Luwak Coffee, Bali Swings & Tegalalang Rice Terraces: My slice of Ubud Attractions

Whoop loudly as you soar high on the Bali Swings
Don't miss the Tegalalang Rice Terraces right below you
Sip Luwak Coffee as you savour the joy of your temporary wings
So much to see, so much to do - at the end of it, you will wonder where your time flew.   

Close your eyes and imagine Bali. Tell me what is the first thing that you see? Beaches? And if not the beaches, then it would be the green steps of the Bali Rice Fields. You cannot miss them enroute to Ubud and naturally, there is no missing them. With its increasing popularity, the Ubud rice terraces have become very popular tourist attractions in Bali. They do not just offer amazing views but a little coffee served with a dollop of adrenaline. Well, I experienced all of this at one of the most popular Ubud attractions – the Tegalalang Rice Terraces. Let me share what my day looked like, with Ubud travel tips and suggestions on how you can plan one yourself.

About Bali Rice Fields

Needless to say that the chief crop of Bali is Rice. For centuries, the Balinese have cultivated rice on hill slopes, in the valleys and all around. The crops in these fields are watered using a traditional irrigation system. Called Subak, this system was developed around the 9th century. Subaks can be described as water collective that links the water sources, water temples and rice terraces with the help of canals and tunnels. This allows the Bali rice farms to get fresh water from the rivers and streams. This is pretty important as the rice fields have to be submerged partially in the water.

The water system of Bali is quite well developed and given its historical importance, has been declared as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Besides the picturesque settings offered by the Bali Rice Terraces, checking out this aspect of the fields is a good reason for you to visit them.

Best of Bali Rice Fields

There are plenty of Rice terraces around Bali that you can visit. Some of them are along the valleys that take you along the villages and introduce you to the unique Balinese culture. Personally, I found one of these more authentic than the popular Bali terraces. More on that in my next post for that is a whole new experience. However, for this post, sharing the more popular approach of visiting Bali rice fields.

Practically every cardinal direction in Bali has a popular rice field for you to visit. Here are suggestions on the best of Bali Rice terraces that you can consider during your trip.

• Jatiluwih Rice Terraces in West Bali
• Munduk Rice Fields in North Bali
• Pererenan Rice Fields in South -East Bali, specifically in Canggu
• Soka Rice Fields in West Bali
• Pupuan Rice Fields in West Bali
• Sideman Rice Terraces in East Bali
• Tegalalang Rice Terrace in Ubud.

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Tegalalang Rice Terraces in Ubud

When in Ubud, there is no missing the Tegalanang rice terraces. They are possibly the number one attraction to include in our Bali itinerary. The multi-tiered green hill slopes provide you with a very scenic background. Almost every corner and level has a view that makes them irresistible photo stops. Frankly, that was the thing that slowed down my progress to get down from one side of the hill and climb up another. I might have succeeded if our time here was a little more.

There are easy steps that lead you around the fields. At various intervals, you will come across the homes of the workers in the field. If you visit the rice fields in the morning, you are bound to see them working on the terraces, but it was mid-morning when I paid a visit to Tegalalang. Most of the workers had gone home and were relaxing post their chores.

Given the popularity of Tegalalang in Bali, the walk through the rice fields felt more like a stroll through landscaped gardens rather than a field. Sure there were rice plants at every level but each section was adorned with bright flowers and hedges. In some way, it felt refreshing but at the same time, a little touristy. Possibly my walk through the more authentic and rustic rice farms in the morning was playing on my mind. Either way, I can’t say that I did not enjoy the little walk through the Rice terraces. I suppose, what made my visit fun was the adrenaline rush of the Bali Swings.

Bali Swings in Ubud

Bali swings have become extremely popular – Thanks to Instagram. The term refers to the long swings created with a plank and strong ropes and which allow you to sway across a scenic location – mostly over a valley or a gorge. Ubud, specifically Tegalalang Rice Terraces is the most popular location with the Bali Swing taking you over the gorge of rice fields. In fact, you will miss a heartbeat or two just by looking at someone swinging on them.

The Tegalalang Bali Swings also, have a costume rental service. You can buy one of those really flowy dresses, sit pretty on the swing and let it sway right behind you. Oops! Did I just reveal an Instagram secret to those perfect romantic pics? 😉

You can choose to embark on this ride as a single occupant of the plank or choose to do a duet. However, before you set out on the ride, do note that the safety of the ride is dependent on a few small harnesses. There is no elaborate hook. And yes, there has been an accident or two with people failing to stick to the safety instructions given by the operators.

Well – if you are wondering what I did? I chose to do a Bali Swing with my friend Swati but – not at the Tegalalang Rice Fields. A few meters away from the main tourist Tegalalang field is another one with the Luwak Coffee center called Alas Harum attached to it. I will share more on the coffee fields later, for now – let me share my Bali Swing Experience.

