The Juwuk Manis rice fields are quite unassuming compared to other rice fields in Bali. It doesn’t have the splendour of Jatiluwih, but it’s a quiet retreat in the heart of Ubud. Walking through these rice fields makes you feel like you’re in a rural village and forget that downtown Bali is less than a five-minute drive away.
Hiking Directions
Walk to the Rice Fields
We started on the east side of the walk, on Jalan Kajeng. The road was paved with cobblestones and blocks with random words on them. Shortly after the 11 on Kajeng hotel, the road curves around a temple complex. There is a sign marking the start of the walk on a post. Do note that there are no public toilets on the Juwuk Manis Rice Field Walk, so make sure to go beforehand.
You’ll pass by a tourist shop selling carved masks, the last semblance of civilization. It’s about another five-minute walk to some proper rice fields. Once in the rice fields, there will still be a lot of buildings, like restaurants, art shops and hotels, on the path.
Juwuk Manis Rice Fields
After about a twenty-minute walk, you’ll arrive at an ornate stone sign. There is a walkway that goes off to the right, but this only leads to the hotel you can see in the distance. Take the path that is directly next to the sign.
The trail transitions into a dirt path. Most hikers turn around and go back the way they came at this point. We kept going since we initially planned to walk to the Pyramids of Chi so we could see what they were and make fun of them. The trail we took goes into the jungle and becomes much less pretty. We ended up abandoning the Pyramids of Chi idea and walked back to the main road (Jalan Raya Ubud), so if you want to get back to town without doing any backtracking, follow the guide below.
The path follows close to the edge of the river for a while. There will be a concrete bridge over the water but walk past it to go deeper into the jungle. The trail was very muddy as we got closer to the back side of a hotel. It was a weird building that had open showers facing the footpath.
Eventually, there is a short bridge over the water. Turn left once you’re over the bridge to start heading back to town. Within a minute, you’ll get to a fork in the path. Take the trail that goes up the stairs to get back onto a much more civilised course that walks along the rice fields.
Sunset Cafe
There is a nice cafe along the way overlooking the rice fields called the Sunset Cafe. The view is great and they have a decent toilet, so it’s an ideal rest stop. Further on, you’ll pass by a nicely landscaped resort and the Joglo Organik restaurant.
Way Out to Jalan Raya Ubud
Walk past the sign for the Buddha Home, and you’ll come upon Warung Deuma with its amusing collection of carved coconut heads. The path will turn right past the Ubud Yoga House. There will be a lot of cafes and guesthouses flanking the road, not to mention passing motorbikes you’ll constantly have to avoid.
The road slopes downwards between two walls. At the end of it, you’ll arrive at the driveway for some warungs, spas and shops. This road goes directly out onto Jalan Raya Ubud where you can head to your next destination for the day.
Saturday Worthy?
The Juwuk Manis Rice Field Walk took us about two hours, including an hour-long coffee break at Sunset Cafe. The walk wasn’t strenuous and was a pleasant way to spend our morning. The start of the walk is close to central Ubud and easy to get to, so it’s very convenient to do it without much planning. The Juwuk Manis Rice Field Walk is much easier and less crowded than the Campuhan Ridge Walk. Especially on the Jalan Kajeng side, the only people we saw were rice field workers. If you have yet to see a rice field, the Juwuk Manis Rice Field Walk is a good introduction to them.
