Jatiluwih Rice Terraces Walk

By Vicky · Published Jul. 29th, 2022 · Updated Nov. 21st, 2022

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See rice fields for miles, historic temples and soaring mountains on this beautiful walk through Jatiluwih Rice Terraces. I preferred Jatiluwih Rice Terraces to the more famous Tegalalang Rice Terraces near Ubud because they were less crowded and touristy, and the area covered by the rice fields was larger and much more open. The walk at Jatiluwih Rice Terraces was very peaceful and there was no pressure from anyone to buy anything.

The irrigation system here was developed in the 9th century and is still managed communally so everybody can get enough water for their crops. For that reason, and for the traditional way of life, Jatiluwih Rice Terraces are part of the UNESCO World Heritage site called Cultural Landscape of Bali Province.

Jatiluwih Rice Terraces Walk Map

Get the route by downloading the .gpx or .kml file below. For navigation with Maps.me on your mobile phone, simply download the .kml file and open to add it to the Maps.me bookmarks.

Location

This walk through the Jatiluwih Rice Terraces starts at the entrance to the rice fields in Jatiluwih Village where the main road makes a bend.

How to get to Jatiluwih Rice Terraces?

The easiest way to reach Jatiluwih Rice Terraces is to rent a scooter or hire a car with a driver*. There are also several tours of Bali that visit Jatiluwih Rice Terraces, though on these you unfortunately might not get to spend very long walking about. We actually walked to the rice terraces from the other side of Mount Batukaru, then took a taxi organised by our hotel down to Den Pasar area.

There is a viewpoint at the entrance to the rice terraces, where the main road bends around the corner. There’s also a little guards hut where you have to buy a ticket to walk through the rice fields. Tickets costs Rp 40,000 ($3) per person and you can buy them at the small booths at the entrances to the rice terraces. The rice fields are open from 8:30am – 6pm every day.

The route we took coincides with the White Line Extra Track, the longest walking route through the rice fields. You can also cycle this route. There are other walking routes, but they are shorter and don’t explore so much of the area. Here in Jatiluwih, the system of tourists paying a small fee to enter seems to be working well. The paths are well-maintained and signs point the route out. The villagers we met were also very friendly and happy to see us.

Starting the Hike

We started walking down the small paved path from the entrance. The views were amazing, and we saw villagers harvesting the rice and tying them into funny piles that looked a bit like hair wigs. Behind the rice fields you can see the mountains, making for gorgeous scenery.

The path itself is often lined by palm trees and other tropical plants which provide some welcome shade. The route continues downwards in a fairly straight line for about 2.5 km. You reach a little warung (cafe/restaurant) selling drinks, and the track then heads left and downwards into the valley.

After bending around a corner, the track continues to descend and you reach the lowest point of the trek. Turn left at the bottom, and the walk now heads steadily back upwards.

Exploring a Temple

In almost 1 km you’ll reach the entrance to a temple, Pura Luhur Besi Kalung. If you have a sarong, put it on and you can enter this peaceful temple. It’s fairly large and in a wonderful setting. There’s an exit to the left from the centre of the temple (and a useful restroom), so you don’t have to return back the way you came.

Continue walking up the path, with gorgeous rice terraces on either side and soon you’ll reach a T-junction with another lovely warung. Head right, and the track then bends left and uphill. After roughly 1 km you’ll reach another warung with great views, and the path now heads left.

At the next T-junction head right up the hill. This route now leads all the way up back to the road through Jatiluwih village. Once you reach the road, turn left to walk 500 metres back to the starting point. Along the road there are several warungs with great views over the rice terraces below.

This is the end of the walk through Jatiluwih Rice Terraces. From here we walked back 2.5 km to our accommodation (see box below). Otherwise, head onwards. For more exciting hikes and adventures, check out our Hiking Bali Guide or try Cycling in Bali.

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