When you hear the word Bali , you might be thinking of all the exotic beaches and the glamorous night life that it provides. But have you ever heard that Bali has a unique culture of Rice Field Irrigation System? Well it is called Subak and it is basically an irrigation system which was delevoped since the ninth century. The most amazing thing is that, it still exists in Tegalalang, Bali. This conventional system is awarded as a World Herritage Cultural Landscape by UNESCO. This irrigation system is not a simple thing to do. It is a very complex and complicated integration of artificial ecosystem, religious beliefs and engineering to produce a high quality rice. This system was created to adapt with the steep land surface in the area where people wants to plant rice as their staple food. This system was only able to be built by Gotong Royong or continous team work by all of the farmers from generations to generations.
You can witness one of the subak in Tegalalang Bali Rice Terrace located in Gianyar Regency in Tegalalang street. It is about two hours drive from Ngurah Rai International Airport, far to the North Bali. You could shortened the drive to one hour and a half if you ride motorcycle. You may want to go to Tegalalang early in the morning to avoid the crowd. Try not to go in the afternoon or at lunch time because Bali is humid and hot. If you come early in the morning, huge chance there will be less people meaning you can enjoy all the place for yourself. Don’t forget to prepare for your best cameras because you must want to take an aesthetic picture with the background of the beautiful Rice Terrace.
You can walk around the rice terrace and watch the farmers work with some conventional tools and if you are lucky enough you can meet the huge karabao or buffalo plowing the rice field. Other than that, you can take pictures behind this huge sign written I LOVE BALI with paying small amount of donation to the locals. Recently, Tegalalang had built few huge swings that you can try. You will need to wear safety equipments to prevent you from falling, because it is quite terrifying if you fall. But it is an enjoyable experience. Just walk down to the rice terrace and you will see some of this giant swing. If you look up in instagram, there are a lot of instagram influencers who were trying this giant swing wearing a long gown and the video result is spectacular. Make sure to prepare some amount of money too before you try it.
If you are already tired of walking and enjoying the experience of Tegalalang, you can sit down in some of the cafe and restaurants around Tegalalang street. They will serve you amazing looking foods which will trigger your apetite. Belive me, you would want to take another picture of your food with the background of the rice terrace. If you come early in the morning, you can enjoy your breakfast and a cup of coffee with the blissful vibe from the sunrise and the fresh air. Enjoy Tegalalang!
See also 9 things to in Palawan
Salsabila Nasution