Visitors to Bali have long been drawn to the stunning emerald terraces that were first planted by Hindu priests when they arrived on the island in the 9th century. Locals and visitors alike appreciate 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.
Our Bali 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 when they arrived on Bali over 1,200 years ago, but is still very much in use today. The subak system is about so much more than just watering plants, though. It creates ecosystems for new life, and is bound by the community’s temples, where water priests honour 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. We’ll walk from here into the expansive rice fields of Kerobokan, where we’ll begin our trek of about two to three kilometres (wear comfy shoes that you don’t mind getting wet!).
We’ll make our way through the terraces, using the tops of walls as a pathway. We’ll 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, aubergine, chillies, 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 our trek, we’ll end our trip at small café and drink some fresh coconut water.
If you need a taxi to get to the meeting point, our local guides in Bali recommend the Blue Bird taxi appas the easiest way to get around.
