Bali's identity as the Island of the Gods is grounded in a living Hindu tradition unlike anything else in Southeast Asia. More than 20,000 temples are spread across the island's villages, rice fields, clifftops, and lakeshores, each maintained by the surrounding community as part of a continuous cycle of offerings, ceremonies, and festivals. For visitors, this creates an extraordinary opportunity to encounter genuinely active religious life in settings of remarkable natural beauty — whether watching the sun set behind the sea temple of Tanah Lot, bathing in the sacred spring pools of Tirta Empul, or ascending the forested slopes of Mount Batukaru to one of Bali's most atmospheric highland shrines.

The ten destinations in this guide cover the most significant sacred sites across Bali's major regions, from the coastal clifftops of the south to the highland temples of Tabanan and the ancient villages of Kintamani. All welcome respectful visitors, and most provide sarongs and sashes at the entrance gate for those who arrive without appropriate temple clothing.

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Tanah Lot is the most photographed temple in Bali and one of the most recognisable religious images in all of Southeast Asia. The temple sits on a large offshore rock formation approximately 100 metres from the coast near Tabanan, separated from the land by a narrow tidal channel that floods at high tide, leaving the entire rock surrounded by ocean. The temple is dedicated to the sea and to the mythical sea serpents believed to guard its foundations, and the silhouette of its pagoda-style shrines against the setting sun is the image that appears in more Bali travel photographs than almost any other.

Visitors can approach the rock base at low tide to view the temple from close range and receive a blessing from the priests stationed there, though entry to the upper temple itself is reserved for worshippers. The surrounding clifftop complex includes a network of smaller shrines, viewing terraces, and a cave temple dedicated to the sea goddess Dewi Danu. Sunset at Tanah Lot is the peak time for visitors, and the westward-facing viewpoints fill quickly in the hour before dusk; arriving an hour before sunset and positioning yourself on the southern headland gives you an elevated angle across the rock.

The entrance fee for foreign visitors is 75,000 IDR for adults and 40,000 IDR for children. Tanah Lot is located approximately 20 kilometres northwest of Seminyak and 30 kilometres from Ubud, making it a comfortable half-day trip from most southern Bali accommodation bases.

Pura Luhur Uluwatu stands on the edge of a 70-metre sea cliff at the southwestern tip of the Bukit Peninsula, looking directly out over the Indian Ocean. One of Bali's six kayangan jagat (directional temples), it is dedicated to the spirits of the sea and holds tremendous significance in the Balinese Hindu cosmology as a guardian of the island's spiritual realm. The temple has stood in some form on this site since the 11th century, and its setting — the open ocean on three sides, the cliff edge directly below, and the sky above — gives it a drama that few religious sites anywhere in the world can match.

The most celebrated way to experience Uluwatu is at the nightly kecak dance performance staged on an open-air clifftop theatre directly beside the temple at sunset. The kecak, which tells the story of the Ramayana through a chorus of approximately 70 men chanting in rhythmic call-and-response, accompanied by the drama of the sinking sun and the ocean far below, is one of the most immersive cultural performances available anywhere on the island. The combination of ceremony, landscape, and timing makes this one of Bali's most memorable experiences.

The entrance fee is 150,000 IDR for adults and 100,000 IDR for children aged 2 to 9. Sarongs and sashes are provided at the entrance gate and must be worn inside the temple grounds. Visitors should be aware that the resident grey macaque monkeys at Uluwatu are known to snatch sunglasses and loose belongings; keeping bags securely closed and avoiding eye contact with the monkeys near the main gate is the standard advice. The site is open from early morning, with the kecak performance held at approximately 6:00 PM daily.

Pura Besakih is the holiest temple complex on the island and the spiritual centre of Balinese Hinduism. Known as the Mother Temple of Bali, it sits on the southwestern slopes of Mount Agung — Bali's highest and most sacred volcano at 3,142 metres — at an elevation of approximately 1,000 metres. The complex is the largest on the island and comprises 86 separate temples arranged across six terraced levels, each serving different communities, ancestral clans, and Hindu deities. The site has been a place of worship for over a thousand years, and its scale and elevated position, often wreathed in cloud, give it an atmosphere unlike any other temple on the island.

