Rice plantations in Bali. Rice terraces in Bali

Beautiful, strong animals that combine the best qualities of wild and domestic cats. Mostly they were bred artificially - through genetic engineering or artificial selection. However, cat breeds similar to a leopard have impeccable health, high life expectancy. This is a huge variety of fully domestic and semi-wild cats, large and medium sizes, long-haired and short-haired. The most popular cats that look like leopards include the following breeds:

At the same time, the Arabian Mau has a double appearance: despite the characteristic “leopard spots”, the animal still looks more like a snow leopard. Recall that cats, outwardly similar to a leopard, were bred artificially. So the savannah is the result of crossing a wild serval and a domestic cat. This is a large, beautiful and graceful animal, which at one time became the center of a big scandal. At the end of the last century, the United States announced the development of a new, incredibly similar to a leopard and, of course, insanely expensive cat breed - Ashera. However, the result of a DNA test showed that Ashera is none other than a cross between a savannah and a domestic cat. This is a fictional breed, talking about which does not make sense.

Interestingly, the Bengal cat was bred in a manner similar to the method of breeding the Savannah breed. Breeding was made possible by crossing a wild Bengal cat with a domestic cat. The result is an incredibly beautiful animal that is gaining incredible popularity in Russia, despite the high cost of kittens. Note: high price Bengal kittens automatically generates a huge number of scammers in the market. Buying a kitten without documents can immediately be equated to a waste of money: the characteristic appearance may turn out to be an accident, the physical qualities of a cat, its health and behavior may not differ in any way from the characteristics of an ordinary yard cat.

We also note that servals and ocelots are often referred to as cats that look like leopards. They are rightfully attributed, but there is only one BUT: these are wild predators that cannot be fully contained at home. Firstly, because they are large and have pronounced predatory instincts. Secondly, because these animals often show aggression towards humans and other pets. Thirdly, because in any case, a wild cat still remains wild and feels comfortable in a city apartment or country house she won't.

Accordingly, the offer to buy an ocelot or serval kitten is on the verge of fantasy - you can have anyone at home, even a lion or an elephant. But will you be able to cope with this animal, will it be comfortable living with you? Most likely no. Look out for registered leopard-like cat breeds, especially if you are a breeder. These animals are always relevant and incredibly popular in Russia. Yes, they require special care. Yes, they are difficult to reproduce, and paperwork often takes a lot of time. However, the purity of the breed, the bright, specific features of the animal are always worth the effort spent on breeding it. Also pay attention to the most common "leopard" breeds in Russia - this is a Bengal cat and a savannah. But canaani and serengeti on this moment have not received proper distribution, despite their wide relevance among domestic breeders.

Each pet requires careful care and attention, the necessary living conditions, depending on the characteristics of the breed. Responsible breeders always study the uniqueness of a pet in order to ensure a favorable existence in the house.

There are many different breeds of cats, from hairless Sphynxes to fluffy Siberians, energetic Siamese and lazy Persians. For each, you need to choose a special approach, take into account their individual habits, signs inherent in the variety.

Only then will you find a common language with the pet, and thereby create a comfortable coexistence for both of you.

People are interested in unusual pets. Now miniature copies of big cats - leopards - are popular. A beautiful spotted color and a slight grace of domestic purring are inherent in several breeds at once.

posh appearance really inherited from wild ancestors: small leopards appeared when outbred cats were crossed with their large relatives.

Breed Savannah

To breed Asher, breeders have for a long time crossed leopards, servals and outbred cats.

Long-legged beauties are valued for many qualities:

Wild, predatory appearance;
Compliant good-natured character;
Unpretentiousness in food;
Gets along easily with younger family members;
He behaves mostly like a normal cat.

Bengal cats are a cross between a domestic cat and a leopard. This explains the unusually beautiful color with large black or dark brown spots. However, only outwardly bengals look like wild ones (see full).

special attention the island deserves rice terraces, thanks to which you can see how rice grows. Stepped rice fields amaze with their beauty; it is pleasant to walk here. There are rice fields in the outback of Bali. In this article I will talk about the most popular of them. Getting to know them will leave you only pleasant impressions.

This is the most famous and recognizable place in Bali, and it is he who is visited by most of the tourists. The terraces got their name in honor of the province of Tegallalang, located a 20-minute drive from the city of Ubud. Due to the fact that the fields are high enough and at the same time not far from the road, a light breeze always blows here. Not only tourists come here, but also nature lovers and even artists. The terraces are famous for their stunning scenery, and photos taken in front of them cannot be compared to any other similar place.

A winding path runs between the terraces, you can walk along it and see how rice is grown with close range.

