Overview
Subak allocates water by a schedule agreed in the water temples rather than by whoever is upstream, and it is the reason Bali’s slopes are farmed the way they are; UNESCO listed the system in 2012, at other sites in the island’s centre. At Tegallalang the valley faces east, so the light is behind the terraces in the morning and on them in the afternoon. The rice cycle means the terraces are green, flooded and mirror-like, or cut to stubble, depending on the month.
Highlights
The roadside viewpoints are free to look from; walking down into the valley crosses several farmers’ land and each collects a small donation, which is the arrangement rather than a scam. Wear shoes you can get muddy — the paths are earth banks between flooded fields. The swings and platforms along the rim are recent, priced separately, and easy to skip.