# Sidemen Valley, Bali > Sidemen is a rural valley of rice terraces in east Bali, 30 km from Ubud, under Mount Agung. It's Bali as it was before the tourism boom: field walks without swings or crowds, weaving villages and cool mornings. The valley itself is free. Half a day is enough for a walk, but it's best to stay overnight. Web page: https://yesgo.io/indonesia/bali/sidemen - City: [Bali](https://yesgo.io/indonesia/bali), Indonesia - YesGo score: 24/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 3 h - Opening hours: Open any time; early morning is best - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free; small donations sometimes asked on certain trails - Things to do: Rice field walks, weaving, Agung views - Guide: Handy for longer trails — ask at your guesthouse - Weather: Cooler than the coast; best season April–October - Location: Karangasem; ≈ 31 km from Ubud, ≈ 49 km from Kuta - Coordinates: -8.48437, 115.44481 - Facts checked: 10.11.2026 ## Key facts - **Songket** — cloth woven with gold and silver thread — Sidemen's signature craft (source: travel guides) - **Endek** — Balinese ikat, the valley's other weaving tradition (source: travel guides) - **Mount Agung** — the sacred volcano rises right above the valley (source: travel guides) - **≈ 31 km** — to Ubud (source: OSRM route) - **≈ 20 km** — to Besakih Temple (source: OSRM route) - **≈ 15 km** — to Goa Lawah Temple (source: OSRM route) ## Things to do in Sidemen - **A rice field walk** — public paths start at the edge of the village; longer routes are easier with a guide. - **Songket and endek weaving** — workshops where you can watch the looms and buy cloth; a single sarong can take months. - **Mount Agung views** — best in the early morning, before the clouds. - **The village market** — Balinese food at local prices. - **Climbing Mount Agung** — Sidemen is one of the closest bases. - **A cooking class** at a guesthouse — a valley favourite. ## About Sidemen **Sidemen** is a village and valley in Karangasem Regency, east Bali. Its slopes are covered in **rice terraces** with a river running through, and **Mount Agung** towers over everything. There are hardly any big hotels or bars — just guesthouses, villas with views, fields, village temples and a market. It's often called 'Ubud 30 years ago'. People come to walk the fields without queuing for swings, watch weavers at work and see sunrise over Agung. For many travellers it's the most peaceful place on the island. ## Songket and endek weaving Sidemen is known for its weaving. **Songket** is a ceremonial cloth with gold and silver threads woven in; **endek** is Balinese ikat, with the threads dyed into a pattern before weaving. Workshops in the village let you see the wooden looms and the weavers at work. Handwoven cloth isn't cheap, but it's an honest price for months of labour. If you want a souvenir actually made on Bali rather than shipped from a factory, this is it. Ask whether a piece is handwoven before you buy — machine-made cloth is sold alongside. > **Stay the night** Sidemen is at its best in the morning: mist over the fields, farmers heading out, Agung still clear of cloud. A half-day trip from Ubud or Sanur catches it at its hottest and cloudiest. Guesthouses overlooking the paddies are inexpensive — a night or two here gives you more than any tour. ## How to get to Sidemen 1. **From Ubud** — about 31 km east, around an hour. 2. **From Sanur** — about 38 km; **from Kuta or Seminyak** — about 49 km, 1.5–2 hours. 3. **From Ngurah Rai Airport (DPS)** — about 53 km. 4. No public transport: hired car, taxi, Grab, Gojek or scooter; the valley roads are narrow and hilly. 5. From Sidemen it's about 20 km to Besakih and 15 km to Goa Lawah. ## When to visit Sidemen The best season is the **dry season, April to October**, with clear mornings and Agung on show. In the wet season the fields are greenest, but the volcano hides more often and the trails get slippery. Sidemen fits naturally into an east Bali itinerary: Besakih, Goa Lawah, Tirta Gangga and Amed are all within an hour. Night climbs of Agung also start from here. ## Is Sidemen worth visiting? Yes, if you're tired of the crowds in Ubud and Kuta and want rural Bali: fields, the volcano, weavers and silence. It's the best base for exploring the east. YesGo's take: there are no 'sights' in the usual sense — no headline temples, beaches or nightlife. If you're on Bali for shopping and parties, Sidemen may feel dull. Its point is slow travel. ## East Bali in a day Besakih in the morning, the Sidemen Valley rice fields at midday, and Goa Lawah on the way back. Add it to your trip — YesGo will set the timings and transfers. 1. [Besakih Temple](https://yesgo.io/indonesia/bali/besakih) — YesGo score 22/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · IDR 150,000 2. [Sidemen Valley](https://yesgo.io/indonesia/bali/sidemen) — YesGo score 24/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · free 3. [Goa Lawah Temple](https://yesgo.io/indonesia/bali/goa-lawah) — YesGo score 24/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · ≈ IDR 30,000 ## Tips - Stay at least one night — mornings here are the highlight. - Walk the fields between 6 and 9 am, before the heat. - Buy songket or endek from the weavers — a genuinely local souvenir. - It's the most convenient base for climbing Agung. - [Besakih Temple](https://yesgo.io/indonesia/bali/besakih) is about 20 km away. ## Questions ### Where is Sidemen? In Karangasem Regency, east Bali, about 31 km east of Ubud. ### What is there to do in Sidemen? Rice field walks, Mount Agung views, songket and endek weaving workshops and the village market. ### Is there an entrance fee for Sidemen? No, the valley is open; small donations are sometimes asked on certain trails. ### How do I get to Sidemen from Ubud? About 31 km by car, taxi or scooter — around an hour. ### Should I stay overnight in Sidemen? Yes — early morning is the best time in the valley. ### Sidemen or Ubud? Sidemen is quieter and less developed: fields without attractions, few tourists, Agung views. ### When is the best time to visit Sidemen? The dry season, April to October, when Agung is more often clear. ### Can I climb Mount Agung from Sidemen? Yes, guesthouses can arrange a guide; it's one of the closest bases. ## How we checked The valley description, songket and endek weaving, field trails, Agung views and seasons come from travel guides (there's no Wikipedia article on the valley itself). No prices are given: entry to the valley is free, with trail donations mentioned in guides. Distances are OSRM routes without traffic from Ubud (31 km), Sanur (38 km), Kuta (49 km) and the airport (53 km), and to Besakih (20 km) and Goa Lawah (15 km). ## Sources - saltinourhair.com, baliholidaysecrets.com, thehoneycombers.com, Frommer's — weaving, trails, Agung views, seasons (unofficial) - Wikidata Q4201397 — coordinates; OSRM routing — distances --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.