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Tabanan
UNESCO rice terraces & hidden temples (Central Bali)
About Tabanan
Tabanan is Bali's rice bowl, home to the UNESCO-listed Jatiluwih rice terraces and the spectacular Tanah Lot sea temple. Less touristy than other areas, it offers an authentic glimpse of rural Balinese life among the most beautiful landscapes on the island.
Best for: Culture seekers & eco-travelers
- Jatiluwih terraces
- Tanah Lot temple
- Rural Bali
- Eco-tourism
Tabanan at a glance
- Beach: Fair (2/5). Wild black-sand beaches (Kedungu, Balian, Pasut) with big surf; rarely safe for swimming.
- Nightlife: None (0/5). Almost none.
- Prices: $$ · Moderate. Low everyday prices, with a few very high-end resorts on the coast.
- To the airport: 30 km · 50–75 min. By road to Bali airport (DPS), in usual traffic.
- Climate: Warm & humid · 150 m
Ratings
- Calm-water swimming: Poor (1/5)
- Surfing: Good (3/5)
- Diving & snorkeling: None (0/5)
- Sunsets: Excellent (5/5)
- Restaurants & cafés: Fair (2/5)
- Culture & temples: Very good (4/5)
- Nature & landscapes: Excellent (5/5)
- Yoga & wellness: Good (3/5)
- Family-friendly: Good (3/5)
- Peace & quiet: Excellent (5/5)
- Remote work: Poor (1/5)
- Walkability: None (0/5)
Rated from 0 (none) to 5 (excellent), compared with Bali's other areas.
Resorts in Tabanan
- Nadi Nature Resort: Tabanan, from about $200 a night
- WakaGangga: Tabanan, from about $150 a night
- Soori Bali: Tabanan, from about $730 a night
- Nirjhara: Tabanan, from about $1,100 a night
- Ulaman Eco Luxury Resort: Tabanan, from about $540 a night
Sights in Tabanan
- Tanah Lot (temple). Pura Tanah Lot sits on a rock islet off the Tabanan coast and is linked to the 16th-century priest Dang Hyang Nirartha. When the tide is out, visitors can cross the reef to a freshwater spring at the foot of the rock and receive a blessing, but only worshippers climb to the shrines. The clifftops fill up in the late afternoon with people waiting for the sunset.
- Jatiluwih Rice Terraces (rice terraces). Terraced paddies cover the slopes below Mount Batukaru at around 700 meters, part of the subak landscape that UNESCO listed as World Heritage in 2012. Marked trails of several lengths run between the fields and irrigation channels, and the air is cooler than on the coast. The drive from Canggu or Ubud takes about an hour and a half, and mornings are usually the clearest.
- Taman Ayun Temple (temple). Pura Taman Ayun was built in 1634 as the royal temple of the Mengwi kingdom, and its courtyards are surrounded by a wide moat. A row of tiered meru shrines with black thatched roofs stands in the inner sanctuary, which is closed to visitors but can be seen over its low wall. The temple is part of Bali's UNESCO-listed subak landscape and lies on the road between Canggu and Jatiluwih.
- Alas Kedaton (wildlife). Alas Kedaton is a small sacred forest among rice fields near Marga, home to a troop of long-tailed macaques and to large fruit bats that hang from the treetops. At its center stands Pura Alas Kedaton, whose inner courtyard lies lower than the outer one, the reverse of most Balinese temples. It is quieter than Ubud's monkey forest and is often visited on the way to Taman Ayun or Tanah Lot.
- Batukaru Temple (temple). Pura Luhur Batukaru stands in damp forest on the southern slope of Mount Batukaru, Bali's second-highest peak, and is one of the island's great directional temples, guarding the west. Its tiered shrines and mossy courtyards draw more pilgrims than tour groups. Sarongs and sashes are required, and the Jatiluwih rice terraces are a short drive to the east.
Beaches in Tabanan
- Balian Beach (beach). Balian is a black-sand beach on Bali's west coast in Tabanan, running from a rocky headland to the mouth of the Balian River, with guesthouses and cafes on the bluff above. Surfers come for the river-mouth break, which runs left and right over a rocky bottom; others come for yoga and the sunset. Strong currents make it a poor place to swim, and it is safest to stay out of the water when the river turns the sea brown after heavy rain.
- Soka Beach (beach). Soka Beach is a quiet black-sand beach in Antap village on Bali's southwest coast, just off the main road between Denpasar and Gilimanuk, where travelers often stop. At its western end a river meets the Indian Ocean beside a small rocky islet, and Pura Luhur Srijong temple, with a bat cave beneath it, stands on the rocky point across the river mouth. Big rocks flank the sand, people come for the sunset, and local fishermen work this coast.