At just a 15 minute drive from the centre of Ubud, the Tegalalang Rice Terraces have become one of Bali’s biggest attractions. Set in a beautiful valley, the steep terraces and endless palm trees make for one of the most picturesque sights on the island, especially if you visit at sunrise.
However, with its rise in popularity it has become more difficult to work out how to access the most beautiful part of the rice terraces. After exploring several different areas, we can definitely say that this walk will take you to the best of the terraces.
It’s a gorgeous short walk, which doesn’t require a guide, but to make sure you don’t make a wrong turn we have included step by step directions below.
Here’s exactly what to expect on the Tegalalang Rice Terrace Walk.
The Tegalalang Rice Terrace Walk
Distance: 2.2km return
Elevation: 50m
Difficulty: Easy
This walk isn’t signposted and does’t have a manicured path, but it’s easy enough to follow and we have included exact directions in the notes below.
There are some sections which are narrow, and a couple of areas which can get a little muddy, but it doesn’t require hiking boots and most people will find it pretty easy, especially if you go early and avoid the hottest part of the day.
Update: Make sure to check the comments at the bottom of the article for the latest changes to the track. Our helpful readers have been contributing feedback regularly to keep everyone else up to date.
Starting the trail
There are two ways to start the trail: the first being from the Uma Pakel Swing in Tegalalang, but you will have to pay a 50,000 IDR (USD $3.50) entry fee (200,000 IDR if you want to go on the swings as well). From here, you walk down to the river and up the hill on the other side, it’s a longer route, so we recommend the second option.
The second route starts from a car park across the river from Tegalalang (you can find it on Google Maps by clicking here). After just a couple of minutes down the obvious trail you will reach the ticket booth.
The entry from here is just 10,000 IDR (USD $0.70) per person and you are instantly on the right path. The road up to this car park is a little rough and has a steep section, but it’s not too bad overall.
The trail begins from the small drinks stall and continues straight past it, along the dirt path. The trail undulates at first and after 100m begins following switchbacks into a bamboo forest. Soon you’ll see the first of what will become a common sight along the trail.
The derelict swings of Tegalalang
On our first visit, the eastern side of the Tegalalang Rice Terraces had several big swings with jaw-dropping views. It was a smart move by locals trying to capture tourists on their way to the famous Instagram spot.
However, in recent years the bridge from the western side of the terraces (which is the built up main street in Tegalalang) to the eastern side has disappeared. We spent hours trying to find it, before being told that it was destroyed over an electricity dispute.
This coupled with the lack of tourists over the last couple of years means that the walk on this side of the terraces is littered with derelict swing sites. You’ll see collapsed platforms and former drinks stalls slowly being reclaimed by the jungle.
Maybe they’ll be resurrected again in the future, or maybe it will become like the abandoned water park in Hue in Vietnam.
After the swing, the trail heads uphill on a section that isn’t in the best condition after rain. It’s only 20m long, but it’s uphill on slick mud that can be pretty slippery.
You’ll soon come across another derelict swing before heading uphill and around the corner.
It’s at this point you’ll want to take the fork that heads left, down into the rice terraces (it’s next to an abandoned drinks shop).
The trail down is in good condition for the most part, but can be a little muddy in places. However, the path soon improves and gets even more beautiful as the views open up.
Into the rice terraces
Roughly 350m from the start of the trail, you’ll begin to walk into the rice terraces themselves.
If you haven’t done this before, it might feel a little strange - like you’re strayed on to private property, but there are signs along the way that say “Tracking” to reassure you that you are allowed to be here.
After the trail downhill you’ll see two signs immediately after each other, one says “tracking” right, then “rice terrace” left - follow them both to a narrow trail on the edge of the rice terrace.
You’ll soon come to some stairs heading uphill before seeing a sign saying “tracking” pointing left. Head left and follow it along the narrow bridge.
At this point you’ll arrive in our favourite part of Tegalalang.
The most beautiful part of Tegalalang
This section of Tegalalang is simply stunning and it’s a glimpse into rural Bali - and this time round there were no tourists! You won’t find swings, or Instagrammable cafes, there’s just one drinks seller in a small hut. Otherwise it’s just endless rice terraces surrounded by lush greenery.
It’s incredibly photogenic and you could spend hours just wandering around and taking it all in.
From the bridge, the trail heads towards a hut where a very friendly local sells coconuts and cold water - which is a blessed relief from the intense sun and humidity. At this point, make sure you continue along the rice terrace beyond the hut, not the stone stairs to the right (they will take you the wrong way).
The trail carries on along a narrow rice terrace edge for 60m before joining a stone path again. Head left, going downhill over a stream and then uphill again to one of the most picturesque views in this area.
The best views in Tegalalang
This section is the best place for sunrise and one of the most picturesque spots in Tegalalang. This area does have an entry fee as it’s private land.
Sadly, we’ve seen many people in the past that just open the gates, walk around and refuse to pay the rice farmer anything for trespassing on his land. He is incredibly friendly and will allow you to wander for as long as you like taking photos, and only asks for a small donation of 20,000 IDR (USD $1.40).
At sunrise (and a little while after), the light is truly magical, and if you’re lucky you will see light rays beaming through the palm trees.
Even if you aren’t here at sunrise, it’s spectacular and a view not to be missed.
Finishing the walk
Essentially, you can finish the walk at this point. You can have a cold drink with a sensational view and then turn around to head back the way you came, however we were intrigued to see what had become of a previously famous spot.
On our first visit to Tegalalang, we visited the huge swing that was situated just 100m from this spot. It was incredibly popular and we used to see hundreds of searches on our website for “the Tegalalang Swing”. Although there were many copycats, this was the original rice terrace swing that became an Instagram sensation.
We walked towards the spot to find - you guessed it - a completely abandoned platform. Now you’ll only see the remains of a few old huts and a sorry looking wire which used to catapult thousands of tourists out into the valley for that beautiful photo op. Maybe it will open again in the future and if so it was definitely one of the best places to swing!
From here we retraced our steps back the way we came to the car park, which is 1.1km away.
Essential Information
Getting to the Tegalalang Rice Terrace walk
The Tegalalang Rice Terraces are a 15-20 minute drive from Ubud. You can start the walk at the Uma Ceking Swings, but we would recommend starting at the car park that’s just outside of Tegalalang (the exact spot is here on Google Maps), which is the shortest route and cheaper - it’s a short ride across the bridge, up the hill and then you’ll see it on the left.
Entry fee
If you start the walk at Uma Ceking, then the entry cost is 50,000 IDR (USD $3.35) per person (this will have no increased, please see note below). If you start at the car park on the other side of the river, then the price is 50,000 IDR (USD $3.25) per person (it’s named “Bali Wana Adventure”.
Update for 2024: the walking track we used has now gone up to 50k IDR, so the price of going via Uma Ceking must have also gone up quite a bit, as it used to cost five times more. We can’t find an accurate price online, so please let us know if you visit so we can update the guide!
Best time of day to visit
Ideally, sunrise is the best time to visit, as the light is perfect and the temperature is cooler. However, as tourism picks up this may become busy again as many people want to photograph the light rays at the Instagram spot. However, even then it won’t be as busy as the middle of the day.
We imagine that sunset is the quietest time of day, but can’t guarantee it and the light won’t be as good.
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