Private Tour Operator in Sidemen
Sidemen is a river valley in east Bali, about an hour from Ubud, and it is the standard answer to the question of where Bali is like Ubud was thirty years ago. The valley runs south from the flanks of Mount Agung, and on a clear morning the volcano fills the head of it. The slopes are hand-worked rice terraces broken by coconut palms and small villages, with no coach parks and no queues.
What you do in Sidemen is walk. Paths run along the irrigation channels between the paddies, and a few hours through the terraces and villages with a local guide costs very little and gets you well off the road. The valley also has a long weaving tradition in endek and the sacred double-ikat songket, and several workshops take visitors through the process.
As a base, Sidemen sits usefully between Ubud and the east coast. Besakih, Bali's mother temple on the slopes of Agung, is about 45 minutes away. Tirta Gangga and the Lempuyang gates are within an hour and a half, and Amed on the coast about the same.
The valley roads are narrow and steep in places, which is the main argument for a driver rather than a scooter if you are covering ground.
Tours we run from here
From Sidemen we run private days with a car, driver and English-speaking guide across east Bali — Besakih mother temple, Tirta Gangga water palace, the Lempuyang gates and on to Amed if you want the coast. Guided rice-field walks through the valley are arranged with local guides who live here. Transfers run to Ubud in about an hour and to the airport in roughly 90 minutes, and Sidemen works well as the quiet leg between southern Bali and the east coast.
Frequently asked questions
What is Sidemen known for?
Rice terraces under Mount Agung, traditional endek and songket weaving, walking trails, and an almost total absence of mass tourism.
How far is Sidemen from Ubud?
About an hour by road, or roughly 90 minutes from the airport.
What is there to do in Sidemen?
Guided rice-field walks, cycling, weaving workshops and river trekking, with Besakih about 45 minutes away and Tirta Gangga and Lempuyang within an hour and a half.
Do I need a driver in Sidemen?
For walking in the valley, no. For Besakih, Tirta Gangga, Lempuyang or the coast, yes — the roads are narrow and steep and ride-hailing coverage is thin.
How do I book?
Message us on WhatsApp with your dates and what you would like to see, and we will put an itinerary and a quote together.
Plan your trip
Tell us how long you have in the valley and whether you want the temples, the coast or just the walking, and we will quote a driver and guide for it. We reply on WhatsApp within a few hours, and free cancellation applies up to 72 hours before departure.