There is a version that the terraces of Tegallalang were founded in the 9th century. Today it is an important tourist site that boasts a good developed infrastructure. Nearby there are numerous cafes and restaurants, souvenir shops and even art shops. Formally, visiting the terraces is free, but there are several services that you have to pay for. For example, parking, photos, and fees are charged before entering certain fields. Tegallalang is open for visiting throughout the daylight hours.

Near Tegallalang is the small village of Pakudui, where real craftsmen and artisans live. Skillful wooden sculptures are made here, and carving skills have been passed down from generation to generation for many years.

Jatiluwih Rice Terrace

These are another famous terraces on the island, located on the slope of Mount Batukaru, near the town of Tabanan. There are fields at an altitude of about 700 meters. Tabanan is practically the center of Bali, which is much more favorable for growing rice than southern regions islands.

The area of the terraces is 303 hectares, they are artificially created steps. Rice is grown by hand here, the crop is harvested every 3-6 months (depending on the variety). From 1 hectare you can get about 4 tons of culture. On the terraces, both white and black and red varieties of rice are grown. Peasants look after the fields, buffaloes help in processing the fields.

The infrastructure here is well developed, there are catering points, souvenir shops, and parking lots. Often religious ceremonies are held in the vicinity of Jatiluwi, the purpose of which is to appeal to the gods for a good harvest.

The terraces are open to the public from 8 am to 5 pm. Price entrance ticket 30 thousand rupees.

Rendang Rice Terrace

The terraces occupy a fairly large area, they are located near Mount Agung, next to the Besakih temple complex. The peculiarity of this place is that the terraces here are closely intertwined with the fields. On all sides the area is surrounded by jungle. The river Unda flows through the entire territory of the terraces. From the top of Rendang Rice Terrace you can enjoy stunning views of the area. It will take at least 6 hours to bypass the entire territory. You can visit the terraces at any convenient time, as they are open around the clock. The entrance is free.

Kekeran Busung Biu Rice Terrace

Terraces can be found in the northern part of the island, near the village of Munduk. This place is far from popular tourist sites, so it is not in great demand among travelers. The most convenient way to visit here is during a trip to northern lakes or Lovina. The terraces are located on the hills, among which the river flows. In addition to rice, spices and fruits are grown here. Visiting the area is free, but you can always purchase locally produced goods from the population. Terraces are available at any time of the day.

Rice Terraces of Ubud

Around the city of Ubud there are a large number of terraces. They smoothly descend into the valley of the Ayung River, thereby forming the most beautiful landscapes. Prestigious hotels are located near many terraces, allowing you to enjoy stunning views from the rooms. The most famous terraces are located near the villages of Sayan, Payangan, Penestanan, Pengosekan.

How is rice grown?

The external features of rice fields directly depend on the crop growing cycle. Modern varieties need 110 days to fully ripen, this allows you to harvest 2-3 times during the year. Traditional Balinese rice varieties need 210 days to ripen, which is how long a year lasts on the island. If you look at the local calendar, you can see that the main part national holidays associated with rice cultivation. This culture is considered the main one in the diet of the Balinese.

There are several varieties of rice, depending on the stage of processing:

Padi is a crop that has already been harvested, but at the same time, the stems and grains have not yet been threshed and processed.
Gabach - the grains are already separated from the stems, but they have not yet been processed.
Beras - grains processed and ready to eat. When buying rice in a store, you can pay attention to the fact that this word will be indicated on the packs.

The following varieties of rice are traditional for Bali:

Barak (also called red) is a sacred culture, this variety is considered the most expensive. Used during religious ceremonies. The grains are pink.
Injin - the grains have a dark purple hue, but they are often called black. Grown in small quantities. Rice has found use in desserts and various fillings.
Ketan (white rice) is the most common and is what the locals eat. Turmeric gives it a yellow tint, after which it is used for religious ceremonies.

The process of growing rice itself consists of several stages. Initially, grains are planted on small plots of land in order to obtain seedlings. At this time, the fields are being prepared, and buffaloes are still used for plowing. When the seedlings grow up to 15 centimeters, they begin to be transferred to the terraces flooded with water. All work is done by hand, most often women are engaged in planting sprouts. Experienced farmers can plant about 20 m 2 in a quarter of an hour.

After all the seedlings are in the fields, water is directed to the terraces, it is distributed evenly among all farmers. Fields with young rice, flooded with water, look the most beautiful, as they look like large mirrors in which you can see the reflection of the sky. Rice grows quite quickly, just a few days after planting the terraces acquire a beautiful emerald hue. Before you start harvesting, rice should become golden in color.

On the terraces, rice is harvested by hand, the technique can only be used in the fields. After the ears are cut, they are dried and threshed. From the outer shells, the grains are cleaned using special equipment, although earlier the whole process was done manually.

