Have you ever walked into a Bed, Bath, and Beyond and been completely blown away by how much…well, shit there is all over the store. I’ve never been so overwhelmed while shopping until I saw the hectic aisles, cramped spaces, and merchandise from floor to ceiling of the American chain. While this experience will always stand out to me, one place that nearly matches the spectacle of BB&B are the streets of Ubud.
Located in the central part of the island of Bali in Indonesia, Ubud is a heavily touristy town filled with ex-pats, massage spas, and any sort of healing remedy known to man. The streets are lined with yoga retreats, high-end fashion, restaurants, and stores, as well as local hustlers trying to sell you this and that. Taxis are all over the street, and every night on every corner there is someone offering cheap tickets to local Balinese dance. If you are a person who becomes overwhelmed my decision making, this isn’t the destination for you.
While the popularity of Ubud probably increased after the release of the book Eat, Pray, Love, with scenes being set in Ubud, the fact is, tourism has overrun the city. What makes Ubud such an interesting place, though, is that the tourism that has taken over is all based on different health lifestyles. Yoga, raw foods, healers, and spas are absolutely ubiquitous. Every western you see has come to Ubud for some sort of healing, and every Balinese in the industry knows exactly the remedy.
While I don’t dislike Ubud by any means, I don’t think I understand it. The lack of local culture saddens me, but the fact it isn’t made just as a party destination for westerners is a plus. The overall message, I guess then, is Ubud is definitely worth a visit if you can handle the over-abundance of everything.
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