Guide · Temples compared

The best temples in Bali and the tours that reach them

From the Lempuyang gate and Besakih in the east to Uluwatu on its sea cliff and the spring near Ubud: what each temple is for, and which day tours reach the best temples in Bali.

Check availabilityfrom $28 · free cancellation

Editorial team, balitempletour.comUpdated October 24, 2026Reading time 7 min56 sources

On this topic: the tour East Bali day: Lempuyang, Tirta Gangga and Besakih 4.8 (3,587 reviews) 9 to 10 hoursLempuyang, Tirta Gangga, BesakihPrivate or small-group options from$28per person Check availabilityFree cancellation until 24 hrs ahead of the start

The short list

01For the mountain: Besakih, the mother temple: a complex of 23 temples on Agung at about 1,000 m.¹ ²
02For the photo: Lempuyang, whose split gate frames Mount Agung on a clear day; expect a queue.³ ⁴
03For the sunset: Uluwatu, a sea temple on a 70-meter cliff, with the kecak at 6:00 PM.⁵ ⁶
04For a ritual: Tirta Empul, where anyone may join the melukat bath at the holy spring.⁷
05For one long day: The East Bali tour on this site covers Lempuyang, Tirta Gangga and Besakih.

How to pick from thousands of shrines

Bali has a shrine in nearly every courtyard, rice field and crossroads, so a list of the best temples is really a list of the ones that reward a long drive. The Ministry of Tourism reminds visitors that these are sacred places where people pray, make offerings and hold festivals, not museums.⁸ That changes how you plan: a temple can close its inner court for a ceremony on the very morning you arrive, and nobody owes you an explanation.

A useful thread through the choice is the Sad Kahyangan, the group of main temples believed to keep the island in spiritual balance. Uluwatu on the southwest cliffs belongs to it, and so does Lempuyang Luhur on its mountain in the east.⁹ ¹⁰ Visiting one from each end of the island gives you the sea and the volcano in a way no single stop can.

Most temples follow the same plan, which helps you read them quickly: an outer courtyard for gatherings and music, a middle court where offerings are prepared, and an inner court with the shrines.¹¹ As a visitor you will spend most of your time in the first two. Where the inner court is open to you, walk slowly, keep to the edges and let the people who came to pray go first.

East Bali: the mother temple and the famous gate

Besakih sits on the southwest slope of Mount Agung at about 1,000 m, roughly a 2-hour drive from Ubud or 2.5 hours from Kuta.² It is not one building but a complex of 23 large and small temples, with Penataran Agung at its centre.¹ Since the Gelgel dynasty of the 15th century it has been treated as the holy centre of the whole island.¹² If you only see one temple in Bali for its sheer scale, this is the one.

Lempuyang lies further east. Seven temples climb Mount Lempuyang, and at the lowest of them a split gate frames Mount Agung on a clear day.³ The photo in that gate is what draws the crowds, and the Ministry advises coming at the very start or the tail end of the day to dodge the longest queues.⁴ The climb to the upper temples is a pilgrimage in its own right, with more than 1,700 steps.¹³

Between the gate and the mother temple lies Tirta Gangga, a water palace built in 1948 by the King of Karangasem, with pools, fountains and statues taken from the Mahabharata and Ramayana.¹⁴ ¹⁵ It is not a temple, but it is the restful stop that most East Bali days use to break up the drive between the gate and the mother temple.

Entrance fees

What a foreign adult pays at the gate

IDR, foreign adult

The Ministry of Tourism's temple guide, except Uluwatu, where the temple management lists 50,000 and a Ministry page 60,000; the Ministry's own pages give Besakih 60,000 to 100,000 and Tirta Empul 50,000, so carry cash.¹⁶ ¹⁷ ¹⁸ ¹⁹ ²⁰ ²¹ ²² ²³ ²⁴ ²⁵

Side by side

Seven temples, what each is for

Temple	Region	Known for	From Denpasar or Ubud
Besakih	East, on Agung	Mother temple, 23 temples	About 2 hrs from Ubud
Lempuyang	Far east	Gate framing Agung	About 2 to 3 hrs
Uluwatu	South coast	Cliff, sunset, kecak	About 1.5 to 2 hrs from Ubud
Tirta Empul	Near Ubud	Holy spring, melukat	About 30 min from Ubud
Goa Gajah	Near Ubud	Carved cave, Ganesha	About 27 km from Denpasar
Taman Ayun	West, Mengwi	Royal water temple, UNESCO	About 1 hr
Ulun Danu Beratan	Highlands	Shrines on the lake	About 1.5 to 2 hrs

