In a nutshell
- No Bali trip is complete without visiting at least one rice terrace. The green, stepped fields are one of the things that make this island truly special.
- There are countless rice terraces across Bali — we’re sharing our four absolute favorites, from the iconic to the completely crowd-free.
- The best bases are Ubud and Lovina. Our top pick in Ubud is The Studios, and in Lovina we’d suggest The Edicha. Most terraces have marked hiking trails ranging from 30 minutes to two hours.
Bali's Rice Terraces on a Map
The rice terraces, just like the most beautiful waterfalls on Bali, are all located inland.
Most of them are best reached from one of the accommodations in Ubud. Some, however, can also be easily visited from Lovina.
Tegallalang Rice Terraces
- Highlight: the most photogenic rice terraces on Bali
- Best starting point: Ubud – 0.5 hours by car
- Location: open in Google Maps
- Admission: 50,000 IDR. You pay it in a side alley (open in Google Maps).
- Trails: no designated hiking trails
What you need to know: These are the most famous Bali rice terraces — and honestly, they live up to the hype. They climb steeply upward in dramatic layers, with little seating areas dotted throughout. The photo opportunities are seriously incredible.
Our tip: The Tegallalang Rice Terraces are split into two sections, and if you want to see both, you’ll need to visit them separately and pay admission twice. The first section (open in Google Maps) is the more photogenic one — that’s the one we visited and we loved it. The second section (open in Google Maps) is much less crowded and a lot bigger, so you can wander through the terraces for longer.
Jatiluwih Rice Terraces
- Highlight: the largest rice terraces on Bali
- Best starting point: Ubud or Lovina – 1.5 hours by car from either
- Location: open in Google Maps
- Admission: 50,000 IDR
- Trails: several hiking trails of varying lengths
What you need to know: These are the rice terraces to visit if you’d rather skip the big crowds. They’re huge — and even though Jatiluwih has become a well-known attraction on Bali, the visitor traffic spreads out really well across the landscape. One thing to note: the Jatiluwih rice fields are flatter than Tegallalang, so the scenery feels different — more expansive than dramatic.
Our tip: There are several trails of varying lengths here. Go for one of the longer routes — the blue or yellow trail works best — and you’ll have the place almost to yourself. Most visitors just make a quick photo stop and walk the short trail at most. The longer routes take about one to two hours and are totally worth it.
Rice Fields in Ubud
- Highlight: right in the middle of the city
- Best starting point: Ubud
- Location: open in Google Maps
- Admission: free
- Trail: about 30 minutes
What you need to know: You turn off one of Ubud’s main streets, duck down a small alley (open in Google Maps), and suddenly you’re standing in the middle of rice fields — it’s genuinely surprising. They’re not as large as the others, but what makes them special is the contrast: you’re right in the city, and yet it’s completely peaceful. Hardly any other tourists come here. These rice fields are definitely among the most beautiful sights in Ubud and one of our top under-the-radar picks for Bali.
Our tip: A short path called the Sweet Orange Walk Trail winds through the rice fields and takes about 30 minutes. The path is made of concrete slabs engraved with short messages left by people who walked it before you. It’s really sweet — don’t skip it.
Rice Terraces near Lemukih
- Highlight: our local favorite
- Best starting point: Lovina – 1 hour by car
- Location: open in Google Maps
- Admission: free
- Trails: no designated hiking trails
What you need to know: We absolutely love the Lemukih rice terraces because they feel completely authentic. We stumbled across them by chance while looking for the Lemukih Water Slide (more on that below). We didn’t run into a single other visitor out in the terraces. There’s no marked trail either — you just wander freely. If you spot a rice farmer working, ask for permission before heading into the fields.
Our tip: While you’re at the Lemukih rice terraces, don’t miss the natural water slide nearby. You slide through the jungle on a rented inner tube with a helmet — it’s so much fun! Admission costs 20,000 IDR and you can go as many times as you want.
When Is the Best Time to Visit Bali's Rice Terraces?
The good news: when it comes to timing your visit to the rice terraces in Bali, you really can’t go wrong. Exploring the terraces is one of the activities on Bali that works year-round.
Rice is harvested three to four times a year, and when each terrace is ready depends entirely on the individual farmer. That means every field is at a different stage at any given time — so during your trip you’ll see the rice at all kinds of stages, and you’re guaranteed to find some lush green Bali rice fields no matter when you go.
If you want to know when the best time to visit Bali is more generally, check out our article on the best time to visit Bali.
