Pande Sebali: Rice Fields and River View

Pande Sebali: Rice Fields and River View is a 1-bedroom private villa in Tegalalang, Ubud, with a 3.5×6 m natural freshwater infinity pool, WiFi, and a fully equipped kitchen, sleeping up to 2 guests.

The entrance is famously tricky to find (almost every one of the 112 reviewers mentions this) but Nyoman sends video instructions before check-in and his housekeeper Kadek walks down to meet you when you arrive. Once you're through the gate the path drops down past the family compound to a wooden pondok perched on the slope above a tier of working rice paddies. Kadek welcomes you with a cold young coconut (often two, set on the table with fresh hibiscus next to them) and the view from the deck does most of the talking from that point on: the green steps of the rice terrace, the Petanu river valley behind, the distant ridges of north Bali on a clear morning. It feels less like checking into a villa and more like being temporarily adopted by a Balinese family who happen to live here.

"Absolutely perfect from start to finish. Nyoman, Kadek and the team make you feel like family. The villa is beautiful, clean and exactly as pictured. The highlight was the stunning floating breakfast, truly social-media-…"

The single ensuite bedroom is built almost entirely from local wood, and every guest who reviews it mentions the bed first, calling it the comfiest they've slept in across Bali. A king-size mattress under a mosquito net, a wardrobe with hangers, AC, room-darkening shades, and a dedicated workspace tucked into the corner. The bathroom is large and properly thought through: a deep bathtub set against a window onto the rice fields (one guest, Angel, said she booked specifically for the tub and didn't regret it), bidet, outdoor shower with hot water, shampoo and conditioner, and the kind of cotton towels that get changed any time you ask. The kitchen pavilion runs along one side of the deck with a gas stove, full-size fridge and freezer, kettle, blender, wine glasses, toaster, coffee setup and dishes: solid for self-catering breakfast, though most guests gravitate toward Kadek's in-villa breakfast service instead.

The 3.5×6 m natural freshwater infinity pool is what you came for. It runs without chlorine: the water is fresh, the edge lines up exactly with the valley below so on a clear morning it looks like the pool spills into the rice terraces, and it stays cool enough to feel refreshing in the heat. Sun loungers, a small hot tub, BBQ grill, outdoor furniture. The famous floating breakfast (a wooden tray of fresh tropical fruit, eggs cooked to order, banana pancakes, coffee, juice) is the photo people send home, and Kadek will set it up if you ask the night before. Open 24 hours; we've had remote-work guests do their morning swims at 6am and night-owl couples sit in the water with a beer at midnight.

The villa is in Sebali, Tegalalang: 15 minutes by scooter to the Tegalalang Rice Terrace and Alas Harum, 10 minutes to Campuhan Ridge Walk, and 20 minutes south to Ubud Palace and the Monkey Forest. Several nearby cafes deliver to the villa (Kadek phones the order in for you) and there's a good warung less than five minutes' drive away. Honest disclosure: there has been construction on the property next door through 2025-2026 which several recent reviewers have flagged. Noise is typically 8am-5pm on weekdays. We tell guests about this before they book; some are bothered, most find the location worth it anyway and still leave five stars. Once construction wraps the place will quiet down further. There are also distant neighbour dogs that bark occasionally at night, and bugs (geckos, ants near the open-frame kitchen): par for the course in a real jungle setting. Long-term stays (28+ days) are welcome and rates drop noticeably for those.

This Tegalalang villa fits honeymooners (it's where the Suraj and Kavitha couples chose to spend their honeymoons, both noted in reviews), anniversary trips, remote-working couples who want absolute quiet plus reliable WiFi, and travellers who've been to Ubud before and want to swap the centre for something deeper in. Pande, Nyoman and Kadek host as a family, arranging airport pickup with Putu, scooter rentals, in-villa massage, ferry transfers to the Gilis or Nusa Penida, and laundry on request. Book direct via WhatsApp for a small discount off the listing-site rate, free cancellation up to 7 days before check-in, payment by bank transfer, Wise or cash on arrival. Message us on WhatsApp at +62 859-3524-3151 with your dates, we'll confirm availability and send a final quote within an hour.