ATV in Ubud

Ubud is the centre of ATV riding in Bali. Within a 30-minute radius of the town you will find the island's densest cluster of purpose-built quad bike tracks, all on private land and all run by local family operators who have been shaping their trails for years. Seven of the eight rides we list start from villages around Ubud.

Where the tracks are

• Payangan (north-west) — Kuber ATV in Banjar Bayad, about 25 minutes from central Ubud along Jalan Raya Payangan. Jungle ravines, deep mud pools and a red-rock cave tunnel.
• Taro, Tegallalang (north) — Alasan ATV, 35 minutes up the Tegallalang road past the rice terraces. The only track with 450cc machines.
• Singapadu, Sukawati (south) — Green Bali ATV, Beji River ATV Adventure and Wahana Bali Adventure sit within a few kilometres of each other, 20–25 minutes from Ubud and the closest tracks to Sanur and Denpasar.
• Bongkasa and Sedang, Abiansemal (west) — Pertiwi Adventure ATV and All New Bali Adventures, on the Badung side of the Ayung River, 30–35 minutes from Ubud.

What the rides are like

Every Ubud ride follows the same rhythm: registration and gear (helmet, rubber boots), a briefing and a practice lap on a flat field, then 1.5–2 hours on the trail with a guide leading and a sweeper behind. The terrain mixes plantation dirt roads, bamboo forest, steep clay ramps, shallow river crossings and man-made mud pools; several tracks add a tunnel or cave cut through the rock and a waterfall you ride straight through. You finish with a hot shower, a clean towel and a local lunch at the venue.

Bikes are automatic 250cc quads as standard (350cc at Beji River, 450cc at Alasan), so there is no clutch to learn. Tandem quads carry two people on one bike, which is how families with children and nervous first-timers usually ride.

Getting there

Meet-at-venue packages are the cheapest option if you are staying in Ubud: a scooter or Grab/Gojek car reaches any of the tracks in under 40 minutes. Packages "With Round-Trip Transfers" include free hotel pick-up anywhere in the Ubud area. From Seminyak, Canggu, Kuta or Sanur the same driver collects you for an extra Rp 350,000 per car (Rp 450,000 from Jimbaran, Nusa Dua and Uluwatu), paid in cash to the driver; allow 1–1.5 hours each way.

Best time to ride

The tracks run every day of the year, rain or shine. April to October is the dry season: dusty in the afternoons and best ridden at 09:00 or 10:00 before the heat. November to March brings afternoon rain, deeper mud and bigger splashes, which many riders prefer. Morning slots (08:30–10:00) are the coolest and quietest; the 13:00–15:00 slots fit neatly after a morning at the Tegallalang terraces or the Ubud market.