If you’re traveling to Bali, you’ll most likely visit Ubud, where you can feel the lush green jungle, and I visited Maya Ubud Resort with a spa and dinner reservation. Maya Ubud Resort & Spa is a very large and well-equipped resort with a lot of facilities and services from the entrance👍 In this post, I will share my experience of dining at the Mayasari restaurant inside the resort and watching a traditional Kecak Dance performance.
About Mayasari Restaurant at Maya Ubud Resort & Spa
On my way to Maya Ubud Resort & Spa from downtown Ubud, I noticed a large statue that immediately caught my eye. The sculpture of Arjuna stands as a landmark and a photogenic symbol representing Ubud’s traditions, art, and Hindu mythology.
Walking to the resort from downtown Ubud is quite challenging, so we recommend taking a taxi or Uber. If you go by car, you’ll get there in no time, which makes the location pretty convenient 👍 At the resort entrance, security staff thoroughly inspect each car before letting it proceed to the lobby.
The size of the resort really surprised me. The lobby radiated Ubud Ubud vibes, and musicians were playing live music on the Rindik, a traditional instrument, which made me feel even more Balinese : )
We first visited the spa for a pampering massage and then headed to the Mayasari restaurant in time for dinner, which is the signature restaurant of Maya Ubud Resort & Spa and is open for breakfast, afternoon tea and dinner.
Mayasari offers a free cultural show with dinner, and they arrange both indoor and outdoor tables so guests can enjoy the performance. They space the tables out nicely, and as dusk falls, the staff turn on the lights to create a cozy and charming atmosphere. We picked an outdoor table with a great view of the stage to watch the Kechak dance. Since the tables tend to fill up, it’s a good idea to make a reservation in advance if you can.
Dinner at Mayasari
We were shown to our table and seated. On the table, there was a description of the Kecak Dance performance that was taking place tonight, which I thought was a nice touch. Also, the menu has a QR code that allows you to see pictures of each dish, which makes ordering more convenient. If you’re not sure what to order, you can ask your server for recommendations👍.
We ordered drinks before choosing our dishes, and since we’re not big drinkers, we ordered a mojito and a mango shake as mocktails.
Since we arrived a little early and there weren’t many customers, the staff brought out our food quickly after we ordered.
I ordered the Maya Caesar Salad (175k) because I wanted to eat fresh vegetables. It’s hard to get enough fresh vegetables in Bali, so I’ve been trying to make sure I’m eating them when I eat.
This dish is the Truffle Mushroom Soup (125k). It was warm and flavorful with aromatic truffle flavor, so it was perfect for an appetizer. The bowl is unique and pretty, right?
This is Balinese Sate Campur, a favorite dish from Bali. Sate is a skewer of chicken, pork, beef, and other meats grilled over charcoal, and while some people love it or hate it depending on the spices and sauces used, it’s one of those dishes that everyone can enjoy👍.
This dish was recommended by our server, Ubud Crispy Bebek Goreng (250+). Our server highly recommended it and it was really good, crispy and savory, perfect as an appetizer with drinks lol.
We also ordered Nasi Goreng (135k), which we ate every day because it suited our tastes, but it’s fun to eat the same food in different styles at different restaurants 🙂 Here, it came with chicken sago and tempura, but the tempura with peanuts was a delicacy👍
The pickles that came with it are also delicious, and you can dip them in Bali’s spicy sambal sauce or soy sauce with spicy chili peppers, which is also a delicacy👍.
It was quite a while later, so I ordered another mocktail, but I had a hard time choosing, so I asked the staff for another recommendation : ) I refrained from alcohol consumption as much as possible to manage my health during the trip, so I was satisfied with a mocktail (non-alcoholic). It’s a little disappointing compared to a cocktail, but it’s a pretty drink that can make you feel like a cocktail.
For dessert, I ordered the Young Coconut and Beng Beng Cheesecake. There’s nothing like Young Coconut to quench your thirst, and it comes with a beautifully engraved plate so you can take a picture of it : )
Kecak Dance Performance
By the time we’re done eating, it’s getting dark and the tables are full. The cultural performance starts at 8:15, and while there’s no problem seeing the show from any seat, if you want to be a little closer, you’ll want to come early or make a reservation.
As the show time approached, the actors came in one by one. I was excited to see the colorful costumes and makeup. By the way, you can watch different performances at Mayasari Restaurant for free depending on the day of the week, and when we visited, there was a Kecak Dance performance. For more information, please visit the resort’s official website : )
Cultural Performances Schedule:
- Every Sunday: Kecak Dance (Rhythmic chanting “cak..cak..cak”, narrates the ancient legend of Ramayana’s battle)
- Every Monday: Barong Dance (Mythical battle of Barong against Rangda, good and evil spirit)
- Every Tuesday: Frog Dance (Featuring frog-like dance inspired by a fairytale of a frog and a princess)
- Every Wednesday: Fire Dance (Breathtaking spectacle of acrobatic flames performance)
- Every Thursday: Ramayana Dance (Timeless Balinese tale of Rama and Sita’s love story)
- Every Friday: Joged Dance (Lively and interactive traditional Balinese social dance)
- Every Saturday: Legong Dance (Royal Balinese performance of grace, elegance and tradition)
[Experiences at Maya Ubud Cultural Dining Experience]
What is Kecak Dance?
- Itwas created in the 1930s by German-born painter and dancer Walter Spies, who combined traditional Trans rituals with the Hindu epic Ramayana.
- The name Kecak comes from the repetitive chantingof “cak..cak..cak” by the men.
- It consists of no instruments, just the human voice, and dozens of male dancers sit and sway to create the rhythm.
Knowing the history, story, and characters of Kecak dance beforehand makes it more interesting to watch. It’s led by a single musician with no instruments, but the repetition of the kechak-kechak is addictive, and the cast’s colorful costumes and exaggerated facial expressions are hilarious : )
After the performance, there will be a photo time. It would be a good memory to take a photo with the actors.
Review Summary
Today I shared my review of dinner and a traditional Kecak dance performance at Mayasari, a restaurant at Maya Ubud Resort & Spa in Bali. The Maya Ubud Resort is definitely on my list of places to stay next time I’m in the area, and I loved the lush, green Ubud vibe.
We loved our dinner and were able to watch a traditional Balinese kecak dance performance, which is free of charge every day, so you can enjoy a delicious meal and watch the show in the atmospheric outdoor area.