Drive times and distances as the Ministry of Tourism and the provincial tourism office give them; traffic on Bali can add a lot.² ²⁶ ²⁷ ¹⁸ ²⁸ ²⁹ ³⁰

One day per region

East, south or west

Bali: Besakih Temple & Lempuyang Temple Gates of Heaven Tour

This site's tour

East Bali day

Lempuyang, Tirta Gangga, Besakih

Hours: 9 to 10
Reviews: 3,587
Price: from $28

See the tour

For the sunset

Uluwatu highlights

Beaches, Uluwatu, kecak

Hours: 2 to 9
Reviews: 1,075
Price: from $23

See the tour

Bali UNESCO Sites: Shared or Private Guided Full-Day Tour

Water temples

UNESCO day

Taman Ayun, Ulun Danu Bratan

Hours: 10
Reviews: 410
Price: from $34

See the tour

Decision helper

Which temple fits what you want?

Start from the experience, not the name

The holiest and largest complex The famous gate photo Sunset and a performance Taking part, not only watching Archaeology and carvings Gardens and calm water

Besakih

A complex of 23 temples on the slope of Agung.¹

Lempuyang

The lowest temple's split gate frames Agung on clear days.³

Uluwatu

The kecak starts at 6:00 PM on the clifftop stage.⁶

Tirta Empul

Anyone may join the melukat purification.⁷

Goa Gajah

A T-shaped cave with a Ganesha statue inside.³¹

Taman Ayun

A royal water temple set in its own moat.³²

Unlike museums or traditional tourist attractions, temples are sacred places where locals pray, make offerings, and hold festivals that have been around for centuries.

Indonesia Ministry of Tourism (indonesia.travel)Source 8

The south: a sea temple on a limestone cliff

Uluwatu is the temple most visitors see first, because it sits on the Bukit peninsula close to the airport and the southern beaches. The temple management places it on a 70-meter cliff above the Indian Ocean, and the Ministry calls it the second most important temple on the island.⁵ ³³ Inside, only Hindu worshippers may enter the smaller inner temple, so you see it from the cliff paths.³⁴

What makes the visit is the evening. The kecak starts at 6:00 PM and its gates open at 4:00 PM, so most people time their visit around it.⁶ The dance uses no instruments, only a large male chorus chanting in rhythm.³⁵ Watching it with the sun dropping into the sea behind the stage is the one temple experience in Bali that is also a performance.

Plan for the monkeys. About 650 long-tailed macaques live at the temple, and the management asks visitors not to feed them and to secure sunglasses, hats and phones.³⁶ ³⁷ A cap in your bag and glasses on a cord save a lot of trouble, and if something goes missing, temple staff are the ones to ask.

Map

Where the temples stand on Bali

First the whole island with the temples on this site, then the slopes of East Bali around Lempuyang, then the river valley north of Ubud.

Map of Bali with Lempuyang, Tirta Gangga, Besakih, Tirta Empul, Goa Gajah, Ubud, Taman Ayun, Ulun Danu Beratan, Uluwatu and Kuta — The island

Map of East Bali with the Lempuyang gate, the summit temple of Lempuyang Luhur and the Tirta Gangga water palace — East Bali

Map of the valley north of Ubud with Tirta Empul, Gunung Kawi, Goa Gajah and Ubud Palace — Near Ubud

1
Lempuyang gate
The lowest of seven temples on Mount Lempuyang, where the split gate frames Mount Agung on a clear day.³
In Google Maps ↗
2
Tirta Gangga
A water palace built in 1948 by the King of Karangasem; a 1-hour stop of the site tour.¹⁴
In Google Maps ↗
3
Besakih
The mother temple, on the slope of Agung at about 1,000 m, a complex of 23 temples.² ¹
In Google Maps ↗
4
Tirta Empul
A spring temple founded in 962 AD, with 30 showers fed by the spring.³⁸ ³⁹
In Google Maps ↗
5
Goa Gajah
A carved cave about 27 km from Denpasar, named in a text of 1365.²⁸ ⁴⁰
In Google Maps ↗
6
Ubud Palace
Meeting point of the site tour's group options in Ubud.
In Google Maps ↗
7
Taman Ayun
The royal water temple of Mengwi, part of the UNESCO subak landscape inscribed in 2012.⁴¹ ⁴²
In Google Maps ↗
8
Ulun Danu Beratan
A lake temple in Candikuning, Tabanan, about 1.5 to 2 hours from Denpasar.⁴³ ³⁰
In Google Maps ↗
9
Uluwatu
A sea temple on a 70-meter cliff, with the kecak at 6:00 PM.⁵ ⁶
In Google Maps ↗
10
Kuta
Central Parking Kuta, the other group meeting point of the site tour.
In Google Maps ↗
11
Lempuyang Luhur
The highest of the seven temples, at about 1,175 m, 2 to 4 hours there and back on foot.⁴⁴ ⁴⁵
In Google Maps ↗
12
Gunung Kawi
Ancient shrines cut into a rock cliff above the Pakerisan River.⁴⁶
In Google Maps ↗

