Bali's Rice Terraces & the Subak System

Sculpted green landscapes farmed the same way for a thousand years.

Bali Guide › Nature

Bali's emerald rice terraces are among its most iconic sights, carved into hillsides over many generations. What makes them special isn't just the view - it's the subak, a thousand-year-old cooperative that shares irrigation water fairly between farmers.

Recognised by UNESCO, subak reflects the same Tri Hita Karana philosophy of harmony that runs through Balinese life. The terraces are still working farms, tended largely by hand.

Tegalalang, north of Ubud, is the most photographed; Jatiluwih, in the west, offers a vast, quiet UNESCO landscape with walking trails through the paddies.

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