Tegalalang is the rice terrace that launched a thousand Instagram posts. Just north of Ubud, on the road towards Kintamani, the land falls away into a steep valley carved into terraces of rice, curving with the contours of the hill, each step bright green or gold or flooded with water depending on the season, with coconut palms rising between them. It is genuinely beautiful, especially in the early morning when the mist rises from the valley, and it is genuinely crowded by mid-morning, when the tour buses arrive and the swings and photo platforms fill up.
The terraces are part of the subak, Bali's ancient system of water management, in which water from springs and rivers is shared among farmers through a network of canals and channels, governed by water temples and priests. The system dates back more than a thousand years, and it is recognised by UNESCO as part of the cultural landscape of Bali. Each subak is a cooperative, and decisions about planting and water are made collectively, tied to a calendar of rituals and offerings. Walking through the terraces, you see the small shrines at the head of each field.
The road through Tegalalang is lined with shops selling woodcarvings, a local craft that has become an industry. You will see everything from small statues to huge garden ornaments, and workshops where carvers work in the open. The area also has a long tradition of painting and other arts, linked to Ubud, which became a centre for artists in the twentieth century. Nearby, the temples of Tirta Empul, with its holy spring, and Gunung Kawi, with royal tombs carved into the cliff, are worth a detour.
For riders, the road here is narrow and busy, with tour buses, cars and scooters competing for space, and parking near the terraces is chaotic. Potholes and sudden braking cars are the main hazards. Ubud, about nine kilometres south, has fuel, food and accommodation in abundance. Come before seven in the morning, when the light is soft and the swing operators are still drinking their coffee. A small entrance fee or donation is usually asked for walking into the terraces, which helps the farmers who maintain them.