Bali hotspot that was once a ‘lush quiet hideaway’ for Aussies has deteriorated into a busy gridlocked ‘nightmare’

Travelers are venting their frustrations about an ‘Australian favorite’ holiday destination being overrun by tourists.

Ubud, in Bali’s highlands, is known for its lush tropical jungles, lavish lodgings, vibrant markets, ancient temples and vast rice fields, which often form the backdrop to idyllic social snaps.

However, the pursuit of the perfect Instagram post has led to thousands flooding the area, turning it into a crowded, congested ‘mess’ that is far from luxurious, according to traveler complaints.

‘What happened to Ubud? Just arrived this afternoon and was so disappointed by the amount of traffic and people here,” one woman wrote on Reddit.

‘I was here fourteen years ago and I don’t remember it being this busy [stressful]. I’m so blue… I knew Ubud would be busy, but not that busy, especially in April. I’ve been traveling in Bali for a month now and I think it’s almost worse than Canggu.’

Expectation vs. reality: Travelers say Bali’s Ubud used to be a stunning hidden gem, but its popularity has turned it into a crowded, stagnant ‘mess’

One guest said the hotel they were staying in offered a shuttle service to the city center, but this service had to be interrupted during peak months due to traffic

Many more Bali travelers were quick to agree, with one saying they had a “terrible experience” on their most recent trip because there was “tourist chatter everywhere” instead of the “historical and cultural” attractions they remember .

‘I first saw Ubud in 2004. Basically one long street with a market on one side. I remember the Jazz Bar, there was a small shop with internet access. Beautiful place,” they recalled.

“I went back with my wife in 2018 – thought I was lost and ended up in Melbourne rush hour commuting or something.”

One guest said the hotel they were staying at offered a shuttle service to the city center, but the service had to be interrupted during peak months due to traffic.

‘We first visited Ubud in August 2017, so high season and traffic were bad. We then visited in February this year and the traffic in low season was worse than in August 2017!’ they replied.

Another recalled during their 2004 visit that Ubud was a “beautiful place” with “one long street with a market on one side.”

Many pointed out that one bad experience in Ubud shouldn’t put travelers off Bali entirely and advised those planning a visit to find nearby, quieter towns in which to stay

‘We asked our hotel driver about it and he said that the traffic has become so bad that the hotel cannot even drop off its guests in the center of Ubud during the months of June, July and August. Crazy.’

‘The last time I was there it was a pretty chill place. This time it was completely over the top, with non-stop traffic jams, hundreds of people clogging the very poor footpaths and actually it was an unhappy place to be,” someone else agreed.

Another said they had planned a five-night stay in Ubud but canceled after a day due to the chaos.

“Ubud is busy all year round thanks to social media,” one user complained.

Many pointed out that one bad experience in Ubud shouldn’t put travelers off Bali entirely and advised those planning a visit to find nearby, quieter towns to stay.

“Take a taxi 20 minutes north to the Tegallalang area and it’s just like Ubud 20 years ago,” one suggested.

“I stayed two miles out and only went downtown when necessary,” said a second.

‘I just got back from two weeks in Ubud. Our 12th time there in 10 years. It’s still beautiful, but busier. We just walk everywhere. The small villages such as Nyuh Kuning are becoming increasingly busy – they resemble the old center of Ubud – and are close to the monkey forest. Some nice restaurants…enjoy,” chimed in a third.