14. Ubud Village – Charlie Chaplin
If you think Eat, Pray, Love is the sole reason why tourists have been flocking Bali for all these years, you’re wrong. The image of Bali as a dream tropical, cultural getaway destination was created far before Julia Roberts paddled her bike through Ubud.
Back in the 1930s, the legendary Charlie Chaplin was here. During a promo tour of his movie, City Light, Chaplin decided to go half way around the world to find peace. Chaplin himself recorded his visit, including the photo you can see above.
His footage is included in a documentary film directed by Raphael Millet. It shows how Chaplin interacted with the locals. Back then, Indonesia was still conquered by colonialism. Chaplin witnessed this and it influenced his political view upon visit.
Ubud, now and then, is one of the most peaceful parts of Bali. It is not too far from the center of the island, but it is far enough from the noises downtown to reconnect with nature surrounding.