The main temple, Pura Penataran Agung, sits at the highest level of the complex and is dedicated to the Hindu trinity of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, represented by three stone paduraksa shrines in the innermost courtyard. Dozens of subsidiary temples spread across the hillside below serve specific Balinese communities and caste groups, each with their own ceremony calendar. The complex is fully active throughout the year, and the sight of Balinese worshippers in ceremonial dress ascending through the terraced gates against the backdrop of Mount Agung's forested slopes is one of the most striking cultural experiences available on the island.

A guided entry is required for foreign visitors and is included in the entrance ticket of 60,000 IDR, which also covers the mandatory sarong. The guide ensures visitors stay within areas appropriate for non-worshippers and provides context on the ceremony calendar and the significance of the individual temples. Pura Besakih is located approximately 65 kilometres from Kuta and 26 kilometres from Ubud, with the drive through the rice terraces of Karangasem regency forming a significant part of the experience.

Goa Gajah — literally "Elephant Cave" — is a 9th-century rock-cut sanctuary carved directly into a riverside cliff face near Bedulu village, approximately four kilometres from Ubud. The cave entrance is framed by an elaborate carved stone facade depicting a mass of demonic and natural forms emerging from the rock, with a large grimacing face at the centre whose open mouth serves as the doorway into the cave interior. The carving is a masterpiece of medieval Balinese stonework, and the scale and intricacy of the facade make it one of the most visually arresting temple entrances on the island.

Inside the T-shaped cave, niches contain stone figures associated with both Hindu and Buddhist practice, reflecting the religious syncretism of 9th-century Bali when the two traditions coexisted and interacted. In the courtyard below the cliff, a natural spring feeds a series of rectangular bathing pools with stone spouts in the form of mythological figures. These pools, rediscovered in the 1950s beneath centuries of accumulated earth, are still used for ritual bathing by Balinese worshippers. The surrounding riverside garden contains additional carvings and meditation niches set among tropical vegetation.

The entrance fee is 50,000 IDR per person, which includes a sarong. Goa Gajah is open daily and is most enjoyable early in the morning before the majority of day-tour groups from southern Bali arrive. The site is easily combined with Tirta Empul, Gunung Kawi Sebatu, and Tegallalang into a full Ubud-region cultural day itinerary. Browse hotels in Bali across all price points on Traveloka — from beachfront resorts in Seminyak to boutique villas near Ubud's temples.

Pura Ulun Danu Beratan sits on the western shore of Lake Beratan in the Bedugul highlands of Tabanan regency, at an elevation of approximately 1,240 metres. The temple appears to float on the lake's surface when water levels are high, its multi-tiered meru towers rising directly from the water against a backdrop of mist-covered mountains — an image that appears on Indonesia's 50,000 rupiah banknote. The temple complex is dedicated to Dewi Danu, the goddess of the lake and of water in general, and serves as the primary shrine for the subak irrigation system that distributes water from the highland lakes to the rice fields of central and southern Bali.

The Bedugul highlands that surround the lake are significantly cooler than coastal Bali — typically 10 to 15 degrees lower — giving the entire area a refreshing quality that is immediately apparent after the heat of the lowlands. Mornings at Beratan are often misty, and the reflection of the temple towers in the still lake water in the early hours before the tour groups arrive is particularly atmospheric. The lakeside gardens surrounding the complex contain Balinese shrines, ornamental pools, and views across the water to the wooded hills on the far shore.

The entrance fee is 75,000 IDR for adults and 50,000 IDR for children. The temple is open daily from approximately 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Bedugul is located about 50 kilometres north of Kuta and 36 kilometres from Ubud, making it most practical as a day trip or as part of a route to north Bali.

Gunung Kawi Sebatu is a spring-water temple sanctuary near the village of Sebatu, approximately three kilometres from Tegallalang, and one of the most serene and least-visited of Bali's major sacred water sites. Unlike the busy Tirta Empul a few kilometres to the south, Gunung Kawi Sebatu sees considerably fewer foreign visitors, creating an atmosphere of genuine calm in which the sounds of the spring water and the surrounding forest predominate over human activity. The temple complex is centred on a series of carved stone basins fed by naturally occurring spring water that flows from the hillside above, considered sacred for its purity and its association with the protective powers of the mountain.

