Sawah Terasering Tegalalang, Bali’s layered rice valley near Ubud
Published on 09/03/2026 at 13:43 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
On the hills north of Ubud on the Indonesian island of Bali, Sawah Terasering Tegalalang turns a narrow valley into a layered landscape of rice paddies shaped along the contours of the slope. Set in Tegallalang district in Gianyar Regency and linked to Bali’s traditional subak irrigation system, the terraces form part of the Cultural Landscape of Bali Province recognised by UNESCO in 2012.Cultural Landscape of Bali Province
Rice carved into a steep Balinese valley
Sawah Terasering Tegalalang occupies a steep-sided valley north of Ubud where farmers have long used terraces to grow rice along the natural contours of the hillside. From the roadside ridge, the paddies step down into the valley floor in successive levels, each bounded by earthen walls that retain the water and provide paths for farmers as they cross the landscape.a stepped landscape of rice fields
The terraces sit in Gianyar Regency in central Bali, part of a belt of rice-growing villages in the island’s volcanic uplands. At Sawah Terasering Tegalalang, the valley walls are cut into narrow ledges, so that planted paddies form bands of green that follow every twist in the terrain. The landscape brings together the geometry of terracing with the organic lines of the valley, making the field boundaries and irrigation channels as visible as the rice plants themselves.the terraces at Sawah Terasering Tegalalang
Bali’s subak irrigation tradition in the terraces
The rice fields at Sawah Terasering Tegalalang form part of Bali’s subak tradition, a cooperative irrigation system that channels water from upland sources through canals, tunnels and weirs into the paddies. In this system, water is shared between farmers under rules set collectively, and the physical network of channels is linked to a set of water temples that mark key points along the flow. The wider Cultural Landscape of Bali Province, built around this subak system, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2012.UNESCO World Heritage List
At Tegallalang, the terraces make the workings of the subak system visible in the landscape. Narrow channels run along the edges of the paddies, feeding each level in turn and spilling water down to the next. Small crossings and bunds separate the plots, and the flooded fields reflect the sky before the young rice plants turn the terraces into bands of pale green and, later, deeper colour. The integration of communal water management, agriculture and local religious practice gives the valley its place within the UNESCO-recognised cultural landscape of Bali’s rice-growing interior.Tegalalang Rice Terrace subak system
Location above Ubud and approach through Tegallalang
Sawah Terasering Tegalalang lies in Tegallalang district in Gianyar Regency, north of central Ubud and along the main road known as Jalan Raya Tegallalang. The valley forms part of a rural belt where rice terraces sit between village houses, small shrines and roadside stalls. The elevation is around 600 m (about 1,970 ft) above sea level, giving the site a setting in Bali’s cooler uplands compared with the island’s coastal plains.around 600 m above sea level
The terraces are reached from Ubud by road, following Jalan Raya Tegallalang through a string of villages and viewpoints that look across the valley. Sawah Terasering Tegalalang sits along this road in the Tegallalang district, and the wider rice-growing landscape stretches towards Kintamani and Mount Batur in Bali’s interior.Jalan Raya Tegallalang
Visiting Sawah Terasering Tegalalang: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Sawah Terasering Tegalalang lies north of Ubud in Tegallalang district in Gianyar Regency on Bali, along Jalan Raya Tegallalang, and is reached by road transport such as car or scooter from the town.
- The terraces occupy a steep valley with earthen paths and steps between the paddies, so visiting the lower levels involves walking on uneven ground and climbing slopes that can be narrow in places.
- The landscape is in Indonesia, where the official language is Indonesian and the currency is the Indonesian rupiah.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Sawah Terasering Tegalalang
Where is Sawah Terasering Tegalalang located in relation to Ubud?
Sawah Terasering Tegalalang is in Tegallalang district in Gianyar Regency on Bali, along Jalan Raya Tegallalang north of central Ubud and reached by road from the town.
What should visitors expect on a visit to the terraces?
Visitors encounter a steep valley of working rice paddies arranged in terraces, with earthen paths and steps between the levels and views from the roadside and valley floor.
What makes Sawah Terasering Tegalalang distinctive among Bali’s rice landscapes?
The site combines a dramatic layered valley form with a visible subak irrigation network and a location close to Ubud, making the structure of Bali’s terraced rice agriculture easy to see in one compact landscape.
