Top Five Bali Temples – The temples unique location and sunset makes this temple a must see. Tanah Lot is an ancient Hindu shrine located about 20 minutes northwest of Kuta.
Tanah Lot means “Land (in the) Sea” in the Balinese language. Located in Tabanan, about 20 kilometers from Denpasar, the temple sits on a large offshore rock, which has been shaped continuously over the years by the ocean tide. Tanah Lot is claimed to be the work of the 16th-century Dang Hyang Nirartha.
Visitors cannot enter the temple grounds. At high tide, the causeways are impossible to cross as they are submerged in water. At low tide, you can cross to look at the rock base where legend says the guardian sea snakes still dwell around Tirta Pabersihan fountain. A natural waterspout, the fountain provides the holy water for all the temples in the surrounding area.
Bali Taman Ayun Temple is in Mengwi Village of Badung District, around 18 km to the west of Denpasar. Taman Ayun means temple in a beautiful garden. The Taman Ayun Temple complex comprises four different divisions, one ranking higher than the other. The temple is surrounded by beautiful parkland with trees and pods. Taman Ayan Temple is bordered by canals and is entered via a bridge to a richly ornamented gate that leads through to the temple courtyard.
The special God is worshiped in Taman Ayun Temple is the God in manifestation as a Wisnu God, his palace located on top of Mangu mount.
How to get there: Follow the main road north from Denpasar along the common Jalan Kapal thoroughfare towards Bedugul. Upon reaching Mengwi, the landmark can’t be missed.
Besakih, the Mother Temple of Bali and is simply the most important temple for the whole of the island. It is actually more like a complex of temples in one very large compound. It is known and loved for is its dramatic location on the southern slopes of Sacred Mount Agung.
Over 1,000 years the temple is situated 1,000 meters high on the southwestern slopes of Mount Agung. Besakih is an artistic and unique complex that comprises at least 86 temples, which include the main Pura Penataran Agung.
Each year there are at least seventy festivals held at the complex since almost every shrine celebrates a yearly anniversary. This cycle is based on the 210-day Balinese Pawukon calendar year
Address: Besakih, Rendang, Karangasem Regency, Bali 80863, Indonesia
Dress Code: You must wear a proper top, and a sarong. If you forgot to bring one, there are countless shop vendors around, that can sense that and are keen to offer you a solution to your problem – or two, or three or four. A simple Sarong should cost you not more than 50.000-100.000Rp (5-10US$). You can also rent one in front of the entrance.
Tirta Empul temple (Pura Tirta Empul) is a Hindu Balinese water temple located near the town of Tampaksiring, Bali, Indonesia.
For over a thousand years, Balinese Hindu worshipers have been drawn to Pura Tirta Empul (Holy Water Temple), whose sacred springs are said to have been created by The God Indra and possess curative properties. This tradition continues almost unchanged, and today, aside from worshipers, tourists from all over the world come to this place to marvel at its beauty and bathe in its refreshing blessed water.
As a Petirtaan or bathing center, Tirta Empul is quite a large temple complex and it takes at least 30 minutes to an hour to explore the entire site. Just as at other temples and sacred sites around the island, you will need to put on a ‘sarong’ before entering the premises. The sarongs are available at the temple’s entrance for a small donation.
Address: Jalan Tirta, Manukaya, Tampaksiring, Manukaya, Tampaksiring, Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali 80552, Indonesia
Uluwatu Temple (Pura Uluwatu or also known as Pura Luhur) is one of Bali’s nine key directional temples (Pura Kayangan Jagat). You can enter the temple area through two entrances that are split gates. A couple of Ganesha sculptures surround them. Behind the main shrine lies a Brahmin statue facing the Indian Ocean.
The temple (Pura in Balinese) is built at the edge (ulu) of a 70-meter high cliff or rock (watu) projecting into the sea. In folklore, this rock is said to be part of Dewi Danu’s petrified barque. There are more steep headlands on either side and sunsets over Uluwatu are a remarkable sight. There is also a very scenic cave underneath with rock formations leading to a beach close to the temple. This is a popular spot for surfers.
Beware the temple is inhabited by a large number of monkeys, who are extremely adept at snatching visitors’ belonging, including bags, cameras, and eyeglasses. Keep a very close grip on all your belongings and stow away your eyeglasses if possible.
Being on the edge of the ocean the temple like Tanah Lot Temple gives a beautiful sunset view.
Dress Code – To enter the temple, you need to wear certain dress code. The dress code, which wearing a sarong with scarf wear on the waist. You do not need to buy the sarong or scarf if you have forgotten to bring it because you can rent it at the entrance ticket counter.
Most travelers when visiting Uluwatu temple visit during evening hours (Around 5:00PM). The primary reasun being not excessive heat and the sunset view of the temple.