The walk down into the complex descends through a garden of stone statuary, moss-covered shrines, and flowering frangipani trees to the main bathing pools, where the spring water flows through stone nozzles into clear tanks. Local worshippers visit regularly for purification and to make offerings at the various shrines throughout the complex. The surrounding terraced garden, with its carved stone decorations and water channels, is among the most beautifully maintained temple environments in the Ubud region and repays unhurried exploration.

Gunung Kawi Sebatu is open daily and charges a small admission fee. The site combines naturally with a visit to Tegallalang Rice Terraces, Goa Gajah, and Tirta Empul into a coherent half-day circuit of sacred and natural sites in the Ubud hinterland. A car rental with driver is the most practical way to cover multiple sites in this region.

Tirta Empul is Bali's most famous holy spring temple, built in 962 CE during the reign of the Warmadewa dynasty and dedicated to Vishnu, the Hindu preserver deity. The temple's name translates as "sacred water spring," and the natural spring that feeds its bathing complex has been considered supernaturally pure and spiritually potent for over a thousand years. The source of the spring, which bubbles up through sand at the base of the main bathing pool, has never been traced to a surface water source, adding to its sacred reputation among Balinese Hindus who come here to undergo the purification ritual of melukat.

The bathing complex consists of two parallel pools containing a total of 30 individual spring-water spouts, each with a specific name and associated spiritual purpose. Balinese worshippers move through the line of spouts in sequence, immersing themselves beneath each one in a process of spiritual cleansing. Foreign visitors are welcome to participate in the bathing ritual when accompanied by a guide or when dressed in a sarong and following the correct protocol; the experience of standing in the cold, clear spring water in an active temple courtyard is one of the most genuinely immersive cultural encounters available in Bali.

The temple is open daily from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. The entrance fee is 75,000 IDR for adults and 50,000 IDR for children aged 5 to 12; children under 5 enter free. A sarong is included in the admission price and must be worn throughout the visit. Tirta Empul is located near Tampaksiring, approximately 12 kilometres north of Ubud.

Pura Luhur Batukaru is the second most important directional temple in Bali and the principal guardian temple for the western region of the island. Located at approximately 1,000 metres on the lower slopes of Mount Batukaru — Bali's second-highest peak at 2,276 metres — the temple sits within a dense tropical forest that gives it one of the most atmospheric and isolated settings of any major temple on the island. The forest surrounding the temple is ancient and largely undisturbed, and the sounds of cicadas, birds, and flowing water create a profoundly quiet environment that is a complete contrast to the busier tourist temples of the south.

The main shrine complex is surrounded by a moat fed by a sacred mountain spring, with the principal meru towers rising from an island within the water. The seven-tiered meru at the centre of the complex is dedicated to Mahadewa, the supreme deity of Mount Batukaru, and the entire site has a mossy, jungle-green quality from the perpetual moisture and cool altitude. Because the temple is active and relatively remote, it sees fewer foreign visitors than Tirta Empul or Pura Besakih, and the atmosphere of genuine spiritual practice is more immediately apparent.

Donations are welcomed at Pura Luhur Batukaru. The temple is open daily, and sarongs are available to borrow at the entrance. Batukaru is approximately 40 kilometres north of Kuta and 35 kilometres from Ubud; the drive through the rice terraces of Tabanan regency to reach it is scenic in its own right. Guided temple activities and cultural experiences across Bali — including kecak dance performances at Tanah Lot and Uluwatu — are bookable through Traveloka.

Pura Taman Ayun is the former state temple of the Mengwi kingdom, built in 1634 by the first king of Mengwi, I Gusti Agung Ngurah Putu Pemecutan, as the royal family's ancestral sanctuary. Uniquely among Bali's major temples, Taman Ayun is entirely surrounded by a wide ornamental moat — the name means "Beautiful Garden Temple" — giving the complex the appearance of floating on water when viewed from the surrounding gardens. The moat was designed not as a defensive feature but as a symbolic representation of Mount Meru, the sacred mountain of Hindu cosmology, rising from the cosmic ocean.