Open the map in Google Maps

Checklist

Before a day of temples

Pack

A sarong or long trousers
Cash for fees and sarong rental
Hat, sunscreen and water
Shoes you can slip off and on

Respect

Let worshippers go first
Keep out of closed inner courts
Never step on offerings on the ground

Cost calculator

Price a temple day for your group

Pick a day, enter how many of you, and compare.

East Bali dayLempuyang and Besakihfrom $28 Uluwatu dayWith the kecakfrom $23 UNESCO dayTaman Ayun, the lakefrom $34

People 2

Total from$55

pp from $28

Check availabilityfree cancellation

The total is each temple day's lowest GetYourGuide price times your party size, shown in your currency at today's ECB rate; the booking page confirms the real amount.

Video

The holiest temples of Bali for the spiritual traveller

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Near Ubud: the spring, the cave and the carved cliff

The temples in Ubud, Bali, and its valleys are small and close together, which makes them easy to combine in half a day. Tirta Empul, founded in 962 AD, is built around a spring that feeds 30 showers in its bathing pools.³⁸ ³⁹ Balinese come here for melukat, a purification under the water, and the Ministry says the ritual is open to anyone who comes with respect.⁷

Goa Gajah, the Elephant Cave, lies about 27 km from Denpasar near Bedulu.²⁸ Its carved entrance opens into a cave shaped like the letter T with a statue of Ganesha inside, and its name already appears in a court poem compiled in 1365.³¹ ⁴⁰ Below the cave are bathing pools that were only uncovered in 1954.⁴⁷

Just south of Tirta Empul, Gunung Kawi has ancient shrines carved into a rock cliff above the sacred Pakerisan River, reached down a long flight of steps.⁴⁶ It rarely makes the shortest lists, yet it is one of the most striking places on the island. Wear good shoes for the stairs and bring water, because the climb back up is the hard part.

Water temples of the rice landscape and the lake

In the west, Taman Ayun near Mengwi is a royal temple surrounded by water. UNESCO describes it as an 18th-century royal water temple, the largest and most impressive of its kind on the island, and part of the subak landscape inscribed in 2012.⁴¹ ⁴² Its tiered roofs are best seen from the moat in mid-morning light, as the Ministry suggests.⁴⁸

Higher up, Ulun Danu Beratan stands on the shore of Lake Beratan in the cool Bedugul highlands, about 1.5 to 2 hours from Denpasar or Kuta.³⁰ When the lake is high, its tiered shrines seem to float on the water.⁴⁹ Early morning brings mist on the lake, which is the light most photographs of it are taken in.⁵⁰

Both temples belong to the island's irrigation system. UNESCO explains that the subak reflects Tri Hita Karana, a philosophy that joins the realms of the spirit, the human world and nature.⁵¹ Seeing a water temple and then the rice fields it serves is the clearest way to understand why Balinese temples sit where they do.

Which day tour reaches which temple

No tour covers the whole island in one day, so pick by region. The tour on this site takes the east: 2 hours by car to Lempuyang with 2 hours there, then 1 hour at Tirta Gangga and 1 hour at Besakih before the drive back. It runs 9 to 10 hours, has 3,587 reviews averaging 4.79, and starts from $28. Check whether your option includes entrance fees and hotel pickup, because both depend on what you book.

For the south, a full Uluwatu day adds beaches and a cultural park before the temple and the kecak, from $23. For the west and the highlands, a UNESCO day visits Taman Ayun and Ulun Danu Bratan in 10 hours, from $34.

Near Ubud, the shortest option is a Tirta Empul visit of 3 to 6 hours from $21, with the purification as an option. If you have a few free days, one tour per region gives you every temple on this page without a single rushed stop, and you can still choose which mornings to start early.

