Jatiluwih Rice Terraces

Why you should visit Jatiluwih Rice Terrace :

The Jatiluwih Rice terraces are located in the Tabanan Regency, North Bali on the slope of Mount Batukaru – the second highest volcano in Bali and It is the largest rice field on the island, covering over 600 hectares (1,480 acres)!

Every tourist and local agree on the fact that this is probably one of the  most beautiful rice paddies in Bali, no wonder that the literal translation of 'Jatiluwah' is ‘Really Beautiful’ since in Balinese ‘Jati’ means ‘really’ and ‘Luwih’ ‘beautiful’ or ‘good’.

It's very easy to stroll around in the paddies as Jatiluwih has a nice paved walking path that winds its way through the rice fields. You can explore it by foot or even by bicycle. From the visitor centre there are three official walking routes. The red route is the easiest: it's less than 2 kilometers. In addition, there is a blue and a purple route. This last one is a walk of  a few of hours with around 7 km's (4.3 miles) of hiking fun!

Not to be mistaken by the Tegalalang Rice Terraces, the Jatiluwih rice filed terraces have also been placed on the list of World Heritage by Unesco. By adding it to their list, Jatiluwih has been given a protected status. This means that the landscapes are protected from being turned into other purposes like concrete highways or building sites. As  like the Tegalalang Rice Terraces, the Jatiluwih terrace is also  known for it's ancient, sophisticated irrigation system called “Subak”.  

Mind you, this is no ordinary  irrigation system; it is a complex social system that embodies the philosophy of Tri Hita Karana, or the three harmonious relations of humankind (maintaining mutual relationships with God, people, and nature). Without the subak, agriculture in Bali might not have flourished and given the island its green lush rice fields.

Best time to visit Jatiluwih Rice Terrace :

As you probably will cover a lot of km's (or miles), it's best to come as early as possible because it can get pretty hot during the day. Especially if you are looking to take the longest route, the afternoon heat can be a bit of a challenge for some.

 Best spot to take a picture at Jatiluwih Rice Terrace:  

Photographers and drone pilots will be in heaven here — you’ll get some great views of the Bali volcanoes in the distance.

How to get to Jatiluwih Rice Terrace :

Jatiluwih rice terraces are located in Bali’s central hills, around 20 km to the north-west of Ubud. There’s no public transport to Jatiluwih and the best option is come by scooter or, better still, hire a driver or guided tour – so you have plenty of time not just to admire the views from the road above the fields but to walk through them. 

Tips:

• When you want to use a drone, you'll probably have to pay a small fee for this (although when you are far enough down the track, they won't notice)