I have to admit Jatiluwih Rice Terraces were, for me, the best place to visit in Bali, Indonesia. While coming there I was wandering how the rice field can be the UNESCO heritage site? Reaching the spot left me with no doubts! These paddy fields are absolutely gorgeous and super old. If you love fairy-tale views and perfect for photo shooting – this is for you! In this article I will also tell you 2 options of how to get to Jatiluwih Rice Terraces.

Why Jatiluwih is in UNESCO?

The Jatiluwih Rice Terraces is over 600 hectares of impressive rice fields following the flowing hillside topography of the Batukaru mountain range. These are well-maintained by a traditional water management cooperative dating back to the 9th century!

Jatiluwih means something as “real beauty” in local language. Driving the winding road to Jatiluwih, you’ll see the beautiful panoramas and little villages with the real, everyday life in Bali. This area is the only place in the world that has three annual rice harvests.

While most of the tourists visiting Bali go to Kuta beach and Ubud, this island has much more to offer. I saw unique culture of Bali on every step as long as I left the touristic zone. Seeing the temples, waterfalls and rice fields were the best experiences in Bali, definitely not the beach! For the beaches I would rather go to the islands near Bali – Nusa Penida and Gili Islands.

How to get to Jatiluwih Rice Terraces?

Jatiluwih Rice Terraces are in central Bali. From Ubud or Denpasar you will need min. 1,5 hours to get there. Difficultly with finding cheap transportation is what keeps mass tourists away from visiting Jatiluwih Rice Terraces. As other destinations might be easy to reach by bus, rice terraces you can only see if you rent a motorbike or taxi. Road is not the best one as well, especially if you choose to get there the cheaper way.

Talking on how to get to Jatiluwih Rice Terraces I want to mention two ways and two entrances to get there. First one (from the North) goes to the main entrance in Gunungsari. There you have to pay entrance fee 40000 for foreigners. The other way comes from the South just next to the temple Pura Luhur Besi Kalung. The temple is nice to visit as well and you pay only half price to enter the rice fields. I was using Google Maps for navigation as well as Maps.me, which I highly recommend as a great travel app.

If you still wander how to get to Jatiluwih Rice Terraces I advice you to choose the Southern entrance. Not only is half price and adds visitng the temple to your experience, but also it’s more convenient. Why? We could ride a bike around the rice fields and park whenever we wanted, when from the North you have to leave the bike on the parking and walk everywhere on your own.

How much time will you need there

You can just come for an hour to make pictures, you can also hike for few hours if you are a fan of trekking trips. The fields are huge, and you can even spend there two days hiking! You’ll get to explore different parts of the terraces, jump over rivers, and even sit down to a nice lunch in the terraces. My recommendation would be to come early in the morning and reserve half day for it. Mornings have fewer visitors and good lights for pictures.

Wondering where to stay in Bali? Bali is definately more expensive than the rest of Indonesia, but apart from luxury resorts you can find some cheap hostels as well. Why not booking the cheapest accommodation in Bali?

Jatiluwih Rice Terraces or Tegalalang in Ubud

Definitely you should put Jatiluwih Rice Terraces on your bucket list while preparing your Bali itinerary. They are bigger and much more beautiful than the rice terraces in Ubud. Also, it’s UNESCO Heritage and it’s cheaper. In Tegalalang you have to pay for the entrance and also to the farmers inside. What’s more Tegalalang are a way more crowded! As I mentioned, it’s more difficult to come to Jatiluwih Rice Terraces, so less tourists reach here, even though is much more stunning. Rice terraces is perfect scenery for romantic photography, therefore it’s an activity often choosen by honeymoon couples.

Planning to visit Java island? Here are some of my favorite spots in Yogyakarta as well as impressions after one of the most beautiful sunrises I have ever seen – on Mount Bromo.

Time Travel Bee

The Bee is a nature lover and tea addict. Loves the idea of slow life and responsible traveling, constantly trying to improve to bee more eco-friendly. Appreciates old cultures and traditions, loves to immerse with locals, listen to ethnic music as well as taste regional food and drinks. Her favorite spots while traveling are family houses and street markets.

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