Complete guide to the top 7 temples in Bali
In Bali, “the island of Gods,” spirituality plays a crucial role in the daily lives of the local people. Ancient temples are present in every village and town and they lie at the heart of the community in Bali. There are rumoured to be at least 20,000 temples in Bali, and the most famous are the seven listed in this post.
These temples in Bali are known both for their architecture and historical significance. Some temples like Tanah Lot have very interesting myths associated with them. If you are planning to visit Bali then you must visit these temples to get a small glimpse into the spiritual lives of the local people.
Keep reading for the complete guide to the top 7 temples in Bali including locations, entry fees, timings and best times to visit.
To get around in Bali, you can hire a car-and-driver (the driver is also a guide), download apps like Grab and Gojek to call a taxi or bike, or rent a scooter. Since renting a scooter in Bali is so easy you can do day trips by yourself to each of these temples. But please don’t drive a scooter in Bali unless you have plenty of experience. It can be treacherous.
Note: This is a guest post from Kanu of the travel blog My Lost Camel.
More reading about Bali on Breathedreamgo
Architecture of temples in Bali
A Hindu temple in Bali is known as a “pura.” They are designed to be open-air places of worship inside the temple complex. The temple is built in such a way that the devotee enters the temple through artistically designed gates without doors. There’s a focus on big outer courtyards, which are used for meetings, performances, and music at festivals. During festivals, food stands are set up.
The holy ceremonies take place in the inner courtyard of the temple. These temples are known as merus and are square structures with brick bases and multiple pagoda-style roofs. The number of roofs reflects the deity’s status and is always an odd number.
Most famous temples in Bali
- Uluwatu Temple
- Ulun Danu Beratan
- Tanah Lot
- Tirta Empul
- Pura Lempuyang
- Goa Gajah
- Gunung Kawi
Uluwatu Temple
Uluwatu Temple is a picture perfect temple in Bali, located on a cliff at the west end of Uluwatu. It is approximately 70 metres higher than the waves on the shore below. The local name for the temple is Pura Luhur Uluwatu, though it is now known just as Uluwatu Temple for everyone else. Just like the breathtaking sunset views at the Tanah Lot Sea temple in West Bali, Uluwatu Temple has equally magnificent sunset backdrops. The temple complex, filled with great architecture, has lots of compounds for worshipping. It takes about one hour to walk the entire complex and visit the compounds, plus see the views and click pictures.
Every evening at 6 pm a Kecak dance is performed in the amphitheatre. The performance is inspired by the story of Ramayana, the great Hindu epic. There is always a beautiful sunset in the background. The tickets for the performance can be bought at the front of the theatre a few minutes before the performance.
Entry fee and visiting hours
To enter the Uluwatu Temple in Bali, adults are required to pay an entrance fee of IDR 30,000, while children are charged IDR 15,000. You can visit the temple from 9 am to 7 pm. Additionally, you can spend the evening by watching the Uluwatu Temple Kecak dance at sunset with tickets for IDR 300,000.
Best time to visit
The best time to visit Uluwatu Temple is an hour before sunset so you have enough time to see the whole temple and then be able to watch the Kecak dance.
Ulun Danu Beratan
The Ulun Danu Beratan temple, located on the western coast of Beratan Lake in Bedugul, is a famous historical monument (also known as the floating temple). Ulun Danu Beratan was constructed during the 17th century with the purpose of honouring the Hindu trinity – Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva – as well as the lake goddess, Dewi Danu.
The views and cool atmosphere of the Bali mountains have made the lake and this temple a very famous destination during the hot summer months. The whole Bedugul area is a popular weekend and holiday retreat for locals from the more urban areas in the island’s south.
Entry fee and visiting hours
Ulun Danu Beratan Temple opens at 7 am and closes at 7 pm daily. The entrance fee for an adult is IDR 75,000. For children aged 5 to 11, it is IDR 50,000.
Best time to visit
The best time to visit Ulun Danu Beratan Temple is early in the morning. This is the perfect time for photography and walking outdoors since the cloud cover is very less.
Tanah Lot
Pura Tanah Lot is a Hindu temple situated on a rock off the coast of Bali near Canggu. It takes around 45 minutes to get here from Canggu on a scooter. It is a major cultural and spiritual site in Bali.
The temple sits on a rock in the middle of the ocean. It can only be accessed during low tide. During high tide, the area between the rock and mainland fills with sea water. You can walk on the ocean bed at low tide and check out the cool structures.
