Tegallalang Rice Terraces: Ceking and the Subak Landscape
Contents
Ceking, the village area behind the name Tegallalang rice terrace, in Gianyar Regency, is one of Bali's best-known rice landscapes. Rows of palms rise above fields that fall away like natural stairs.[1] The terraces were built on a sloping river bank, and farmers still work them with their own irrigation channels.[2]
Understand the landscape and its designation
What you see here grows out of subak, the cooperative system of canals and weirs through which Balinese farmers share irrigation water. Subak dates back to the 9th century and is tied to water temples and daily religious life.[3] UNESCO lists the Bali subak landscape as a World Heritage property made up of five sites: Pura Ulun Danu Batur on Lake Batur, the Pakerisan Watershed, Catur Angga Batukaru and the Royal Water Temple of Pura Taman Ayun.[3] The Ceking terraces are not among those components, so a visit here is not a visit to the inscribed property. Catur Angga Batukaru in Tabanan, with terraces mentioned in a 10th-century inscription, is the place to see the heritage-listed version.[3]
Things to Do
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Choose how to spend your visit
Come for the view. The best moment is when the light rakes across the stepped fields and the palms stand out against the green. Walk the paths you are shown and keep to the edges: the terraces are planted, and the narrow ridges between them carry the irrigation water.
Swings, bicycle rides and similar attractions around the terraces are run by private operators. Look at the operator, the current price and the safety arrangements before you commit.
Plan arrival and practical details
The terraces lie along Jalan Raya Tegallalang in Tegallalang, Gianyar Regency.[2] It is a short drive from Ubud, so pair it with a morning in town. Agree your drop-off point and pick-up time with your driver before you set out.
These are working fields as well as a landscape you can photograph. The terraced landscape is vulnerable to growing tourism pressure, so travellers can help by leaving crops and channels alone.[3] Ask before you step into a plot or photograph people at work. For wider context on Bali, see our Indonesia travel guide.
Sources and background
Numbers in the text such as [1] refer to these sources.
- [1] Love Bali, Bali Provincial Government tourism portal: Ceking (Panorama). Retrieved October 21, 2026.
- [2] Bali Government Tourism Office: CEKING RICE TERACES. Retrieved October 21, 2026.
- [3] UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Cultural Landscape of Bali Province: the Subak System. Retrieved October 21, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is the Ceking terrace landscape in Tegallalang, Gianyar Regency, Bali. Rice fields step down a sloping river bank between rows of palms and are still farmed with irrigation channels.
No. UNESCO's Bali subak landscape has five sites: Pura Ulun Danu Batur, the Pakerisan Watershed, Catur Angga Batukaru, Pura Taman Ayun and the Lake Batur setting. Ceking is not one of them.
Stay on the paths you are shown and keep off the planted rows and irrigation channels. These are working fields, so ask before you enter a plot.
They are separate activities from private operators. Ask the operator about price, terms and safety before you book.
The terraces lie along Jalan Raya Tegallalang in Gianyar Regency, a short drive from Ubud. Agree a drop-off point and pick-up time with your driver.
Leave crops and irrigation channels undisturbed, follow local directions, and ask before entering a field or photographing people at work.
