Sidemen
Sidemen is a river valley in east Bali, about an hour from Ubud, and it is the standard answer to the question "where is Bali 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 terraced rice, worked by hand, interspersed with coconut palms and small villages. There are no coach parks, no swings, and no queue at the viewpoint — largely because there is no viewpoint, just roads and tracks that happen to run through it.
What you do here is walk. Paths run along the irrigation channels between the paddies, and guesthouses arrange guided walks for a few hours at low cost. It is also good cycling country, downhill on the way out at least.
Sidemen has a long weaving tradition, particularly in endek and the sacred double-ikat *songket*, and several workshops in the valley take visitors through the process.
Accommodation has grown — there are now some genuinely beautiful small hotels perched on the valley sides with infinity pools looking at Agung — but the valley has absorbed them without changing character much.
It is an hour from Ubud, 90 minutes from the airport, and it works best as a two- or three-night stop between the south and the east coast.
Travel tips for Sidemen
- Come for the walking. Guesthouses arrange guided rice-field walks for a few hours at very low cost.
- Mount Agung is clearest early. Cloud builds over the volcano by late morning most days.
- Visit a weaving workshop — Sidemen is known for endek and songket, and several studios welcome visitors.
- It is a stop, not a base for the whole island — an hour from Ubud, 90 minutes from the airport.
- Roads in the valley are narrow and steep. A scooter is fine if you are confident; otherwise take a driver.
- Evenings are cool and quiet. There is essentially no nightlife and few restaurants outside the hotels.
Popular tours here
- East Bali Day Tour: Temples & Water Palaces
- Bali Private Day Tour with Driver & Guide
Frequently asked questions
What is Sidemen known for?
Rice terraces under Mount Agung, traditional weaving, walking trails and a near-total absence of mass tourism.
Is Sidemen better than Ubud?
It is far quieter and greener but has almost no restaurants, shops or nightlife — many visitors do both, using Ubud for culture and Sidemen for calm.
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, plus simply looking at Mount Agung from a valley-side terrace.
How long should you stay in Sidemen?
Two or three nights works well as a break between south Bali and the east coast.