Tours in Jatiluwih Rice Terraces

Jatiluwih is the largest expanse of terraced rice on Bali. Some six hundred hectares step down the southern flank of Mount Batukaru, in the island's west. The name means something like truly marvellous in Balinese. People come here for the real thing rather than the roadside version.

The UNESCO listing is not for the view but for the subak. That is the thousand-year-old system of water temples, canals and farmer cooperatives that allocates irrigation across the whole slope, by consensus and by ritual. It still works.

Because the fields are farmed on staggered cycles, the terraces show every colour at once: flooded mirrors, deep green, gold before the harvest. The visit itself is a walk.

Marked trails of two to five kilometres loop through the fields, past irrigation channels and farmers' shelters. One to three hours, depending on the route. At the top there are warungs with a view over the whole slope.

Most people come on a day tour from Ubud or the south, which pairs Jatiluwih with one or two other stops.

• Ulun Danu Beratan. The lakeside temple.
• Handara. The gate.
• Banjar. The hot springs.

Cycling tours run the downhill road through the villages. Jatiluwih is quieter than Tegalalang, which sits closer to Ubud and is correspondingly crowded.

Practical

• Timing. Early morning gives the best light and the fewest people. Batukaru clouds over most afternoons.
• Rain. It comes in bursts from November to March.
• Entry. A modest fee per person at the gate, collected for the subak.
• Shoes. The paths are earth and get slippery after rain, so proper shoes rather than sandals.
• What to bring. Water and cash. There is nothing to buy along the trails and no card machines.
• Getting there. Roughly ninety minutes from Ubud, two hours from Kuta, on a winding road that a driver handles better than a scooter.