Several small shrines, restaurants and shops are part of the temple complex where they sell a variety of souvenirs and locally produced goods. There are other smaller temples adjoining Tanah Lot that you can walk to from the temple.
Entry fee and visiting hours
For Indonesians, entrance tickets are IDR 20,000. Foreigners must pay IDR 60,000. Bali’s Tanah Lot temple is open daily from 7 am to 7 pm.
Pura Tirta Empul
Pura Tirta Empul, or the water temple in Bali, is known for its sacred spring water fountain. You can take a dip in this fountain in a bathing ritual and ask the priests to make a prayer for you. There is a huge pond with koi fish which you can feed with bread. There is also a big local market next to the temple where you can buy authentic souvenirs. This is one of the most beautiful and elaborate temple complexes in Bali.
The temple is near Ubud and the rice fields of Tegalalang so you can combine a trip to the rice fields with this temple complex. The Gunung Kawi shrine complex is also very close to here. While coming back from the temple, you can visit the quiet and secluded Suwat Waterfall – a hidden gem in Bali.
Entry fee and visiting hours
The entrance fee is IDR 50,000 and the temple is open from 9 am to 5 pm everyday.
Lempuyang Temple
The Hindu temple complex at the foot of Mount Lempuyang, in East Bali, is one of the most important and famous temples in Bali. The temple is also called Pulupulan Temple or Pulupulan Luhur. It’s regarded as one of the oldest and most sacred temples on the island. In addition to the main temple, there are a series of small temples in this complex.
There is a painted white candi bentar split gate marking the entrance to the outer area, jaba pisan. The entrance into the middle sanctum jawa tengah is marked with three white painted Padksaura Portals. The mythical figures of Naga surround all three stairs to the paduraksa portals.
The uppermost inner area, jero, is the most sacred courtyard of the Balinese temple. There are a series of Meru towers and pelinggih shrines dedicated to various gods and local deities in the courtyard of Pura Penataran Agung Lempuyang.
Entry fee and visiting hours
The entrance fee for Lempuyang Temple is IDR 55,000. There is a parking fee of IDR 5,000 and the mandatory shuttle bus from the car park costs IDR 45,000. Lempuyang Temple is open from 6 am to 7 pm. The shuttle buses start ferrying people from the lower car park at 5:30 am.
Goa Gajah
Goa Gajah is a historical archaeological site that dates back to the 9th century. The cave shaped into a rock face, representing an elephant, has been the temple’s main attraction and is now known as Elephant Cave. The entrance to the cave is decorated with carved stone sculptures, with a blend of Buddhist and Hindu deities.
The temple has both Hindu and Buddhist influences, as the cave contains lingam and yoni, Shiva’s symbols, as well as a picture of Ganesha. Along the river, there are carved representations of stupas and Buddhist imagery. The fact that so many gods are featured in a single cave is what makes it one of the best temples in Bali.
The temple is right next to Sumampan Waterfall which is a hidden gem of Bali. You can do a half day trip from Ubud to Goa Gajah and Sumampan Waterfall and make the best of both worlds.
Entry fee and visiting hours
Goa Gajah is open seven days a week from 8 am to 4:30 pm. The entrance fee to the Elephant Cave is around IDR 15,000.
Gunung Kawi
Gunung Kawi is the historic temple of Tampaksiring in Bali. It dates back to the 11th century, during the reign of King Anak Wungsu of the Udayana Dynasty, and is an important historical and cultural site.
The temple complex, which is known for its unique carved stone shrines, lies in the valley of the river. There are ten rock-cut Candi (shrines) at Gunung Kawi, which are believed to be memorials dedicated to King Anak Wungsu and his queens. Shrines were carved on the cliff face, and each measures approximately seven metres in height. Different deities, mythical creatures, and floral designs are depicted in the intricate sculptures.
You have to descend a long staircase surrounded by rice terraces to reach the temple complex. Depending on how fast you walk, it may take a couple of hours to explore the whole temple complex.
Entry fee and visiting hours
Gunung Kawi is open each day from 8 am to 6 pm. Pura Gunung Kawi entrance fee is IDR 50,000.
Summary
These are some of the best temples to visit in Bali, and we hope will make your trip to the island of the gods more interesting and rewarding. The temples in Bali are dynamic gathering places for religious festivals and celebrations. They are part of the everyday life of the local people and they must be respected as such. One of the best things to do in Bali is visit these temples, pay your respect to the local gods, and get a real sense of the culture.
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