Nirwa Ubud Karma : Away From The Hustle Bustle City Surrounded By Serene Ricefields

Bali is a huge island, and it’s not possible to cover the whole island in a short holiday. After spending 3 days in Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan, we decided to base ourselves in Ubud for the remaining two days two nights since it was our first time in Bali, and we are keener to immerse in the cultural side of Bali. As we had our heart set on Ubud, the next was to book our accommodation. And the best place to stay in Ubud is none other than a homestay right in the middle of picturesque ricefields. 

Let's choose a place surrounded with rice fields

After seeing beaches and oceans for 3 days in the Nusa Islands, I'd want to see something different

Ubud, where rice fields are everywhere

My initial plan was to book one of the guesthouse with the view of famous Tegallalang Rice Terrace. However, they were generally not in the range of what you would call “affordable” and as I looked through the photos on the booking website, none of the available ones appealed to me. That was when I started broadening the area of my selection and stumbled upon this lovely place – Nirwa Ubud Karma.

Nirwa Ubud Karma

Surrounded by paddy fields

View from our room

Located in the heart of Ubud, about 15-minute walk away from the main street, lies this beautiful homestay in a very picturesque area surrounded by rice fields. As the car wouldn’t be able to access the homestay, we were dropped by our grab driver in front of the main road leading to the ricefields. From there, it’s a 5 minutes stroll on the concrete pathway through the rice paddies. 

To reach Nirwa Ubud Karma, you will have to walk on foot

We got a little lost trying to find our way, and a local directed us to Nirwa Ubud Homestay, another property owned by the same owner. There, we meet one of the staff who was kind enough to lead us to the right homestay and even transported our baggage.

The main building

The building where the rooms are

On the way to the homestay, we passed by some little cafes, spas, yoga studios, and scooter rental companies, which are all conveniently located next to the rice paddies.

A farmer ploughing

Newly planted rice

Walking towards Nirwa Ubud Karma

The check in process was a little slow but welcoming. We were offered welcome drinks by the staff who served us, and later directed to our big and spacious room.

The friendly staff checking in for us

Lobby area 

Dining area

Dining area

Look at the landscaping

There's a small pool too

Let’s take a look at our room, shall we?

King Size bed

Clean and spacious

The room we book was spacious and clean, with exceptional artwork and soft, comfortable king-size bed. Even the bathroom is impeccably clean that the OCD in me approved. Probably because the place is new? The bathroom is equipped with hot water and the water pressure was good.

Super clean bathroom with good water pressure

The balcony

The view from the balcony

More rice fields (though just ploughed - wrong season?)

Behind this rice fields is the famous Campuhan Ridge

From the porch which extends from each room, we can see the Campuhan Ridge and the surrounding paddy fields. Though it soon rained after we checked in, it would be great place to just simple hang out or watch the sun sets. We may have stayed at the wrong month when the rice had been harvested and replanted with new batches. If you come at a better timing, the view of lush rice paddies would have been spectacular.

Amazing view from our room

Can't stop taking photos

Loving the view

View from the front door of our room

I wished I spent more time here, but we had many places to explore in limited time

There are only about 8 to 9 rooms in total, so the whole place felt very private, especially since it’s away from the hustle bustle of the city. I only regretted not dipping into the small pool on ground floor which offers fantastic view of the rice paddies.

The infinity pool

Reflection

We didn't swim as we didn't have time but photo is a must!

I'll be back!

Both nights with Nirwa Ubud Karma was pleasant as we went to bed accompanied by the sounds of frogs and crickets. 

The owner, Mr. Made would also help organise tours, transportations and scooter rental at reasonable prices. We booked a scooter through Mr. Made for RP 70,000 a day, with the owner delivering the said scooter to our doorsteps. After further bargaining with the owner, we managed to book the scooter for RP 100,000 for two days. It came with two helmets, and we could just park it at the hotel and return the keys to Mr. Made.

There is also information on performance available in town for guests' reference

We also booked Mount Batur Sunrise Hiking Tour through Mr. Made, who quoted us RP 350,000 per person, for a sharing tour. This is a fixed price through our hotel and no further negotiation can be done. However, this is also the cheapest I’ve come across according to the research I made before coming to Bali. The tour includes mountain guide, permit, pick up and drop off from the hotel, a bottle of mineral water, and breakfast before the hike as well as breakfast at the peak of the mountain. More about the hike HERE.

6 choices of breakfast

The room we booked also comes with breakfast, and Mr. Made was kind enough to made them for us after our return from Mount Batur at 10.30am, although the breakfast time was from 7am to 10am. We tried four out of five from their menu for two and they were pretty good.

Left: Green Pancake; Right: Omelette

Top: Omelette; Bottom: Toast with butter and honey

Breakfast with a view

If you were looking for restaurant near Nirwa Ubud Karma which serves good food with awesome view, do check out Sari Organik or Café Pomegranate which is just within walking distance. Though getting recommendation for these places, especially Sari Organik which is just 8 minutes away on foot, we didn’t get to try. I’ll just have to make sure to be back to check them out.

Dinner at Naughty Nuri's

Our first night’s dinner in Ubud was none other than Naughty’s Nuri which is about 5 minutes ride away. Needless to say, the pork ribs were awesome as was mentioned by almost everyone. It’s a must-try while in Ubud. 

Look at the ribs

Our ribs

A plate of fried rice to share

An additional order of sate

Room Rates

From SGD46 / RM135 / RP 480,000 per night for a room with king-size bed. Rates includes breakfast. 

How to get there

Nirwa Ubud Karma is 5 minutes ride from Ubud main street, and 15 minutes on foot. As it is located in the middle of a ricefield, it is only accessible by motorbikes or on foot. The furthest a car could get you is only up to the side of the main road, after which it is a 5 to 8 minutes’ walk away. Be sure to bring along torch light if you were to walk at night. 

Renting a scooter is a wonderful way to see the Ubud. We rented a scooter for two days through our hotel for RP 100,000. A one-day rental will set you back for RP 70,000. If you can’t ride a motorbike or travelling in a large group, hiring a driver is another popular way of going around Bali. Price varies between RP500,000 to 600,000 per day, including petrol and parking fees.

We hired a driver for RP 500,000 on the last day of our trip to cover the area of Bedugul. Do contact our driver, Joe for more information - Facebook:  Bali Driver & Tour Organizer | Whatsapp / Wechat: +62 813-3741-2185

Epilogue

Overall, Nirwa Ubud Karma is the perfect homestay run by lovely people, with beautiful views and serene ambience. Just an easy 15 min walk or 5 min ride away from the main street, guests can easily transport themselves from the hustle-bustle city to the tranquillity of country-side. When you have had your fill of tourists and motorbikes, it is a quick retreat back to the serenity of Nirwa Ubud Karma. We absolutely loved our stay here and wouldn’t mind staying here again for our next visit.

Till next time!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PIN IT FOR LATER!