Tripdo

Bali’s hidden rice terraces trek experience

Validity: Flexible
Do this because
  • Visit a local food market
  • Find out about the biodiversity of the rice fields and their importance to Balinese culture
  • Learn about the ancient irrigation system of subak that’s still used today in Bali
  • See a subak agricultural temple not typically visited by tourists
What to expect

Visit the emerald terraces that were first planted by Hindu priests when they arrived at the island in the 9th century on this trek experience in Bali. You will grow to appreciate, just like the locals, the beauty of these fields as they change seasons, from planting to harvest, and they offer up a serene, peaceful sight far removed from the bustling beaches of Bali’s tourist zones. This tour will whisk you away from the tourist track and introduce you to real local life: on the rice terraces of Kerobokan that define the country’s agricultural industry.

Your guide will explain how the subak irrigation system works — it’s an ancient irrigation system, having first been introduced by Hindu priests, but is still very much in use today. The subak system is about so much more than just watering plants. It creates ecosystems for new life, and is bound by the community’s temples, where water priests honor the relationship between humans, the Earth, and the gods. You’ll learn more about this relationship with a visit to a local subak temple, a gathering place for farmers.

From here, you'll walk into the expansive rice fields of Kerobokan, where you'll begin the trek of about two to three kilometres and make your way through the terraces, using the top of the walls as a pathway. Cross over rivers, carefully treading over the farmers’ bamboo bridges from one rice field to the next. The local farmers here don’t just grow rice, but also tomatoes, beans, bananas, eggplant, chilies, corn, sugar cane, and water snails.

The rice fields themselves are home to a number of aquatic species, including frogs, fish, crabs, and snails, it’s the perfect little ecosystem, and you’ll have a better understanding of how it all works together. After the trek, you’ll end your experience at a small café and drink some fresh coconut water.

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from:
$ 49