What's a good 3-day itinerary for Ubud?

Day 1 stays within walking distance of central Ubud. Start at Pasar Ubud by 6:30am, when the produce vendors still outnumber the souvenir sellers and the air smells like frangipani canang sari and fresh jackfruit. By 8am the tourist stalls take over, so get there early. Walk 200 metres south to Puri Saren Agung, the royal palace compound, for 20 minutes of carved red-brick gateways and split gates. Cross Jalan Raya Ubud to Saraswati Temple, where the lotus pond is best before 10am when the water is still and the light is low. Lunch at Warung Biah Biah on Jalan Suweta, a palm-thatch warung open on two sides, for 30,000 IDR nasi campur, roughly $1.70 at current rates. The Sacred Monkey Forest opens at 8:30am, but 2pm tends to be less crowded and the canopy keeps the temperature around 27°C even at midday. Budget 90 minutes and 80,000 IDR entry. Tuck your sunglasses away. The roughly 700 long-tailed macaques know how zippers work.

Day 2 starts at Tegallalang Rice Terraces, 12 km north of central Ubud. Hire a driver through your guesthouse for 500,000 to 600,000 IDR ($28-34) covering 8 hours, and leave by 7:30am. The subak irrigation channels here date to the 9th century, and the terraces drop steeply enough that you can hear water moving from paddy to paddy. Arrive before the selfie crowds at 9am. The stone walkways at Tegallalang are slippery when wet, so proper shoes matter. From Tegallalang, drive 15 minutes northeast to Tirta Empul, the spring-fed purification temple founded around 962 CE. You can join the melukat ceremony if you bring a sarong and sash, or borrow them at the entrance for 15,000 IDR. The spring water runs cold at about 22°C, and most visitors seem to find the ceremony moving, regardless of their beliefs. Lunch at Warung Tepi Sawah near Kenderan for 40,000 IDR plates. Afternoon at Gunung Kawi, 15 minutes south. The 10 rock-cut shrines sit at the bottom of 371 stone steps along the Pakerisan River. The climb back up is the real workout of the trip.

Day 3 opens with the Campuhan Ridge Walk at 6am. The trailhead sits behind the Ibah hotel on Jalan Raya Campuhan, a 10-minute walk west of central Ubud. The ridge path is narrow, maybe 4 metres wide, with tall elephant grass on both sides and views down into two river valleys. Morning fog tends to burn off by 7:30am, so the first hour is the good one. The 2 km path takes about 40 minutes and ends near Karsa Kafe, where a 35,000 IDR coconut coffee hits right after the walk. By 10am, head to the Neka Art Museum on Jalan Raya Sanggingan. The 50,000 IDR entry covers six pavilions of Balinese and Indonesian painting, and 90 minutes does it justice. The afternoon belongs to a cooking class in Peliatan, 3 km southeast. Paon Bali runs a half-day session starting at 1pm for around 350,000 IDR ($20) that covers a market visit and 8 dishes including lawar and sate lilit. You eat everything you cook, and the class wraps up by 5pm.

Ubud sits at roughly 200 metres elevation, so nights cool to 22-23°C even in dry season. Humidity stays above 85% year-round, and afternoon rain is common from October through March. Jalan Raya Ubud, the main east-west road, jams badly between 4pm and 7pm, so avoid crossing town in that window. The nearest ATM cluster is on Jalan Monkey Forest, and most machines take Visa and Mastercard with a 50,000-100,000 IDR withdrawal fee. Grab and Gojek currently operate here for rides starting at about 15,000 IDR, though many drivers prefer cash. Mind you, a private driver for day trips is the better option north of town where ride-hail coverage drops off past Tegallalang.