Beyond the tourist-filled Tegallalang terraces lies Bali's authentic agricultural heritage: ancient rice fields where traditional farming continues unchanged. These five walking routes traverse working communities where rice cultivation remains central, revealing landscapes where farmers work by hand, water temples govern irrigation, and village life follows the growing cycle's rhythm—offering genuine encounters with Bali's living heritage.
Jatiluwih UNESCO Heritage Trail
This expansive system represents the most pristine example of Bali's traditional subak irrigation system, earning UNESCO World Heritage status. Unlike the terraces at Tegallalang, Jatiluwih's vast amphitheater of stepped fields stretches across six villages and multiple valleys, offering endless perspectives and photographic opportunities.
The dedicated heritage trail winds for 4-7 kilometers (depending on your chosen route) along narrow dikes between fields, past water temples and traditional farmers' shelters. What makes this walk exceptional is the sheer scale of the landscape—nowhere else in Bali can you experience such an expansive and continuously beautiful agricultural panorama. The higher sections offer breathtaking views across the terraces to the sacred mountains beyond, while closer inspection reveals the ingenious water management systems that have sustained these fields for centuries.
Sidemen Valley Panoramic Path
Tucked in the shadow of Mount Agung lies Sidemen Valley, where some of Bali's most dramatic rice terraces cascade down steep hillsides. This lesser-known area offers a circular walking path that climbs gently through traditional fields, offering ever-changing perspectives of the terraced landscape against the backdrop of Bali's highest and most sacred mountain.
What distinguishes Sidemen's terraces is their dramatic vertical character, with some sections built on slopes so steep they seem to defy gravity. The trail passes through several small villages where you can observe not just rice cultivation but also the production of traditional endek and songket textiles, as weavers work on their looms in open pavilions. The combination of agricultural landscapes, traditional crafts, and the omnipresent silhouette of Mount Agung creates a multidimensional cultural experience.
Pupuan Highland Morning Walk
In Bali's less-visited western region, the Pupuan highlands offer a distinctly different rice terrace landscape—one characterized by gently rolling contours rather than the steep steps found elsewhere. This undulating agricultural tapestry is best experienced at dawn, when morning mist floats between the fields and mountains, creating an ethereal atmosphere that photographers dream about.
The walking trail follows ridge lines between fields, offering 360-degree views across valleys completely devoted to traditional agriculture. Besides rice, you'll see coffee, cacao, and clove plantations on the higher slopes, telling the story of Bali's agricultural diversity. The trail passes several small village temples where farmers make daily offerings to Dewi Sri, the rice goddess, maintaining the spiritual practices that have accompanied Balinese agriculture for centuries.
Belimbing Sacred Water Temple Circuit
This circular walk in Bali's central-western regency centers around a sequence of subak water temples that control irrigation to one of the island's oldest terrace systems. Unlike more famous terrace walks, this route focuses on the spiritual infrastructure of Bali's agricultural system, visiting four water temples connected by flowing irrigation channels.
The path follows the water's journey from its mountain source through a series of increasingly elaborate temples, each marking a division point where water is shared between different farming communities. The final and largest temple features intricate carvings depicting agricultural deities and water management principles, demonstrating how deeply spiritual practice and agricultural science are intertwined in Balinese culture. Between temples, the trail crosses terraces cultivated by farmers using traditional methods passed down through countless generations.
Ancient Pejeng Rice Field Walk
Just a short distance from Ubud but a world away from its tour buses, the ancient village of Pejeng harbors some of Bali's oldest continuously cultivated rice fields. This gentle walking route connects some of the area's most significant archaeological sites via paths that wind through terraces believed to have been under cultivation since at least the 9th century.
What makes this walk unique is the juxtaposition of ancient monuments with living agricultural tradition. The path passes megalithic structures, ancient stone sarcophagi, and early temple foundations that pre-date most of Bali's current architecture, all while traversing fields still farmed using traditional methods. The area is especially known for growing heritage rice varieties, including the now-rare Bali red rice that once dominated the island's agriculture before modern strains were introduced.