Bali Countryside Cycling Tours

The best part of this full-day outing is where the bicycles take you: quiet village roads, a 7.5-hectare bamboo forest, rice paddies, and places too narrow or uninteresting for a tour van. You begin at Tegalalang Rice Terrace, then trade the vehicle for a bike and see a more ordinary side of Bali.

I like the small-scale local encounters, including traditional bamboo craftsmen and a stop at Penglipuran Village. I also like the practical value: lunch, mineral water, a bike, helmet, raincoat in the wet season, entrance tickets, and hotel pickup are covered for $36.

The main consideration is the length. At about 10 hours and 30 minutes, this is a full day, not a quick morning ride. A maximum group of 25 is reasonable, but it may feel less personal than the private upgrade, especially if you want lots of time for questions or need a slower pace.

Key points to know before booking

• Tegalalang begins the day: You visit Bali’s famous rice terraces before reaching the cycling start point.
• The ride uses quiet countryside roads: The route favors green rural areas away from busy vehicle routes.
• Penglipuran Bamboo Forest is a major highlight: You cycle through 7.5 hectares and may see bamboo craftsmen working.
• The route includes culture as well as scenery: Penglipuran Village and the Subak water temple add context to the ride.
• Lunch comes in a rice-paddy setting: The final meal includes a young coconut drink, with vegetarian food available if requested.
• The $36 price covers a lot: Pickup, guide, equipment, food, drinks, and entrance fees make this strong value for a full day.

Why this ride offers more than a standard Ubud sightseeing loop

Ubud is easy to see from a car. You can sit behind glass, stop at a viewpoint, take a photo, and move on. This tour changes the pace. On a bicycle, you travel through smaller roads and get a closer look at the houses, crops, temples, and village life around Ubud.

The route is not presented as a hard athletic challenge. It is described as a relaxed ride through a quiet and green part of the countryside. You still need to be comfortable cycling for several hours, but the purpose is seeing rural Bali rather than racing from stop to stop.

I find that distinction important. You are not signing up for a pure bike workout, and you are not simply being driven between major attractions. The day combines a guided ride with several stops where you can hear about local customs and see how village life works.

The guides are a major part of the experience. Wayan is praised for sharing his affection for Bali and for making a family-home visit enjoyable. Ketut is described as attentive throughout the day, while Sandi is noted for his strong English and for offering different Balinese fruits and foods to try. Guide assignments can change, but these details give you a useful idea of the personal style to expect.

8:00 am pickup and the ride to Tegalalang

The day begins around 8:00 am, with pickup offered from your hotel in the Ubud area. The first transfer is by air-conditioned van, a welcome start before you get on the bike.

Your first sightseeing stop is Tegalalang Rice Terrace. The terraces sit in a river gorge north of Tegallalang village, and the emerald fields are among the most familiar views near Ubud. You have about 35 minutes here, with admission included.

This is a short stop, so think of it as an introduction rather than an extended walk through the terraces. You can take in the layered fields and get your first taste of Bali’s farming culture before the cycling portion begins. If you want a long, unhurried terrace visit, this schedule may feel brief.

Afterward, the van takes you toward Undisan, a quiet countryside area selected as the bike starting point. The transfer matters because you avoid spending the first part of the ride on busy roads. At the starting point, you receive the bicycle and helmet, and a raincoat is available during the rainy season.

Breakfast in Undisan and getting comfortable on the bike

Breakfast is part of the early schedule before the ride continues. It gives you a chance to eat before cycling and to meet the guide and fellow riders.

The cycling begins in a rural setting rather than in central Ubud. That is a smart choice. The first stretch is meant to get you comfortable with the bike and the pace while giving you a view of village surroundings instead of traffic.

The available information does not give exact distances, road surfaces, or a detailed list of hills. For that reason, I would not book this expecting a completely flat ride. The route includes several kilometers of cycling and later requires a walk down to a temple, so comfortable shoes are sensible.

You should also allow for Bali’s heat and humidity. Even a relaxed ride can feel demanding in warm weather. Mineral water is provided at every stop, but you should still treat the day as an active outing and dress for cycling rather than for a formal temple visit.

Cycling through the Penglipuran Bamboo Forest

The ride’s most distinctive stretch runs through the Penglipuran Bamboo Forest. The forest covers about 7.5 hectares, and cycling beneath the bamboo gives the day a strong sense of place that you will not get from a standard road tour.

The route also includes a chance to see Balinese bamboo craftsmen working inside the forest. That detail gives the stop more substance. You are not only looking at trees for a few minutes, but seeing how a local material is used by people in the area.

The stop lasts about 30 minutes, including admission. That is enough for a look around and some photographs, but not an extensive craft workshop. If you are especially interested in bamboo work, ask your guide questions while you are there. Guides such as Wayan and Sandi have been praised for explaining local customs and food, and the guide is your best source for added context.

A forest route can also be one of the more comfortable parts of the day because it offers shade. Still, cycling conditions can change in wet weather, and the supplied raincoat is a useful inclusion during Bali’s rainy season.

Penglipuran Village and its traditional layout

After the bamboo forest, the tour visits Penglipuran Village for roughly 45 minutes. This is described as a traditional village with its own culture and way of life, and it is one of the most important cultural stops on the route.

The value here is not simply the appearance of the village. You get a chance to see a community setting rather than a single monument. The guide can help explain what you are looking at and connect the buildings and layout to Balinese daily life.

Admission to the village is not included, so keep a little extra cash available. The amount is not stated, and I would not assume that every fee is covered simply because other entrances are included.

