East of Ubud, the crowds thin out and the rice terraces take over. Sidemen has drawn people looking for Bali's scenery without Bali's traffic since the 1930s, and it remains one of the island's centers for traditional handwoven textiles.
Tap any photo to open it full-screen and order a print.
A valley of terraced rice paddies below Mount Agung, Sidemen is the quiet counterpoint to Ubud — fewer cafes, more farmers, and views that stop conversations mid-sentence.
Sidemen sits in a fold of eastern Bali where the land steps down in bright green tiers toward the Unda River, with Mount Agung — the island's tallest and most sacred volcano — presiding over the valley whenever the clouds allow. There's no single sight to check off; the terraces themselves are the destination, worked on foot with sickles and shoulder baskets much as they've always been, and the view changes by the hour as mist burns off and light rakes across the paddies.
A Balinese temple tower rising over the rice terraces
It's been a quiet retreat for outsiders since the 1930s, when painters like Walter Spies and Theo Meier settled here to escape Ubud's crowds, and the valley still draws people who want scenery without the traffic. Weaving is the other reason to come: Sidemen is one of Bali's centers for handwoven songket and endek textiles, and small home workshops along the lanes still run threads through wooden looms by hand, the same craft that's kept families here for generations.
April to October (dry season) gives the clearest skies for Mount Agung, which tends to hide behind clouds by midday — plan viewpoint visits for early morning. The rice terraces themselves are green year-round, though the exact shade shifts with the planting cycle.
Family-run homestays and small guesthouses built into the hillside, most with terrace or infinity-pool views over the rice paddies toward Agung. Staying in the valley itself, rather than commuting in from Ubud, is what makes the early-morning light worth the trip.
Meals here are simple and homemade: nasi campur with whatever the morning market yielded, grilled skewers over open coals, and food served on banana leaves rather than plates. Warungs are family-run and small, so portions and hours can vary.
Sidemen has no real town center — it's a valley of scattered homestays and hamlets, so pick lodging with a terrace or pool facing Agung and expect to explore on foot or by scooter rather than by wandering a walkable core.
Explore regional routes with verified local fleets, zero hidden charges, and transparent insurance on Localrent.
Get the best deals on your Sidemen flight before fares rise — Kiwi.com.
Through Sidemen, Bali, Indonesia and everywhere else on this trip, World Nomads was the travel insurance we carried the whole way.
Transit cards, local customs, visa rules, and practical travel guides for this region.
What to Eat in Indonesia: 8 Dishes and Where They Come From →
Get our new Sidemen guides and practical tips by email: where to stay, what to eat, what things cost and the rules that catch travelers out.
Free. No spam, only new guides and tips.
See every destination we've photographed:
Browse all destinationsCurious about the gear behind these photos? See the gear list.