Fees, clothing and the rules at every gate

Every temple asks for modest dress: shoulders and knees covered, with sarongs and sashes usually provided at the entrance.⁵² The site tour asks guests to wear long trousers or bring a sarong. Under local custom women who are menstruating may not enter the temple area at Uluwatu, and the same rule appears at Lempuyang and in the tour notes.⁵³ ⁵⁴

Entrance fees are set by each temple and paid at its counter. For foreign adults, Uluwatu's management lists IDR 50,000 and a Ministry page Rp60,000; the Ministry gives Lempuyang at IDR 100,000 with a sarong and sash, and Besakih at Rp60,000 to Rp100,000 on its Besakih page but around IDR 150,000 in its temple guide.²⁰ ²³ ⁵⁵ ²⁴ ¹⁶ International visitors to Bali also pay a provincial tourist levy of IDR 150,000.⁵⁶

Fees change, and two official pages do not always agree, so carry some cash beyond the figures here. Arrive early, because most temples are quieter in the morning, and leave the late afternoon for Uluwatu. Above all, treat every visit as a guest in someone else's place of prayer, and the temples will feel far less like attractions.

Your temple day

Lempuyang, Tirta Gangga and Besakih in one day.

Pick a date and an option, and cancel free up to 24 hours before.

Check datesfrom $28 · free cancellation 4.8 · 3,587 checked reviews

You ask,we answer.

Which temple in Bali is the most important?

Besakih, the mother temple. It has been the holy centre for the whole island since the Gelgel dynasty of the 15th century.¹²

Can I see Besakih and Lempuyang in one day?

Yes, on an East Bali tour. The tour on this site visits Lempuyang, Tirta Gangga and Besakih in 9 to 10 hours.

When is the kecak dance at Uluwatu?

Every evening at 6:00 PM. The gates open at 4:00 PM; the management also opens the temple from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM.⁶

Do non-Hindus get into the temples?

Into most courts, yes. Some inner areas are for worshippers only, such as the smaller temple inside Uluwatu.³⁴

Which of these temples are on the UNESCO list?

Taman Ayun. It is part of Bali's subak landscape, inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2012.⁴² ⁴¹

What should I wear to visit a temple in Bali?

Cover shoulders and knees. Sarongs and sashes are usually provided at the entrance; some temples include them in the ticket.⁵² ⁵⁵

How much does a temple visit cost?

It depends on the temple. Uluwatu's management lists IDR 50,000 for foreign adults, a Ministry page Rp60,000; the Ministry gives Lempuyang at IDR 100,000.²⁰ ²³ ⁵⁵