Somehow, I did not trust the harness system. It did seem a little too less (if you know what I mean) and so, I chose to experience the thrill with the premise of safety in numbers. I thought just in case I slip, Swati will hang on to me 😉 . Strapped and ready, the operators let go of the swing and whee!!! We were right over the rice fields. The 3-minute ride was just fun and I kept screaming just for the sound effects. Frankly, it wasn’t too bad. However, my guess is that had I chosen the single ride, the swinging would have been higher and the feeling more intense. Maybe, you want to keep that in mind when picking your Bali swing!

Photo stops and other thrills in Tegalalang Rice Fields

Besides the Bali Swings, you can also, opt for sky biking. You can cycle mid-air with a partner over the lush green Bali fields. The Sky bikes are available at the main Tegalalang fields. I did not see it at the other center.

At both the places – the Tegalalang Rice Terraces as well as the Alas Harum, you will find tons of photo stops. The famous “I love Bali” sign along with heart-shaped nests suspended over the fields, you can choose to grab a memory wherever you fancy. However, be aware that most of the places are charged for – either in the main entrance ticket or separately at each of the photo booths. A bonus tip – if you like Instagram tours, you should check out Wanagiri in Bali.

About Luwak Coffee

Time for me to tell you all about the most expensive coffee in the World – Kopi Luwak. Luwak Coffee is no ordinary coffee. It is not plucked straight out of a coffee plantation. It is how it is made that makes it a costly and unique affair. Produced in Bali, the story involves a cute little animal – a civet. Civets are nocturnal creatures that are found in the tropical forests of southeast Asia. They look like small skunks or beavers and are said to have a musky odor. They love eating fresh fruits and berries -especially coffee berries. And yes, you are getting warmer with the next assumption!

Uh-huh! They eat the berries and then excrete them out. These processed coffee berries are harvested and used to make the popular Kopi Luwak. And why so? Well, they say that the bitter flavor of coffee gets processed by the digestive system of the Civets and what remains is a lovely coffee flavor. The processed beans are roasted and then crushed to make the coffee powder that comes to us in those expensive packets.

At the Alas Harum Agrotourism center, besides the fun with Bali swings and the photo ops, we had the opportunity to taste the Luwak coffee. As costly as it was, I still could not get myself to sip off those cups. Besides the plain coffee, there were flavors offered to us. I still looked at them suspiciously and just chose to ignore them – only to realize later that they weren’t Luwak coffee. Just regular flavored ones. I was told this at the reception when I was offered just a teaspoon of the actual coffee. Apparently, because it is expensive, it is offered only to a few and just a teaspoon of it. I did not oblige but was nonetheless, quite intrigued by the process of the costliest coffee in the world. It was fun to get the story from the people around.

With that my experience at the Tegalalang fields ended and we proceeded out of Ubud toward Uluwatu for an evening of Sunset and Fire Dance. Personally, I feel the Tegalalang Rice Fields make a great photo stop but there is little beyond that I would attach to the place. Instead, I loved the walk in the Balinese Rice Fields that took me through an authentic village and allowed me to glimpse the culture of the place. How, what and where that can be done is coming up in my next post. In the meanwhile, you enjoy this one and mark it along with the various Bali waterfalls on your list of things to do in Ubud. After all, you must want that one picture against the green terraces of Bali.

Before you go, pin this

Common FAQs about Ubud and Tegalalang Rice Terraces

Booking resources for Tegalalang Rice Terraces

There are a few resources that can help you book various services for your visit to Tegalalang Rice Terraces. These booking links will not cost you anything additional but they do help me earn a commission that keeps this website going. So do consider the same.

• Agoda.com is a great resource for booking your hotels in Ubud. You can use this link to get to the list and check them out.
• Another popular hotel booking site is Booking.com. Use this link to find your preferred hotel and make a reservation.
• Viator.com has tons of Ubud and Bali tours that you can book online. You can choose from private sightseeing tours of the Tegalalang Terraces to interesting adventure activities like ATV tours, whitewater rafting and more.
• Klook.com is another great site for booking tickets and local tours in Bali. Besides tours, you will find a lot of transfer options, spa bookings, cooking classes as well as interesting offers on local sim cards.

Travel Tips

• The Tegalalang Rice Terrance entrance fees are IDR 10,000 per adult. The price for a Bali Swing is around IDR 200,000. In case you are looking at using one of the selfie points, you will have to shell out IDR 25,000.
• Wear flat shoes and stick to the paved pathway when walking through the fields.
• Do not pluck or damage the plants in the fields.
• There are plenty of shops in Tegalalang Village that you can visit. You can shop for a variety of things including handicrafts, clothes and pottery. Just remember to bargain well.

P.S: I visited the Rice Terraces as a part of the Indonesia FAM trip organized by the Indonesia Tourism Board and Malindo Air. 

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