Ubud built its reputation on being Bali’s quiet alternative to the beach clubs — and then got busy enough that people now ask where Ubud’s own quiet alternative is. That’s Sidemen. Roughly 35–45km east, about an hour to an hour and a half by car, Sidemen is the same rice-terrace-and-Mount-Agung scenery Bali is known for, minus most of the traffic, cafés, and yoga-studio density that now define central Ubud.
This isn’t really a contest, because they’re not doing the same job. Ubud is a base with everything reachable on foot or a short scooter ride — restaurants, markets, museums, coworking, temples. Sidemen is a valley you go to for the view and the silence, with almost nothing to “do” in the checklist sense, which is either exactly what you want or a genuine miscalculation depending on how you like to travel.
Quick Facts
- Distance: Sidemen is roughly 35–45km / 1–1.5 hours east of Ubud by car
- Vibe: Ubud — cultural hub, café culture, wellness scene, walkable center. Sidemen — quiet farming valley, Mount Agung views, minimal infrastructure
- Accommodation style: Ubud — huge range from budget homestays to river-gorge resorts. Sidemen — smaller inventory, heavy on bamboo villas and rice-field-view stays
- Getting around: Ubud — walkable center, scooter for outskirts. Sidemen — scooter or private driver essential; little is walkable between points
- Value: Sidemen accommodation and food generally cost less for a comparable standard than central Ubud
- Best for: Ubud — first-time visitors, digital nomads, food-and-culture travelers. Sidemen — travelers who’ve already done Bali once, or want two to three days of genuinely doing nothing scenic
What Ubud Gives You That Sidemen Doesn’t
Ubud remains Bali’s most complete base for a reason: temples, markets, art museums, a serious restaurant scene running from warungs to tasting menus, yoga studios and coworking spaces, and enough density that you can build a full week without renting a car. If cafés, wellness classes, and evening options matter to your trip, Ubud still wins outright — Sidemen’s food scene, while growing, stays rooted in a handful of simple local warungs rather than variety.
The trade-off is what Ubud’s popularity has done to the thing people came for. A “rice field view” listing in central Ubud increasingly means a narrow strip of green squeezed between newer villa developments, not the open panorama the marketing photos imply. That’s not true everywhere — some properties on Ubud’s outskirts still deliver the real thing — but it’s worth checking listing photos critically rather than assuming the name “Ubud” guarantees the view.
What Sidemen Gives You That Ubud Doesn’t (Anymore)
Sidemen is what a lot of people picture when they imagine “Ubud twenty years ago” — rolling rice terraces running toward Mount Agung, minimal traffic, and village life visibly unfolding outside your window rather than curated for visitors. The area near Selat has some of the most striking terraces in the valley with no entrance fee, and Gembleng Waterfall, tucked into the hills outside the village, has a natural top pool that functions like an infinity view over the valley below.
None of this comes with much built infrastructure. There’s no walkable town center to speak of — most of what makes Sidemen worth the trip is scooter-accessible scenery and quiet mornings rather than a list of attractions. That’s the honest trade: Sidemen sells an absence of things to do as much as a presence of things to see.
The Money and Comfort Question
Sidemen accommodation, especially the bamboo-villa style properties that have become the area’s signature, tends to undercut a comparable standard in central Ubud — private-pool valley villas at prices that would get you a much smaller footprint closer to Ubud’s center. Food follows the same pattern: local warungs rather than an international restaurant scene, and correspondingly cheaper.
The counterpoint is convenience. Sidemen’s smaller accommodation inventory means less flexibility if your first pick is full, and its distance from the airport (roughly two to two and a half hours from Denpasar) makes it a worse fit for a short trip than Ubud’s more central position.
The Combination That Actually Works
Most travelers don’t need to choose exclusively — Sidemen pairs naturally with Ubud as a two-to-three-day valley detour rather than a replacement for it. Base in Ubud for the culture, food, and logistics, then spend a few nights in Sidemen purely for the scenery and the quiet before heading back. Treating Sidemen as an extension of an Ubud trip, rather than an either/or decision, matches how most of the accommodation and transport options in the area are actually set up.
FAQ
Is Sidemen worth visiting if I’ve never been to Bali before?
It can be, but it works better as a second stop than a first. Sidemen offers very little in the way of restaurants, shops, or organized activities, which suits travelers who’ve already covered Bali’s essentials and want pure scenery and quiet rather than a full itinerary.
How do I get from Ubud to Sidemen?
By car or scooter, roughly an hour to an hour and a half depending on traffic and the exact village you’re headed to. A private driver is the easiest option if you’re not comfortable on a scooter for a longer mountain-adjacent drive.
Is Sidemen cheaper than Ubud?
Generally yes, for a comparable standard of accommodation and food — private-pool valley villas in Sidemen often cost noticeably less than an equivalent central Ubud property, and warung meals run cheaper as well.
Can I get a “rice field view” villa in Ubud, or is that mostly marketing now?
Some properties, particularly on Ubud’s outskirts rather than the center, still deliver genuine open rice field views. It’s worth checking recent photos and reviews specifically for view quality rather than trusting the listing description alone, since central Ubud properties increasingly have partial or obstructed views.
How many days should I spend in Sidemen?
Most travelers find two to three days enough — long enough to slow down and explore the valley by scooter, short enough that the lack of restaurants and activities doesn’t start to feel limiting.
If Sidemen’s pace appeals to you, it pairs well with a longer look at East Bali or the trekking routes already covered in Sidemen Valley Trekking Guide — and if you’re still deciding on a home base first, see how Ubud compares to Canggu or Uluwatu before adding a valley detour to the plan.