Bali · Approx. 3 hours
Rice Planting with Local Farmers
A cultural program that starts with water governance and ends knee-deep in a paddy field.
Duration
Approx. 3 hours
Group size
Flexible, small groups to large teams
Activity level
Active, walking and working in muddy fields
Location
Rice terraces & Subak area, Bali
About this experience
A day designed to be understood, not just visited.
The program opens with an introduction to Subak, the traditional Balinese irrigation system recognised by UNESCO as world heritage, and the cooperative decision-making that keeps it working.
Participants then go down into the muddy paddy to plant rice alongside local farmers, wearing traditional clothing.
The cultural side is included too: making Canang Sari as part of the ritual that accompanies the planting cycle in Bali.
Videos
What to expect
The day, step by step
Subak introduction
How Bali's traditional irrigation system shares water between farmers, and why it is UNESCO-listed.
Change into traditional dress
Get kitted out for field work the way local farmers do.
Plant rice together
Into the mud with local farmers to plant a paddy section by hand.
Canang Sari making
Learn to make the daily offering that accompanies the rice cycle.
Lunch & free time
Lunch together, then time to explore the rice fields.
Sustainability impact
Water, shared by agreement
Subak is one of the clearest working examples of a community managing a shared resource for centuries without a central authority. Understanding it changes how people think about sustainability.
Farm fees go directly to the farming families whose fields host the program.
Any program can be combined with a CSR or community-support component, matched to what the host village actually needs at the time of your visit.
Included & not included
What comes with your day
Included
- Local farmer hosts & English-speaking guide
- Traditional clothing loan & field equipment
- Canang Sari materials
- Lunch & drinking water
Not included
- International or domestic flights
- Travel insurance
- Personal expenses & tips
- Alcoholic beverages
Practical details
Before you go
- What to bring
- A change of clothes, sandals, and a towel. You will get muddy.
- Seasonality
- Planting depends on the local Subak cycle. We match your dates to a field that is ready.
- Accessibility
- Field work requires steady footing. Non-planting participation is welcome.
- Combinable with
- A CSR component supporting the host farming community.
- Languages
- English standard. Bahasa Indonesia and others on request.
Request to book
Tell us about your trip, we'll send a quote.
We handle every booking personally, so pricing is quoted based on group size, season and any customization. Usually one to two working days for a reply.
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