Last Updated: 1/24/19 | January 24th, 2019
Most tourists in Bali only ever seem to go to Kuta Beach, Ubud, or Canggu. I’ve amazed at the crowds in these locations as well as similarly amazed at exactly how few crowds there have been elsewhere.
With so many excellent locations to see, you’d expect some people to venture off the beaten path more. few do, which means you can check out the rest of the island in peace.
One underappreciated location you should see is the Jatiluwih rice terraces.
One of the top ten things to see in Bali as well as front as well as center in every guidebook, these rice terraces are stunning. They provide new meaning to the word green. They crawl up the sides of the hills like steps leading you towards the sky.
And like so much of Bali, the terraces are similarly as empty as they are beautiful. except for a few people from close-by resorts, you won’t see anybody here. Plus, there are even fewer people walking with the rice fields. It’s just you as well as nature.
The Jatiluwih rice terraces comprise over 600 hectares of rice fields complying with the streaming hillside topography of the Batukaru mountain range. These are well-maintained by traditional water administration cooperatives dating back to the 9th century!
Jatiluwih is originated from two words. Jati means “real” as well as Luwih means “good” or “beautiful”. So even the name in the regional language lets you understand this location is beautiful. When you drive the narrow, winding road to Jatiluwih, you’ll see the lovely panoramas along the road. This area is the only location in the world that has three annual rice harvests.
The terraces span a significant area. A day trip right here will provide you a great feel for them, however to truly check out them I suggest a two-day trip (assuming you enjoy hiking with rice terraces, of course). You’ll get to check out different parts of the terraces, jump over rivers, as well as even sit down to a nice lunch in the terraces.
I only got to hike around for a few hours, however I dream of coming back to hike more. Moreover, there are lovely mountains in the area, little villages to explore, as well as excellent restaurants to eat at.
How to See the Jatiluwih Rice Terraces
The Jatiluwih rice terraces are found in the middle of Bali near Ganung Batukaru. The area is extremely rural with nothing however farming neighborhoods (some of which now offer homestays for around 374,000 UDR/$25 USD per night) as well as a few high-end mountain resorts (1,500,000 IDR/$100 USD or more per night). It’s rural Bali at its best.
Your choices to get there are driving there yourself, hiring a driver, or taking a tour. There utilized to be no tours here, though as tourism has grown, more as well as more people have been visiting, usually as part of a bundle tour that sees several sights around the island in one day. even with the tours, it’s still a far cry from busy!
If you want to take a tour (which I don’t recommend) you should expect to pay at least 700,000 IDR ($47 USD). You won’t get long to enjoy the area, though, so I’d prevent this option.
Conversely, you might likewise stay at one of the close-by resorts or budget plan homestays if you want to prolong your visit.
If you hire a driver for the whole day you can likewise see other sights, like the Tegalalang terraces that are a bit better to Ubud. A great driver for the day will expense around 600,000 IDR ($40 USD). most hostels as well as hotels can assist you arrange one. The drive to the terrace is only 40km as well as will take around 90-minutes each way.
If you want to lease a cars and truck yourself, expect to pay around 300,000 IDR ($20 USD) each day for a little cars and truck rental.
The inaccessibility of the region is what keeps the crowds away. most people who leave Kuta end up in Ubud or the Gili Islands — locations that are simple to get to with nice, affordable tourist buses as well as boats.
Jatiluwih is a great deal harder to get to as well as needs effort to explore, so you can see these lovely rice terraces without hordes of people crowding you or ruining the scenery.
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The area may not be simple to get to, however if you truly want to see Bali as it is outside the tourist areas, make the effort to spend a few days here. You’ll discover some affordable guesthouses in the villages as well as get to check out real, every day, tout-free Bali.
Book Your trip to Bali: Logistical tips as well as Tricks
Book Your Flight
Use Skyscanner or Momondo to discover a affordable flight. They are my two preferred browse engines since they browse websites as well as airlines around the globe so you always understand no stone is left unturned. begin with Skyscanner very first though since they have the biggest reach!
Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the biggest stock as well as finest deals. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, utilize Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses as well as affordable hotels. My preferred locations to stay are:
PADI Backpackers House
Wayan’s household Hostel
Indraprastha house Stay
Don’t fail to remember travel Insurance
Travel insurance coverage will protect you against illness, injury, theft, as well as cancellations. It’s comprehensive security in situation anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to utilize it many times in the past. My preferred business that offer the very best service as well as value are:
Safety Wing (for everybody below 70)
Insure My trip (for those over 70)
Medjet (for extra repatriation coverage)
Looking for the very best business to save money With?
Check out my resource page for the very best business to utilize when you travel. I listing all the ones I utilize to save money when I’m on the road. They will save you money when you travel too.
Want more info on Bali?
Be sure to see our robust destination guide on Bali for even more planning tips!