How to See Tegalalang Rice Terrace, Bali: A No FOMO Indonesia Guide
Planning a trip to see Tegalalang Rice Terrace, Bali?
Take a sip of your Luwak coffee and spoon your Nasi Goreng as you look out onto Tegalalang Rice Terrace in Bali, with its green hills and dramatic terraced rice paddies. Here you can get the full picture of traditional Balinese agriculture, take awesome photos, and do the whole Bali swing thing.
In this article, we’ll provide you with a comprehensive guide to Tegalalang Rice Terrace, including how to get there, general information, what to expect, where to stay nearby, and whether it’s worth adding to your Bali itinerary.
Don’t Get FOMO: See Everything on an Ubud Day Trip
The Tegalalang Rice Terrace is one of Ubud’s treasures and most photographed places in Bali. Get ready for a 5 star experience to central Bali’s must-see locales by booking this private Ubud Tour that brings you to six extraordinary destinations.
Ubud Tour – Best of Ubud – All Inclusive
Best Overall Day Trip | Rated: 5⭐️ (7000+ Reviews)
Destination Overview: Why is Tegallalang Rice Terrace famous?
Tegalalang Rice Terrace is one of Bali’s most famous rice terrace sightseeing spots and a popular place to visit around the Ubud area. It’s known for its beautiful, dramatically steep rice paddies that fan out across the valley. Tegallalang Rice Terrace is famed for its views, which are often photographed for social media or in travel brochures.
The area uses an ancient traditional Balinese irrigation system called Subak, protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Where Is It Located?
The Tegalalang Rice Terrace lies in the Ubud region in Central Bali, Indonesia. Take the main road towards the north, approximately 10 kilometers from Ubud town, a renowned cultural and artistic hub on the island.
These magnificent terraced rice fields were built in a lush valley just north of Tegalalang village, surrounded by coconut trees, tropical foliage, and overlooking cafes and restaurants.
Click here to go to the exact Google Maps location.
How to Get There?
If you’re feeling adventurous and want to explore the area at your own pace, renting a scooter is by far the cheapest and best way to get to the rice paddies. For as little as 60,000 IDR ($4 USD), you can rent one from many local rental services or even directly through your accommodation in Ubud. (Click here to pre-reserve a scooter, and they will even deliver!).
Before you jet off in Asia, purchasing some travel insurance is a good idea. Beyond the scrapes and bruises, you don’t want your vacation ruined financially – trust me, I know from experience! That’s why I use Safety Wings; it only costs $42 per month but provides tons more in peace of mind.
Alternatively, you can hire a private driver on a customized itinerary or take a guided tour from Ubud or other major tourist areas. The journey takes around 30 minutes by car, and you’ll pass through smaller Balinese villages, lots of art galleries, and some scenic countryside along the way.
The island doesn’t really have any public transportation that will take you here.
Tours to Tegalalang Rice Terrace
Visiting this beautiful location is not mandatory with a tour guide, but a tour may be best for you if you are trying to see the best of Ubud in one day. I recommend this Private Ubud Tour, which includes round-trip transportation, an experienced local guide, and quite a few extra stops.
Included Destinations:
- Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary
- Tegalalang Rice Terrace
- Lunch near Adrenalin Swing Experience
- Art Market
- Tirta Empul Temple
- Tegenungan Waterfall
- Puri Saren Palace (Ubud Palace)
⌛ Tour Length: 13 Hours | ⭐ Ratings: 4.5 out of 5 Stars | 🏜️ Book now
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Ubud tour was excellent. All of them. The swing, the restaurant, monkey Forrest, Bali house. Temple and waterfall. It was a great experience and Yoga’s guidance was terrific.
– Stephen (Read More Reviews)
Tegalalang Rice Terrace General Information
Before you go, here’s some essential information you need to know about visiting Tegallalang Rice Terraces.
How much is the entrance fee for Tegalalang Rice Terrace?
You can enter the area for an unofficial fee of 10,000 IDR. However, if you’re early enough, there may not be anyone around to collect the entrance cost. There are several entry points from different directions, yet expect somebody to ask for payment at each one.
Opening Times
The Tegalalang Rice Terrace is always open for visitors. There are no restrictions on when you must leave (although there’s really no reason to be there after dark).
What do you wear to Tegalalang Rice Terrace?
There’s no dress code to walk around these rice fields, but it does get muddy. Very very muddy. Make sure you have shoes that have a decent grip, as in not flip flops, and not anything you would be sad to no longer be white.
If you’re coming in the middle of the day, bringing a hat, sunscreen, and insect repellent is also a good idea, as the weather can be hot and humid in Bali. However, there are some trees, a gazebo, and small shelters to take breaks under.
Best Time of Year to Visit: What are the best months to visit Tegalalang Rice Terrace?
