8 Best Bali Rice Terraces

The Jatiluwih rice terraces flow down the southern slopes of the Batukaru mountain range in West Bali. Once a UNESCO Cultural Heritage site candidate and listed as one of the world’s important cultural landscapes, the rice fields cover over 600 hectares, which follow the cascading hillside of the highlands and are well-maintained by the local village’s subak cooperative.

Jatiluwih is the largest and most picturesque of all of the rice terraces in Bali. Entrance to the main area requires a fee that goes to the local village cooperative fund. You’ll get the impressive 180-degree ‘sea of green’ views just halfway up along the paddy roadside. If you’re in the area, you can visit a neighboring site in the village of Pupuan, a short distance away.

The craftsmen’s village of Tegallalang is one of the Ubud region’s 3 villages famous for their terraced landscapes, the others being Pejeng to its east and Campuhan to its west. The high roadside outlook at Tegallalang is cool and breezy. Being situated in a small valley which is crowded with palm trees, the scenery here is quite compact and busy.

Numerous restaurants serve coffee and local cuisine with spectacular views, while art kiosks and cafés near the ledge offer all sorts of paintings and carvings at bargain prices.

Sidemen Village is located along the Klungkung and Besakih Temple route, roughly a 2-hour drive from Ubud. It's an excellent spot for viewing beautiful rice paddies in East Bali. Driving along the rural neighborhood’s roads is quite pleasant, and you can enjoy the soothing views from up close on various paddy trekking tours. Some of the walks over lush hillsides available here cross rivers to different farmlands, where you can learn about the local organic produce.

The village offers great local souvenirs to take home, including traditional dye weavings known as songket and endek. They’re praised for their intricate motifs and use of colorful hand-loomed cotton and silk threads. You can purchase these cloths and a large print of the rice paddy landscape as mementos of your visit to the ‘real’ Bali.

Rendang is an attractive mountain village in East Bali’s Karangasem regency, with scenic countryside views complementing your drives through the capital of Amlapura. It’s dominated by rice fields and rivers, and the local craftsmen make their living from both agriculture and stone carving. The intricately crafted stone temples and statues can be seen lining the roadsides. The paddy-filled valleys share the countryside with one of Bali’s favorite white water rapids, Telaga Waja.

Pererenan is one of several farming villages in Canggu that offers a pleasant drive along its main road, with expanses of rice fields on both sides. Pererenan and neighboring Seseh are favorite locations for horse riding tours, thanks to their paddies and exotically uncrowded black-sand beaches.

Jalan Pantai Pererenan offers a scenic ride down to the beach, and you can pull over anytime to see the local farmers tending to their crops. It’s a great inclusion to your day trips to Tanah Lot Temple, which is just 20 minutes north from Pererenan.

The farming village of Pupuan has beautiful rice terraces, together with cocoa, clove and coffee plantations. There are even groves of rare tropical fruits, such as mangosteen and durian. Head off in the early mornings and you can catch a glimpse of the farmers tending to their crops or laying out cloves to dry on the roadsides. Off the main paths, you'll find tropical forests with hidden waterfalls and streams.

The highland region of Munduk has a wonderful expanse of rice paddies, particularly around the neighborhoods of Gobleg and Gesing. The area is also a popular destination for nature walks and village cycling tours, thanks to its variety of natural attractions and its cool, lush atmosphere.

The farms here produce durian and other local fruits, which you’ll often see sold at roadside stalls throughout the area’s hamlets. If you happen to be staying at the nature resorts in the area, such as Munduk Moding Plantation, tours can easily be arranged at the front desk. Munduk is also home to one of Bali’s most scenic waterfalls. 

The rice fields of Soka village, near the West Bali coast, are among the island’s few that are low-lying and close to the beach. You can easily find Soka on most tours to the west, particularly along the very busy Denpasar-Gilimanuk route (which leads you to the Menjangan Island and the West Bali National Park).

Further north, along the road that leads to the neighboring village of Antasori, you’ll find a beautiful expanse of paddies, with Mount Batukaru visible as a striking backdrop.