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Tegalalang Rice Terraces in Ubud, Indonesia | A Bali Travel Guide

Benjamin Juster

Nestled in the lush verdant jungle near Ubud, Bali, the famous Tegalalang Rice Terraces are one of the most popular things to see in Bali, and in Indonesia at large. A scenic stack of rice paddies framed by shady palm trees, the Tegalalang Rice Terraces are iconic as one of the best places to visit in Bali, with its fame well-earned. Certainly, you can’t ask for what to do in Bali and not have Tegalalang on the Bali travel guide! Located a short ride into the foothills from Ubud, the Tegalalang Rice Terraces make for a beautiful and easily-accessible destination in Bali. There’s a reason it’s included on our ultimate Bali Bucket list. Read onward for our Tegalalang Rice Terrace Bali travel guide with tips and tricks for enjoying the famous rice paddies without the crowds!

For an organized tour, check out this discounted Tegalalang Rice Field & Monkey Forest Tour

 

Before You Go

Note: All the Bali photos below were taken with our DJI Phantom and Canon Rebel (though we have since upgraded to a Canon 80D and LOVE IT!) Read our camera gear guides for more information:

 

Tegalalang Rice Terraces: A Bali Travel Guide

The Tegalalang Rice Terraces are about 10 km north of Ubud, Bali—a famed lush inland area on the Indonesian island. As you can see in the video above, the Tegalalang Rice Terraces are strikingly green, with curving paddies cascading down a palm-tree sprinkled valley.

Many nearby hotels in Ubud make the location easily accessible, making it a valuable addition to your Bali itinerary. The winding road from Ubud goes right by the rice paddies, and has many terrace-view restaurants and shops. While some people choose to rent a motorbike and drive there yourself (or rent a car, for that matter), we had such limited time constraints that we opted for a taxi.

So what makes the Tegalalang Rice Terraces one of the best things to see in Bali? The viridescent terraces are built into the sides of a steep-sided valley beautifully populated with palm trees, the site of some of the best Bali photos. The river at the bottom of the valley feeds into the subak system of traditional Balinese irrigation that feeds the terraces.

It’s true we’ve visited other rice terraces, such as the glorious northern rice terraces in Vietnam on which we enjoyed some adventurous Sapa trekking and hill-tribe homestay, and the mountainous rice terraces of Banaue, Philippines. Still, the Tegalalang Rice Terraces in Ubud, Bali are some of my favorite rice terraces for their stunningly vibrant and palm tree-filled jungle atmosphere.



Booking.com

 

Experiencing the Rice Terraces in Ubud, Indonesia

Descending the steep paths into the valley can be hot under the midday sun, or muddy it it’s been raining. The Tegalalang Rice Terraces stretch for at least a 15-20 minute walk along the river at the bottom of the valley.  If you walk far enough, you can definitely find spots in the terraces with no other tourists—it’s really worth the effort, and can fit perfectly into your Bali travel guide itinerary for the best places to visit in Bali.

As the Tegalalang Rice Terraces are located near some of Ubud’s best resorts in Bali, it’s quite easy to reach by taxi, chartered car or motorbike.

Though we didn’t stay at one of these Ubud, Bali jungle resorts on our most recent trip, we did enjoy the jungle resort experience on a backpacker’s budget at the nearby Jungle Fish pool club at the Chapung Se Bali resort which rivals some of the best Bali beach resorts! If you want the resort experience without the price tag, be sure to check out our full Jungle Fish Bali travel guide review.

 

Discounted Bali Activities

Working Rice Terraces in Ubud, Indonesia

Even though they are a major tourist destination, the Tegalalang Rice Terraces are working fields that support the livelihoods of local people. If you go at certain times of the year, you can see many people working in the fields. Even if the rice has been harvested, like it had been on our December visit, the scenery of the terraces and the surrounding environment still remain a vividly gorgeous place to visit on your Bali travel guide. For more Bali travel guide ideas of how the Tegalalang Rice Terraces can fit into your trip to Indonesia, check out what to do on a day-trip in Ubud, Bali.

 

Cost of Tegalalang Rice Terraces

The Tegalalang Rice Terraces will certainly be one of the most affordable destinations on your Bali travel guide. No entry fee is required at Tegalalang Rice Terraces, but the people working the terraces will ask for a small donation. Give as much as you feel like, but most donations are between 15-20,000 rupiah ($1-1.50). Your donations go to support the people who rely so much on tourism to support their incomes!

 


Getting to the Tegalalang Rice Terraces

You can easily have a driver or taxi take you to the Tegalalang Rice Terraces from Ubud—everyone will know Tegalalang (otherwise written as Tegallalang). It’s also simple to navigate your own way there on a rented motorbike, about 25 minutes out of Ubud (or you could rent a car). From the main Ubud art market, go east to the intersection with a large statue and turn north–if you choose to drive, we recommend getting some cheap 4g WiFi!

 

 

How to Avoid the Crowds of Tegalalang Rice Terraces

As one of the most popular things to do in Bali, the Tegalalang Rice Terraces can get very busy at times. This is especially true in the mid to late morning times, as many tour groups from Ubud visit at this time. If you’re looking for an Ubud tour yourself, we recommend this discounted private Ubud day tour. If you can make it to the terraces before the big tour groups come, it’s quite likely that you’ll only share the terraces with a few other people.

 

Be sure to check out our Essential Carry-On Packing List before boarding your flight,

including all the things you can’t take on a plane!

How did we avoid the crowds at Tegalalang? We visited the terraces at 8 AM, and there were only 2 other groups of visitors there when we arrived. We explored the lush greenery of the terraces at our leisure, savoring the peace and quiet of the morning. By the time we were leaving around 10 AM, many more people had arrived and the road was much busier. Hot Bali Travel Guide Tip: going to places as early as you can make it is usually a smart idea to beat crowds. Shhh…bet you never knew that!

 

Is Tegalalang Really One of the Best Places to Visit in Bali?

Though the commercialization of the area of the Tegalalang Rice Terraces and its congestion with tourists can take away from the experience of visiting, we think the terraces are still some of the best things to do in Bali. Since Tegalalang is very easily accessible from Ubud, they’re great to visit if you’re on a quick schedule and don’t have much time to explore the island for hidden places. The Tegalalang Rice terraces really are spectacularly beautiful, and certainly one of the best things to do in Bali, even though they have been somewhat developed for tourism. 

 

Where to Stay in Ubud

We recommend scouting this list to find a hotel that works with your budget. However, if you’re looking for comfort and luxury, we recommend staying at the Chapung Se Bali resort.

 

 



Booking.com

While it’s true that Bali is home to many areas of rice terraces, including those off the beaten track that are more “authentic”, the Tegalalang Rice Terraces are notable for their convenience, proximity to many nearby jungle resorts in Bali, and wide-range of adorable cafes to sit at and enjoy the view. Plus, there’s no entrance fee, and a secluded visit to Tegalalang is still very possible if you follow our Bali travel guide suggestion and go bright and early!

 


 

 

If you’re staying in Ubud, Bali or just passing through, the Tegalalang Rice Terraces make for a quick and easy destination to check off your list of beautiful things to do in Bali. While they are very popular and well-known things to see in Bali, it’s not without good reason! The Tegalalang Rice Terraces are some of the most beautiful terraces we’ve yet visited, especially without crowds.  

 

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Have you ever visited the Tegalalang Rice Terraces?

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