasonably priced.

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The Ubud Palace was built by the royal family of Ubud, who were generous patrons of the arts through the 20th century. In the 1930s they invited foreign artists — including Walter Spies and Colin McPhee — to live near the palace, which helped create the idea of Ubud as an artistic centre. The palace continues to host traditional dance performances in its courtyard most evenings, maintaining a tradition that the royal family has supported for nearly a century.

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