Sources

Where the information comes from

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Indonesia Ministry of Tourism (indonesia.travel)Visiting Pura Besakih, the Largest Hindu Temple in Bali
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Indonesia Ministry of Tourism (indonesia.travel)Visiting Pura Besakih, the Largest Hindu Temple in Bali
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Bali Provincial Tourism Office (Dinas Pariwisata Provinsi Bali)Lempuyang Temple
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Indonesia Ministry of Tourism (indonesia.travel)Pura Lempuyang, the Iconic East Bali Gate of Heaven
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Uluwatu Temple management (official website)Uluwatu Temple: The Iconic Cliffside Temple of Bali
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Uluwatu Temple management (official website)Uluwatu Temple: The Iconic Cliffside Temple of Bali
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Indonesia Ministry of Tourism (indonesia.travel)The Beauty of Pura Tirta Empul
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Indonesia Ministry of Tourism (indonesia.travel)11 Must-Visit Temples in Bali and How to Get There
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Indonesia Ministry of Tourism (indonesia.travel)Pura Uluwatu: Sejarah, Daya Tarik, dan Panduan Berkunjung
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Indonesia Ministry of Tourism (indonesia.travel)Pura Lempuyang, the Iconic East Bali Gate of Heaven
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WikipediaPura Ulun Danu Bratan
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Bali Provincial Tourism Office (Dinas Pariwisata Provinsi Bali)Besakih Temple
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Indonesia Ministry of Tourism (indonesia.travel)Pura Lempuyang, the Iconic East Bali Gate of Heaven
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Bali Provincial Tourism Office (Dinas Pariwisata Provinsi Bali)Tirta Gangga
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Bali Provincial Tourism Office (Dinas Pariwisata Provinsi Bali)Tirta Gangga
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Indonesia Ministry of Tourism (indonesia.travel)11 Must-Visit Temples in Bali and How to Get There
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Indonesia Ministry of Tourism (indonesia.travel)11 Must-Visit Temples in Bali and How to Get There
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Indonesia Ministry of Tourism (indonesia.travel)11 Must-Visit Temples in Bali and How to Get There
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Indonesia Ministry of Tourism (indonesia.travel)11 Must-Visit Temples in Bali and How to Get There
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Uluwatu Temple management (official website)Uluwatu Temple: The Iconic Cliffside Temple of Bali
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Indonesia Ministry of Tourism (indonesia.travel)11 Must-Visit Temples in Bali and How to Get There
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Indonesia Ministry of Tourism (indonesia.travel)11 Must-Visit Temples in Bali and How to Get There
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Indonesia Ministry of Tourism (indonesia.travel)Pura Uluwatu: Sejarah, Daya Tarik, dan Panduan Berkunjung
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Indonesia Ministry of Tourism (indonesia.travel)Visiting Pura Besakih, the Largest Hindu Temple in Bali
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Indonesia Ministry of Tourism (indonesia.travel)The Beauty of Pura Tirta Empul
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Indonesia Ministry of Tourism (indonesia.travel)11 Must-Visit Temples in Bali and How to Get There
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Bali Provincial Tourism Office (Dinas Pariwisata Provinsi Bali)Elephant Cave Temple
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Indonesia Ministry of Tourism (indonesia.travel)11 Must-Visit Temples in Bali and How to Get There
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Indonesia Ministry of Tourism (indonesia.travel)11 Must-Visit Temples in Bali and How to Get There
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Bali Provincial Tourism Office (Dinas Pariwisata Provinsi Bali)Elephant Cave Temple
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Indonesia Ministry of Tourism (indonesia.travel)Cultural Experience in Bali: Uluwatu, Kecak Dance
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Uluwatu Temple management (official website)Uluwatu Temple: The Iconic Cliffside Temple of Bali
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38
Indonesia Ministry of Tourism (indonesia.travel)The Beauty of Pura Tirta Empul
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39
Indonesia Ministry of Tourism (indonesia.travel)The Beauty of Pura Tirta Empul
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40
Bali Provincial Tourism Office (Dinas Pariwisata Provinsi Bali)Elephant Cave Temple
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41
UNESCO World Heritage CentreCultural Landscape of Bali Province: the Subak System as a Manifestation of the Tri Hita Karana Philosophy (archived copy, 11 October 2026)
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42
UNESCO World Heritage CentreCultural Landscape of Bali Province: the Subak System as a Manifestation of the Tri Hita Karana Philosophy (archived copy, 11 October 2026)
↩
43
Bali Provincial Tourism Office (Dinas Pariwisata Provinsi Bali)Beratan Lake Temple
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44
Indonesia Ministry of Tourism (indonesia.travel)Pura Lempuyang, the Iconic East Bali Gate of Heaven
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45
Indonesia Ministry of Tourism (indonesia.travel)Pura Lempuyang, the Iconic East Bali Gate of Heaven
↩
46
Bali Provincial Tourism Office (Dinas Pariwisata Provinsi Bali)Gunung Kawi Temple
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47
WikipediaGoa Gajah
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48
Indonesia Ministry of Tourism (indonesia.travel)11 Must-Visit Temples in Bali and How to Get There
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49
Indonesia Ministry of Tourism (indonesia.travel)Menelusuri Keindahan Spiritual di Pura Ulun Danu Beratan Bedugul
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50
Indonesia Ministry of Tourism (indonesia.travel)11 Must-Visit Temples in Bali and How to Get There
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51
UNESCO World Heritage CentreCultural Landscape of Bali Province: the Subak System as a Manifestation of the Tri Hita Karana Philosophy (archived copy, 11 October 2026)
↩
52
Indonesia Ministry of Tourism (indonesia.travel)11 Must-Visit Temples in Bali and How to Get There
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53
Indonesia Ministry of Tourism (indonesia.travel)Pura Uluwatu: Sejarah, Daya Tarik, dan Panduan Berkunjung
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54
Indonesia Ministry of Tourism (indonesia.travel)Pura Lempuyang, the Iconic East Bali Gate of Heaven
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55
Indonesia Ministry of Tourism (indonesia.travel)Pura Lempuyang, the Iconic East Bali Gate of Heaven
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Government of Bali Province, Love Bali (international tourist levy)Love Bali: Tourist Levy
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Keep reading

More guides to the temples of Bali

Uluwatu Temple: the cliff, the sunset and the kecak dance

Besakih Temple, the mother temple on Mount Agung

Lempuyang Temple and its gate framing Mount Agung

Tirta Empul: the holy spring and the melukat ritual

East Bali day: Lempuyang, Tirta Gangga and Besakih 4.8 (3,587) · Free cancellation Frequently fully booked 6 days in advance from$28 Check availabilityfrom $28 · pay later