After the crop is harvested, ducks are launched into the fields. They collect leftover grains and small insects. And due to their litter, they partially fertilize the land.

A few rules to be aware of before visiting the terraces:

Rice terraces look different depending on the season. If you want to see young sprouts in the fields flooded with water, then you need to go on a trip in late January or early February.
Best time to visit - early morning or late evening. In the mornings, the number of visitors is minimal, plus there is a slight coolness to everything. In the evening, you can enjoy the sunsets, which are especially beautiful in these places.
Wear comfortable shoes, as you will have to walk on dirt paths.
You will be in a place with a lot of water, do not forget that this is an excellent environment for mosquitoes and their larvae. Take care of special means to avoid bites.
Only the terraces most visited by tourists are paid. There are enough rice terraces in Bali, which you can visit for free.
If you decide to take a photo with a farmer, it's best to ask him about it. Most of the farmers pose willingly, but there are times when they ask for money for a photo. In any case, respect the Balinese and their privacy.
Cafes operate near the most famous terraces. Staying in one of them, you can not only enjoy delicious cuisine, but also admire the beautiful landscapes.
Hotels operate near some terraces, so it will not be difficult to rent a room with a picturesque view from the window.

Rice terraces on the map

On this map, I have marked all the described rice terraces of Bali.

There are more than enough rice terraces in Bali. Each of them has its own characteristics. It is not necessary to pay money to get acquainted with this natural attraction. Traveling around the island, you can find lesser known fields, the entrance to which is open to everyone and completely free.

“I want to spend this morning away from hot stones, let's better go see the rice terraces,” I said to Pasha, who was just looking for where to stick our moped in the parking lot near Royal Palace Ubud. Of course, I really like the local architecture and stunning Balinese courtyards, when looking at which it is not always clear what is in front of you: a temple or a house, but today I wanted exactly green, fresh, pastoral. Pasha tried to be indignant at my female frivolity, but a few minutes later we were already rushing into the unknown.

We had no idea where to look for these terraces, we only knew that somewhere north of Ubud. So we left the city and endless restaurants, supermarkets and souvenir shops were replaced by shops of artists and artisans, so we drove through a rice field with peasants in straw hats. “Somewhere here, probably,” Pasha suggested, “we will look,” and he pulled the gas handle towards himself. But before we had time to accelerate, a whistle rang out. We stood on the side of the road and a Balinese man in a sarong and a badge on a motley shirt approached us. “Where are you going to see the fields? Then pay, 10,000 rupees for two." Pasha took out a crumpled almost decayed banknote from his pocket and handed it to the man. “Park over there,” said the Balinese, and slowly went back to checkpoint(Of course, this Balinese feature touches you to take an entrance fee from scratch, thanks also for allowing you to go to the beach without a ticket).

1. Ubud Rice Terraces

2. View of Tegallalang from the observation deck.

The Tegallalang Rice Terraces are carved into the gorge formed by the river. These fields are considered . The emerald slopes of the gorge, cut by terraces forming intricate patterns, go down to the water. Unfortunately, the clouds came in and the photos turned out a bit gloomy.

A path has been laid along the terraces, along which anyone can walk, but many prefer to simply dine in one of the many gazebo restaurants, sitting comfortably on pillows at low tables. We decided to take a walk, despite the fact that the smell of food made us salivate.

3. Cute cafes overlooking the fields.

If you, like us, want to take a walk, put on some comfortable shoes, I slipped out of my sandals all the time, risking flying off the hill. We were overtaken by a local woman, taught by experience, with a bucket of fruit on her head and slates in her hand - better barefoot than in unreliable shoes.

4. That's what experience means.

According to some sources, the first rice terraces appeared here about two thousand years ago. Generation after generation completed and expanded them. Rice among the Balinese (as, indeed, among the Thais) is the main food. The word "rice" is synonymous with the word "food" for them. Previously, only one crop was harvested per year, now, thanks to the use of fertilizers, it is possible to harvest as many as three crops. Even the fertile volcanic soil cannot withstand such exploitation, and the Indonesian government recommends that the Balinese reduce the pressure on the land and grow spices instead of rice.

We quickly descended to the bottom of the gorge and crossed to the other side along a flimsy and slippery bamboo bridge. Somewhere below, a torrent roared underfoot. From here, the rice terraces are somewhat reminiscent of the pyramids of Mesoamerica.

6. At the foot of the "pyramid".

7. Here is such a rice.

Quite quickly we climbed to the very top, not forgetting to stop and enjoy the beautiful views of the emerald fields. Almost at the very top, a little man sat on a bench and slowly smoked. When he saw us, he pointed to the sign: "Whoever got to this place, please pay 5,000 rupees from each." At first we tried to be indignant at this impudence, but then we gave the peasant our hard-earned 17 rubles (half as much - that's enough from him), if only he would not urge us after half an hour. The general tourist love spoiled the Balinese, oh, how spoiled ...) True, later our accommodatingness played into our hands.

