Aerial view of curving green rice terraces and palm trees at Tegallalang, Bali

Nature · Tegallalang, Gianyar, Bali

Ubud Rice Terraces (Tegallalang)

Palm-fringed terraced paddies in a valley north of Ubud, watered by Bali's subak irrigation

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Photo: Giuliano Di Paolo (@giulianodipaolo) / Unsplash

Discover Ubud Rice Terraces (Tegallalang)

Tegallalang is the rice-terrace landscape most visitors picture when they think of Ubud: narrow green steps carved into both sides of a steep valley, coconut palms rising between them and small thatched shelters perched on the ridges. The terraces sit beside the main road north of Ubud, so they are easy to combine with a morning of temples, coffee plantations and craft villages.

What makes the scene more than a postcard is the water. Every paddy is fed by a shared channel system that Balinese farmers have managed together for centuries, and the fields change colour through the year as they are flooded, planted, ripened and harvested. Walk down into the valley, cross the stream at the bottom and climb the other side, and you see the working farm behind the famous view.

Don’t miss

01The main valley viewpoint along Jalan Raya Tegallalang, looking across stacked terraces and palms
02Footpaths that drop to the stream at the valley floor and climb the far slope
03Working paddies showing the subak irrigation channels that feed field to field
04Cafes and swings on the valley rim with views over the terraces
05Jatiluwih in Tabanan, part of the UNESCO-listed subak landscape, as a wider and quieter alternative

History & culture

The story of Ubud Rice Terraces (Tegallalang)

Rice farming in Bali is organised through subak, cooperatives of farmers who share water from a common source and coordinate planting through rituals at water temples. Wonderful Indonesia notes the local tradition that the system was handed down by the sage Rsi Markandeya in the 8th century, and UNESCO dates the subak system to at least the 9th century.

In 2012 UNESCO inscribed the Cultural Landscape of Bali Province: the Subak System as a Manifestation of the Tri Hita Karana Philosophy. The listed property covers about 19,500 hectares and is made up of five sites, among them the Supreme Water Temple Pura Ulun Danu Batur, the Pakerisan watershed, the Royal Water Temple Pura Taman Ayun and the Catur Angga Batukaru subak landscape in Tabanan, which includes the broad Jatiluwih terraces. Tegallalang is not itself one of the inscribed components, but it is farmed in the same subak tradition and is the most accessible terrace landscape from Ubud.

Local life & traditions

For the farming families here, the terraces are a livelihood rather than a backdrop. Subak members elect their own leader, share out water by agreement and hold ceremonies at small field shrines and larger water temples tied to the rice cycle. The guiding idea is Tri Hita Karana, harmony between people, nature and the divine. You may see offerings of flowers and rice in palm-leaf trays placed at the corners of fields and water inlets; step around them rather than over them.

Things to do

Experience it like a local

Most visitors spend between half an hour and an hour and a half walking the terrace paths. Wear shoes with grip, because the earth banks are narrow and can be slippery after rain, and carry water and sun protection. Some farmers ask for a small donation to cross their section of path; carry small notes.

Tegallalang combines naturally with a half-day loop north of Ubud: a coffee plantation such as the Bali Pulina estate about 1.3 km away, the water temple at Tirta Empul and the volcano views at Kintamani. Travellers who want the UNESCO-listed landscape itself can make a separate day trip west to Jatiluwih in Tabanan, roughly two hours from Denpasar, where terraces spread across a much broader slope below Mount Batukaru.

When to go

Bali's drier months, roughly April to October, bring the most reliable walking conditions and clearer skies, though the paddies are green for much of the year depending on the planting stage of each field. The wet season from about November to March brings heavy afternoon showers that make the paths muddy, but also lush colour and fewer visitors. At any time of year, go early in the morning for soft light, cooler air and fewer crowds; late afternoon is the second-best window.

Plan your visit

Verified information

Location: Tegallalang, about a 20-minute drive north of Ubud (roughly two hours on foot); reach it by car, motorbike or taxi. Source: indonesia.travel ↗
UNESCO status: The Cultural Landscape of Bali Province (subak system) was inscribed in 2012; its five components include the Catur Angga Batukaru subak landscape (Jatiluwih). Tegallalang is not one of the listed components. Source: whc.unesco.org ↗
Jatiluwih: Jatiluwih rice terraces lie in Tabanan Regency, about 40 km (roughly two hours by car) from Denpasar, and were inscribed by UNESCO in June 2012 as part of the subak cultural landscape. Source: indonesia.travel ↗
Bali tourism levy: All international tourists entering Bali must pay a levy of IDR 150,000 per person, once per trip, in effect since 14 February 2024; pay online via the official Love Bali portal before travel. Source: lovebali.baliprov.go.id ↗

Checked against the sources on 27 October 2026. Opening times and fees can change — confirm before you go.

Travel tips

Arrive before about 8am for the best light and before tour groups fill the paths.
Wear shoes with grip; the terrace banks are narrow and slippery after rain.
Carry small cash notes for path donations, parking and drinks.
Stay on established paths and avoid walking through planted paddies.
Pay the Bali tourism levy online before you fly so it does not hold you up on arrival.

General guidance from our specialists, not official information.

Around Ubud Rice Terraces (Tegallalang): food, markets & places to stay

The road through Tegallalang is lined with cafes, warung and craft shops selling wood carvings and home goods. Coffee plantations offering tastings are a short drive away, and Tirta Empul and Gunung Kawi at Tampaksiring are around half an hour further north-east. Most visitors stay in Ubud, about 20 minutes south, which has a wide range of accommodation and restaurants, including some halal-certified options; there is no public train, so a hired car with driver, a taxi app or a scooter is the usual way to get here.