Tucked deep within Tegallalang village, Ulu Petanu Waterfall offers a peaceful, intimate retreat far from Bali’s busy tourist spots, where crystal-clear waters cascade gently amid dense jungle. Steeped in legend, it is also known as the sacred site linked to King Mayadenawa, whose blood is said to have cursed the nearby river, making the waterfall a place of spiritual cleansing and reverence.

High on the mist-drenched slopes of Mount Batur, the sacred crater lake known as Danau Batur is believed to be the earthly dwelling of Dewi Danu, the goddess of water, rivers and lakes. Her presence is not abstract, it is palpable in the cool vapour rising from the caldera and the ritual waters that flow from her springs to irrigate Bali’s ancient subak system.

Nestled in the highlands of Penebel District in West Bali, the village of Jatiluwih offers a living testament to the ancient harmony between humans, nature and the divine. Overlooked by the brooding silhouette of Mount Batukaru, Bali’s second-highest volcano and a sacred site in its own right, Jatiluwih’s name translates to "truly beautiful," a title it lives up to with dramatic sweeps of emerald-green rice terraces that ripple across the landscape.

Carved like emerald steps into Ubud’s natural amphitheatres, locals say the spirit of the rice goddess still watches over the iconic Tegallalang Rice Terrace, blessing the fields with life and balance. Also known as Ceking, the terraces are a large collection of beautiful verdant rice paddies, carved into the hillside by generations of farmers and shaped by centuries of Balinese ingenuity.