8. Terraces on the border with the jungle.

9. Razvodilkin with a sign.

If you walk along the gorge a little further along a small path, you can see how the peasants cut the ears and dry the rice on large mats. Unfortunately, it was possible to look at it only from afar. A wall of rain was rushing towards us, so we quickly galloped from there.

10. House for spirits.

11. Somewhere rice has already been harvested, somewhere it is just beginning to ripen.

12. Cloud hints politely.

13. Peasants.

True, a minute later the downpour nevertheless covered us, but the same peasant came to the rescue. He invited us under a shed, where for an hour he listed all the names of the countries known to him (five pieces), yawned often and noisily, sold us an overripe coconut for two dollars (I had to take it for a dollar), then tried to steam coffee, then took Pasha's some kind of bug's legs I won't pay him a dollar for it!, then the downpour subsided and we finally left our excessively hospitable host.

In general, the walk turned out to be interesting, and the rice terraces left the most pleasant impressions, even in spite of our gentle razvodilkin.

As there is no more difficult and low-paid work, like growing rice.

On average, rice matures in 5 months, most of the time being in the water. Plant it in water in order to avoid direct sunlight, as well as protect it from weeds. The fields are drained immediately before harvest. In Bali, the drainage system on rice terraces is very well developed - water flows from the upper steps to the lower ones, etc., preventing these mini-lakes from stagnating and swamping. We have visited three famous places where a magnificent landscape of rice terraces opens up. The first and most beautiful is Jatiluwih.

From Ubud to Jatiluwih, about 40 kilometers along a curve, and in order to calmly catch the sunset, we left at about three in the afternoon.

As it turned out, the sunset is not visible here because the sun sets behind the mountain, which is behind, and the fields located in the lowland are buried in the shade.

But the far fields are well illuminated.

The only thing that somehow managed to be filmed was the setting sun:

The last rays illuminated the mountain:

In general, without really removing anything, we decided to stay here until the morning. By the way, on the way here, a motel turned up, in which we spent the night nicely for only 200 thousand. (~22$).

In the meantime, it's not dark at all, a lunar landscape:

By the way, at the entrance to this village there is a booth on the road where foreigners are charged a bribe for viewing beauty. We arrived in the evening and there was no one there, and in the morning three peppers tried to get to us, stopping near our scooters right in the middle of the road and demanding tickets. By God, just like that, in broad daylight, incomprehensible people come up and demand money. Were successfully sent to sleep on.

Five am. There are few clouds - no ice. But there will be no more chances - we fly away that evening:

Finding a point to reflect the dawn in the terraces turned out to be quite a challenge.

Single frame with reflection:

Here are the coordinates for this location: 8° 22" 12.64" S 115° 7" 52.47" E.

To work at seven in the morning:

Animals live right there among the fields in a small pen:

The harvest is almost ripe:

Mini-temple among the fields:

Next terraces - Ababi township near the town of Alampura in the eastern part of the island.

This place is not a tourist place and no one charges a fee. Filmed directly from the road (8° 24" 27.72" S 115° 35" 25.55" E):

Houses in the village - for people and for animals:

Harvesting:

More about harvesting. There are small but nice fields around cave temple Gunung Kawi (-8° 24" 20.92", +115° 17" 37.80"):

Several rice bushes are cut with a sickle:

And then with all the dope they beat off the sheaves on the grid-cage:

Rice is poured inside, while the peeled bush is thrown:

Then the initial cleaning of the cake takes place - rice from a large straw plate (or what is it called?) Is poured onto the canvas, and the garbage is held by the hand. Pure grains easily slip through fingers:

And one more time - the wind will blow away the remnants of the straw. We did not manage to see the further cleaning process, but along the country roads we saw a lot of drying rice spread on wide panels.

One of the most popular places ten kilometers from Ubud - Tetallalang:

Here you can admire the view, as in the previous photo, or you can climb onto the terraces themselves - here is the view from the opposite side:

But here, for each completed level, you will be required to receive another bribe. Which is typical - not just once. Such tablets met five or six times:

But due to the fact that we arrived here very early - half past five, we did not come across a single usher and we calmly walked along the edges of the terraces ...

Higher on the hill there is a village and the first person at seven in the morning was local who speaks a little English (!). He did not ask for anything, he asked where we were from (as usual, two questions) and offered to treat himself to coconut juice. But we had water with us and we politely refused.

Tetallalan coordinates: 8° 25" 44.82" S 115° 16" 44.26" E.

Here is such a beauty!