Timing is key when visiting rice paddies (I learned the hard way about unfortunate timing going to Sapa in North Vietnam). First, you really want to aim for a sunny day. The scenery won’t be quite as incredible if it’s cloudy or rainy; plus, things can become muddy very quickly when showers roll through!
Although May through September in Bali is the dry season, March – April & September – October are the harvesting months when the fields are at their most brilliant green. The pictures in this post are from July and August, so it was a bit brown as the seedlings were in their teenage stage.
Best Time of Day to Visit
To truly capture the beauty of this place, plan to visit during the early morning or late afternoon as the lighting is ideal then for “sun ray through foliage” photography, and temperatures tend to be more comfortable.
How long do you need at Tegalalang Rice Terrace?
If you plan to just visit these Ubud rice fields, less than a half-day trip will suffice. Feel free to spend as much time wandering around. I would allot between 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on how into photography you are or if you wanted to try one of the Bali swings. Finally, grab some lunch at one of the many gorgeous warungs scattered throughout.
What to Expect: Lay of the Land & Tips
Tegalalang Rice Terraces are surprisingly large, so remember where you parked and how to get back. You may need to pay a small fee for some parking lots along the road.
The most common starting point is from the side of the cafes and restaurants that line the roadside. Stop for a meal or yes, even a restaurant infinity pool overlooking the rice terraces on your way out! Most warungs open at 7am.
Once you enter, some paths are well-marked with “trekking” signs and stairways, whereas others may be little more than a steep, slippery mud path that makes you question how you will get back. From any entrance, expect to climb down into the valley. Carved into the walls of the valley, some terraces boast up to 10 layers of rice paddies.
Although it is pretty hard to visualize the terrain through text, I suggest avoiding the northern side of this area. At least when I went, it was overgrown and not so scenic. Stick to the center on both sides of the valley for the best views.
As you explore this postcard-worthy valley, you’ll likely come across local farmers hard at work harvesting rice. As picturesque as this scene is, oftentimes, they may ask for donations or try to sell small souvenirs and drinks.
Things to Note Along The way
- Tegalalang uses the UNESCO-protected Subak irrigation system that Balinese farmers have used for generations to cultivate rice on the steep slopes.
- There are numerous tree swings throughout the fields, which are usually priced at 250,000 IDR. Although I think that price is a bit steep, others have told me it’s a lot of fun and worth the money.
Where to Stay Nearby
While Tegalalang Rice Terrace is not a place where you can stay overnight, Ubud and its surrounding area are overflowing with superb accommodation choices. In all of Southeast Asia, few other destinations offer the same value for the cost that you can find than around Ubud.
TRI-TIERED INFINITY POOL LUXURY RESORT – The Kayon Jungle Resort
Experience the tranquility of Ubud at Kayon Jungle Resort! You know you’ve made it when you’re chilling in a three-tiered infinity pool luxury resort overlooking the treetops, just a few kilometers from Tegallalang Rice fields. You’ll best the best amenities that money can buy, with live music, free yoga, and amazing eats.
STYLISH MID-RANGE MODERN IN UBUD – Sabana Ubud
Just out of the heart of Ubud, book a stay at Sabana Hotel, a highly-rated favorite around town. Along with modern, clean rooms with all the amenities you need, this small boutique hotel has a long outdoor pool and a restaurant for food and drinks. Plus, they have complimentary breakfast and free shuttles to Ubud center.
NICEST HOSTEL OWNERS YOU’LL EVER MEET – Bali Bamboo Jungle Huts & Hostel
I could not sing more praises to the fantastic owners (Boom Boom & Sri) of Bali Bamboo Jungle Huts & Hostel. Although you are getting hostel amenities, the vibes this place attracts are amazing. Plus, they are super close to the rice terraces and will help you plan any trip or activity you may want to take.
They let me leave my bags when I went on my east Bali road trip and even set me up with his wood carving uncle so I could finally cross this activity off my bucket list.
Bucket List Worthy: Is Tegalalang Rice Terrace Worth Visiting?
Tegalalang Rice Terraces is undoubtedly an impressive Indonesian landmark, even for a traveler who has seen many rice paddies in their travels. You can get amazing photography shots and eating at one of the many warungs with such a view is incredible.
However, with this being said, these rice fields are a bit of a tourist trap, and with tourist dollars come overdevelopment and a loss of authenticity. I think the Tegalalang fields are, unfortunately, one of those places. However, I do recommend another Bali bucket list rice terrace called Jatiluwih Rice Terrace.
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Catherine Xu is the founder and author of Nomadicated, an adventure travel blog that helps travelers cross off their bucket list. Since discovering traveling in 2015, she has lived and journeyed to 65 countries across 5 continents and vanlifed the west coast USA for 2+ years. These days, she splits her time in Southeast Asia and California while sharing her travel stories and resources based on first-hand experiences. Catherine's other works has been referenced in major publications like MSN, Self, and TripSavvy.