Other than visiting the Tegalalang Rice Terrace to fill your Instagram feed with beautiful shots of lush green farmland, it’s a truly unique experience and great insight into the local way of life on this magical island.

If Bali is known as the island of gods, I’m pretty sure the rice terraces are the stairways to heaven.

These cascading emerald fields, carved by Balinese hands centuries ago, are meticulously maintained by the generations that followed.

Balinese traditional irrigation system called subak has kept these rice terraces going for all this time. 

Why You’ll Love The Tegalalang Rice Terrace in Ubud

Indeed, you don’t need to go to designated areas in Bali to see the rice fields, they’re spread out all over the island.

If you’re lucky enough you could be staying in a villa or dining in a restaurant in Ubud overlooking one.

We do however recommend visiting Tegalalang and walking through the rice fields to truly experience what makes them so great.

• Witness The Subak Irrigation System First Hand- It’s hard not to be impressed with the intricate subak irrigation system trickling beneath your feet.
• The Vibe Is Great!- The sound of nature and tranquillity intersects with nearby chuckles and screams from nervous Bali swingers. Zip-lines fill the air, shooting people across from one side of the terrace to the other. There is so much going on here, from the ground to the sky, and everything in between
• It’s a  UNESCO-Listed Heritage Sight
• The Whole Experience Is Practically Free- It’s really great when you get to enjoy an entire day out and it barely costs anything. Other than the small donations made to the farmers, strolling on the fields is free.
• It’s Easy To Get There- Unlike some of the other tourist destinations in Bali, Tegalalang is a quick and straightforward drive from Ubud. 

1. How To Get There

Tegalalang Rice Terraces, situated in Tegalalang Village, is 9km north of Ubud, Bali.

If you’re staying in Ubud, it’s a straightforward drive on mostly long main roads and takes about 20 minutes. We recommend renting a motorbike if you’re in Ubud.

From Kuta, it’s 1.5 hours away. 

If you don’t want to rent a scooter, a local taxi or Grab (the Asian Uber) will take you straight to the fields.

2. Entrance And Other Costs

Parking is 5,000 IDR.

The entrance onto the rice fields is payable as a donation with donation boxes set up at various locations.

You may need to pay more than once depending on how many different areas you stroll through.

An amount of 10,000 IDR is an acceptable donation each time.

3. What To Expect

You could go to more secluded fields out east or west, but the vibe at Tegalalang in Ubud is unmatched.

The locals and farmers welcome strangers onto their land while they go about doing their business.

The rice fields lie in a valley sparsely dotted with palm trees. There are no offerings of shade so you’ll need to prepare for that and stay hydrated if visiting around midday.

Plenty of restaurants surround the grounds, and multiple spots offer the iconic Bali swinging and zip-lining.

By wandering along the tracks towards the bottom of the valley, you’ll be able to cross over to the other side and make your way back up.

In our opinion, the less-touristy side offers better views and a more authentic experience.

4. The Best Time To Go

In Bali, rice is farmed and harvested all year round so you won’t need to worry about the fields looking shabby, they’re always gorgeous.

Tegalalang Rice Terrace in Ubud is a major tourist hot spot.

We recommend getting there really early or much later in the day to avoid strolling around in the heat.

If you’re interested in photography, softer lighting around dusk or dawn makes for incredible landscape scenes.

5. Special Things To Note

Make sure you carry a couple of small notes when you go as you might come across more than one donation box between the different fields (change is not an option).

The land belongs to farmers who are hard at work in them, be mindful and don’t step off the paths into the fields. We shouldn’t have to remind anyone that littering is out of the question.

It’s completely acceptable to fly a drone in this area, and if you do, you won’t be alone. Just be sure not to hit the multiple zip-lines or swingers!

Visiting the Tegalalang rice terrace was one of our top things to do in Bali. For the complete list of Bali’s best adventures, check out our article below: