On my first trip to Bali, my friend and I went on an ill-planned 8km bike ride (despite the warnings it would be mainly uphill) to the insta-famous Tegallalang Rice Fields just outside Ubud. We arrived around mid-day, soaking in sweat, to a flood of tourists, hawkers selling typical souvenirs, and local “farmers” charging for pictures with their props. This was the Disneyland of rice terraces, and I was sorely disappointed.
My second time around, I decided to forgo the crowds and venture further north to the Jatiluwih Rice Terraces. This time on a bike powered by an engine. The site is actually listed in the UNESCO World Heritage due to its beauty and cultural significance. It’s a prime example of the Subak irrigation system, a farming tradition highly unique to Bali.
Though it was a bit far, we ultimately decided a one-day trip from Ubud would be the best idea. Being the adventurers we are, we also opted to make the drive ourselves on motorbike instead of going with a tour. There are many agencies around Ubud offering one-day packages to see Jatiluwih, temples, waterfalls, etc.
We left Ubud at 6:30am on our rented motorbike, and the 2-hour drive took us through local villages and mostly quiet streets. I’m so glad we did the roadtrip ourselves because it meant we could take our time and appreciate the sites. When it started to rain, we stopped at a local market to find some breakfast. The locals were SO friendly; most of them didn’t speak English but they were curious and smiling despite the language barrier. We bought some strange snacks that to this day I have no idea what I ate – I can’t say it was all good!
As we wound our way down from a mountain road, we got our first bird’s eye view of Jatiluwih and the lush emerald ribbons cut into the sides of the hills. We paid an entrance fee of 40,000IRD, and started on a trek – there’s a map at the entrance depicting several roads you can choose. You can also choose to go with a guide who will explain the local water irrigation and agriculture system, and let you try your hand at some plowing!
The morning sun was shining but not too hot to be miserable yet, and we could see the local farmers coming out to do some work before the midday heat. Everyone said hello or smiled as they walked/drove past. The scope of the terraces was truly spectacular, especially with the hazy mountains in the background. We had intended to do the 4 hour trek, but as it wasn’t very well marked we lost the road and spent about 2 hours in total wandering around.
As beautiful and peaceful as this experience was, it wasn’t without its downsides. We were coming up upon one home when I heard lots of squealing. I thought it was a cat or some kind of bird, but it turned out to be 4 puppies discarded in front of the driveway, mewing for help. I was so traumatized and felt completely helpless. Yohann steered me away, telling me there was nothing we could do. My only hope was that their mother would come back, or a local or another tourist with more resources could help them.
As we left, more tourists were coming and it started to get really hot. There is little to no shade so I would recommend bringing lots of water, or coming as early as possible for a comfortable experience. There are also lots of Airbnbs/guesthouses nearby from which you can do mountain treks, so if you’re not up for the long return trip to Ubud I would also recommend this option!
