Which Bali rice terrace should you visit: Tegallalang, Jatiluwih or Sidemen?

Tegallalang vs Jatiluwih vs Sidemen at a glance

Jatiluwih's prices and hours are official. Tegallalang has no published tariff that we could find, so its figures are what visitors reported in 2024 to 2026.

Tegallalang: closest to Ubud, busiest

The Tegallalang terraces step down both sides of a narrow valley just off the main road north of Ubud, about 20 to 30 minutes by car or scooter. Cafes and shops line the rim, and paths drop into the valley and up the far side. It is the easiest terrace to fit into a day, which is also why it fills up: by mid-morning the paths and viewpoints are crowded, so go at opening time.

Fees: expect a small entry ticket at the main entrances, reported at about Rp15,000 to 25,000 per person. Inside, farmers whose land the paths cross often ask for a donation at a bridge or a gate, usually a few thousand rupiah. These are their fields, so pay; carry small notes. Wear shoes with grip: the steps are uneven and slippery after rain.

Tegallalang uses the same subak irrigation as the rest of Bali, but it is not one of the sites in the UNESCO listing. It pairs well with Tirta Empul and Gunung Kawi, a short drive away; our day trips from Ubud guide covers that morning.

The Bali swings: prices and safety

The swings around Tegallalang, such as those at Alas Harum, are commercial parks hung over the valley, usually sold as packages with a swing, a photo spot or two and sometimes a zipline or sky bike. Prices on booking sites run roughly US$12 to US$50 per person depending on the package and how high the swing is; dress rental and photos often cost extra. Check what the ticket includes before you pay.

Safety is uneven, and it matters on a swing hung over a ravine. In July 2018 a French tourist died after falling from a swing at Tegallalang while pushing his son, and the regency suspended swing tours until operators had permits. Before you get on, check that you are clipped to a harness with a separate safety line, that staff do the pushing, and that the seat and ropes look in good condition. If any of that is missing, walk away.

Jatiluwih: the UNESCO landscape

Jatiluwih, in Tabanan on the slopes of Mount Batukaru, was inscribed by UNESCO in 2012 as part of the Cultural Landscape of Bali Province: the Subak System. Subak is the farmers' cooperative irrigation system: water from springs on Batukaru moves from plot to plot in an order agreed at subak meetings, marked by ceremonies at the water temples. The area covers 2,233 hectares, 227 of them rice fields, and it is far bigger and quieter than Tegallalang.

Tickets and hours: open daily 8am to 6pm (Bali time). Foreign adults pay Rp75,000 and children Rp50,000; Indonesian visitors pay Rp25,000 and Rp15,000. One ticket covers the whole area and all five trails.

Trails: Red, about 1 hour and the flattest; Yellow, about 1 hour 10 minutes; White, about 2 hours; Green, 6 km and about 3 hours; Blue, 7 km and about 4 hours. Green and Blue are wide enough to cycle. The site recommends walking between 8 and 10am, before the heat.

Sidemen: the quiet valley

Sidemen is a valley in east Bali, about 1.5 hours from Ubud, with terraced rice fields, villages and Mount Agung behind them when the cloud lifts. There is no ticket gate or single viewpoint: you walk lanes and paths between the fields, ideally with a local guide your guesthouse can arrange. It is better as an overnight stop than a day trip. We spent three nights there at the end of our Bali route in June 2023; see our 18-day Bali route.

Best time of day, and getting there from Ubud

Go early everywhere: the light is softer, the paths are cooler and the tour vans have not arrived. The fields look different through the year, flooded, green, gold or freshly cut, and the cycle varies field by field, so there is no single month when every terrace is at its greenest.

• Tegallalang: scooter, Grab or Gojek from Ubud, or stop on the way to Tirta Empul.

• Jatiluwih: hire a driver for the day and combine it with Ulun Danu Beratan, the lake temple about 45 minutes beyond.

• Sidemen: a driver from Ubud, or stay a night or two.

Remember Bali's IDR 150,000 tourist levy, paid once per trip on the official Love Bali site. Base yourself with our where to stay in Ubud guide, and plan the rest of the town with how many days in Ubud and the Ubud Monkey Forest guide.

Frequently asked questions