This place is really nice to hike, however if you are not going to hike, and just want to watch the terraces, it is not worth it. You have to pay immediately as you park the scooter or get dropped off, the workers there rush to you to make sure you do not see anything before you have paid. Then you walk past the hundred restaurants that want you to come in to enjoy the view from their place. It is very pretty to watch it from a restaurant, however as soon as you start walking down a little bit, the view gets worse and you only have to hike up again. If you do a tour or hike for at least half an hour the scenery gets more peaceful and less touristic, so I can definitely recommend that. To just come for the views I cannot recommend because some yards away, you can enjoy the same view for nothing. Also, research a little bit if you want to take a swing, because there are many!! All with different views etc.

One of those rare places that lives up to the hype, notwithstanding the rampant, overdevelopment right across the top of the ridge behind them which, fortunately, doesn’t spoil your view. The drive up here is deeply depressing - a narrow road crammed with brief glimpses of the terraces between endless shabby buildings clinging to every possible spot straining for a view. But, once you’ve parked, paid the fee and walked in, all is forgotten. Everywhere you look the terraces are superb, with near perfect, unobstructed views from every angle. There’s no one place to look, and there’s multiple paths and levels, so even on a busy day, you can still get that perfect shot, though you will have to queue to use the Instagram specific tourist spots If you pay extra you can take a flying fox, or even ride a bike across the valley, or be snapped on one of the many swings. You can walk down to the bottom and up the other side (but it’s not worth it as the views are all one way).

Traveling with a family of four with college kids Decided to take a day trip to Ubud from Seminyak. We booked one of the many all day private tours offered from Seminyak area. As part of the tour we stopped at the Tegalalang Rice Terrace. The stunning Tegalalang Rice Terrace, part of the Cultural Landscape of Bali Province UNESCO World Heritage Site, comprises cascading emerald-green fields worked by local rice farmers. The Tegallalang Rice Terraces in Ubud are famous for their beautiful scenes of rice paddies and their innovative irrigation system. Known as the subak, the traditional Balinese cooperative irrigation system is said to have been passed down by a revered holy man named Rsi Markandeya in the 8th century. Tegallalang forms the 3 most splendid terraced landscapes in Ubud's shared region, with the others being in the villages of Pejeng and Campuhan. The Tegallalang rice terraces alone offer a scenic outlook that spreads down before you and away to the far side of the valley. The high roadside location is cool and breezy and it’s a well-known spot for tourists to stop and take photos. Painters and nature lovers also enjoy visiting this spot, and there are numerous art kiosks and cafés near the ledge. I like the option of paying our own entrance fee (which cost $15,000 IDR/$1 USD) giving us the option of what we wanted to do at the place. I suppose the main thing that attracts tourists to come is to take instagram photos of themselves on a swing or within many of the baskets lining the ledge. There is a charge to take a photo on the famous swing on most instagram photos (which cost $150,000 IDR/$10 USD per person). Although, there are many free basket spots and "I Love Bali" spots along the ledge. You can also hike down to the terraces. Landowners may also ask for money if you want to walk across their rice terrace for photos (on the far side of the terraces). It's pretty small ($20,000 IDR/ $1.30 USD), so see it as a friendly donation to the locals to witness this stunning area. There is also zip lines and such if you desire at an additional price. I enjoyed just walking the ledge and eating at one of the small restaurants. The restaurants provide a great place to have lunch, relax and enjoy the rice terraces tranquil scenery. The restaurants also have their own free swing and "I love Bali" photo spots.