Forty-five minutes gives you enough time for a useful visit, though the schedule is still fairly tight. Be respectful around homes and local activity. This is a living village, not a film set, and the best approach is to look carefully, listen, and let the guide handle introductions.

Pura Taman Narmada Bali Raja and the Subak water system

After several kilometers on the bike, the route reaches Pura Taman Narmada Bali Raja, a Subak water temple surrounded by rice paddies and a small lake. You spend about 30 minutes here, and admission is included.

This stop helps explain why Bali’s rice fields are more than attractive scenery. The Subak system links farming, water management, and temple life. Even without a long lecture, seeing a water temple beside cultivated fields gives you a clearer sense of how the countryside functions.

Reaching the temple involves walking down a couple of steps or a short descent, according to the supplied description. This is not a major hike, but it is another reason to wear secure footwear.

Temple visits also call for respectful clothing and behavior. The tour information does not specify a dress code or provide sarongs, so you should ask the operator if you have concerns about what to wear. A light layer that covers your shoulders and knees is a practical choice for a cultural stop.

Lunch beside the rice paddies

When the riding session ends, you eat at an authentic Balinese-style restaurant in the middle of rice paddies. Lunch lasts about an hour and includes a young coconut drink or fresh nutritious beverage, according to the tour description.

This is one of the tour’s strongest practical features. A meal after several hours of cycling is not a minor perk. It means you do not need to plan a separate lunch stop, and the setting keeps the final part of the day tied to the countryside rather than sending you straight back to a busy town.

Vegetarian food is available, but you need to request it when booking. Alcohol is not included, though it can be purchased. Mineral water is supplied at every stop, which is helpful in Bali’s warm climate.

The food is also part of the cultural side of the outing. Sandi, one of the guides associated with this experience, is noted for sharing Balinese fruits and foods during the day. You may find that these small tastings become as memorable as the formal stops.

What the $36 price really includes

At $36, this is strong value if you want a full day rather than a short cycling session. The package includes hotel pickup, an English-speaking professional cycling guide, bicycle, helmet, raincoat during the rainy season, lunch, mineral water at every stop, and entrance tickets where specified.

The inclusions remove several common costs. You do not need to arrange a separate transfer to the countryside, rent a bike independently, find a guide, or search for lunch after the ride.

The price does not cover alcohol, a DVD, or admission to Penglipuran Village. Those exclusions are modest, but the village entry charge is worth remembering. The private option costs more, though no private price is provided. I would consider it if you value personal attention, have a mixed-ability group, or want more flexibility with stops.

The standard group can contain up to 25 people. That is not a tiny cycling party, but the countryside route and guide-led format should make it manageable. If you prefer frequent questions, quiet conversation, or a pace set only by your own group, the private upgrade makes more sense.

Who should book this Ubud cycling tour?

I would recommend this tour to you if you want to combine scenery, light activity, food, and local culture in one day. It suits people who enjoy moving through an area slowly and who would rather see village roads than spend the whole day in a vehicle.

It is also a good match for first-time visitors who want an organized introduction to several parts of Bali. The tour handles transportation, equipment, meals, and the guide, while still giving you time outside the van.

Families and mixed-age groups should think about cycling comfort before booking. The information says most people can participate, but it does not provide minimum ages, bike sizes, or details about the route’s hills. If those points matter to you, ask before paying.

I would be more cautious if you dislike long organized days or want to spend hours at each attraction. The itinerary moves through six main stops, and some visits last only 30 to 45 minutes. You get variety, but not much time for lingering.

Booking details and cancellation terms

Pickup is offered, and the stated start time is 8:00 am in Ubud, Gianyar Regency. Confirmation normally arrives at booking, although reservations made within three days of travel may take up to 48 hours and remain subject to availability.

You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the start time. Cancellations or changes made within 24 hours are not accepted for a refund, and the cut-off follows local Bali time.

At booking, request the vegetarian option if needed. You should also mention any important cycling concerns, since the published information confirms that most people can participate but does not give detailed physical or equipment specifications.

Should you book Bali Countryside Cycling Tours?

Book it if you want a good-value full-day route that gets beyond Ubud’s main streets. The bamboo forest, Penglipuran Village, Subak temple, and rice-paddy lunch give the outing more range than a simple scenic bike ride.

The strongest reason to choose it is the combination of transport and local contact. Guides such as Wayan, Ketut, and Sandi have been praised for care, English skills, stories, and food sharing. The main reason to hesitate is the long schedule and the possibility that a group of up to 25 will feel less personal.

For most reasonably active visitors, the $36 price makes sense. Choose the private option if close guide attention matters more to you than keeping the cost low.

FAQ

What time does the tour start?

The stated start time is 8:00 am.

Where does the tour begin?

The meeting location is Ubud, in Gianyar Regency, Bali, Indonesia. Hotel pickup is offered.

How long does the cycling tour last?

The full experience lasts approximately 10 hours and 30 minutes.

Is breakfast included?

The schedule includes breakfast before the cycling portion begins.

Is lunch included?

Yes. Lunch is served at a Balinese-style restaurant among rice paddies, with a young coconut drink or fresh nutritious drink.

Is a vegetarian meal available?

Yes. You need to request the vegetarian option when booking.

What equipment is provided?

The tour provides a bicycle, helmet, and raincoat during the rainy season.

Are entrance tickets included?

Entrance tickets are included for the listed included attractions. Admission to Penglipuran Village is specifically not included.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel at least 24 hours before the experience starts for a full refund. Changes or cancellations made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted for a refund.