The outer gardens of the complex are open to all visitors and offer a relaxed walking experience along the moat's edge, with views of the multi-tiered meru towers of the inner temple reflected in the still water. The inner temple courtyard is reserved for worshippers and cannot be entered by general visitors, but the exterior views of the towers — some reaching seven, nine, and eleven tiers — from the garden perimeter are comprehensive and reward careful observation. The surrounding gardens contain large shade trees, stone statuary, and a traditional Balinese garden layout.

Taman Ayun is located in Mengwi, approximately 18 kilometres north of Kuta and 24 kilometres from Ubud, making it a practical addition to the route between Tanah Lot and the Bedugul highland temples. A small admission fee applies. The temple is open daily and is part of the broader Mengwi cultural landscape that also includes the Mengwi Royal Palace compound nearby.

Trunyan is a Bali Aga village — meaning an indigenous Balinese community that predates the arrival of Hinduism on the island — located on the eastern shore of Lake Batur in the Kintamani highlands. The village is known throughout Bali and internationally for its extraordinary and ancient funeral tradition: rather than cremating or burying the dead, the Bali Aga of Trunyan place their deceased under a large Taru Menyan banyan tree in an open cemetery at the edge of the lake, where the bodies decompose naturally in the open air, covered only by a bamboo cage. Despite the open-air setting, the site is said to produce no odour, a phenomenon attributed by villagers to the spiritual properties of the sacred tree.

The cemetery, known as Sema Wayah, contains the remains of generations of Trunyan residents arranged beneath the ancient banyan, with skulls, bones, and personal artefacts visible within the bamboo enclosures. The tradition is unique in the Balinese world and represents one of the most intact examples of pre-Hindu Balinese religious practice still in active use anywhere on the island. The village itself, set against the volcanic caldera rim with Lake Batur below and Mount Abang rising behind, occupies a dramatic landscape that reinforces the isolated, ancient quality of the community.

Trunyan is accessible only by boat from the village of Kedisan on the lake's western shore; a chartered boat for the crossing and the cemetery visit is required, with fees arranged at the boat landing. The Kintamani highlands are approximately 65 kilometres from Kuta and 39 kilometres from Ubud. An airport transfer from Ngurah Rai International Airport to accommodation in central or northern Bali can be booked in advance through Traveloka for a seamless arrival.

All Balinese temples require visitors to wear a sarong and a sash (selendang) covering the lower body. Most major temples provide these at the entrance gate, either included in the admission price or for a small additional charge. Women who are menstruating are asked by temple tradition not to enter the inner sanctuary areas; this custom is observed without obligation at most sites. Removing shoes before entering inner shrine buildings and maintaining a respectful, quiet demeanour throughout the visit are the primary etiquette requirements across all sites.

Early morning between 7:00 AM and 9:00 AM offers the best experience at most Balinese temples, when the light is soft, temperatures are cooler, and tour groups have not yet arrived. Sunset at Tanah Lot and the kecak performance at Uluwatu (around 6:00 PM) are evening exceptions where the later timing is specifically part of the experience. Bali's temple calendar is full of ceremony days when specific shrines may be closed to non-worshippers or transformed by elaborate floral offerings and processional activity; coinciding with a ceremony at a major temple is one of the most extraordinary experiences Bali can offer.

Bali's temples are spread across the island and are not practically reachable by public transport from most tourist accommodation bases. Hiring a private car with driver for the day is the standard and most cost-effective arrangement, allowing a flexible itinerary that can be adjusted based on time and interest. A typical day circuit might combine Tanah Lot and Taman Ayun in the afternoon, or group the Ubud-area temples of Tirta Empul, Gunung Kawi Sebatu, and Goa Gajah into a single morning. Check Traveloka promotions for hotel deals across Bali to find the right base for exploring the island's sacred sites.

Bali's spiritual landscape is one of the most extraordinary in the world — and it is most fully experienced when you have the flexibility to visit at the right time, in the right clothing, with enough hours at each site to absorb what you are seeing. Traveloka, Southeast Asia's leading travel platform trusted by over 100 million users, makes it easy for Australian travellers to book flights and hotels for their Bali trip in one place, with direct and connecting flight options from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth to Denpasar.

Whether you are staying in Seminyak and making day trips to Uluwatu and Tanah Lot, or basing yourself in Ubud to explore Tirta Empul, Goa Gajah, and Pura Besakih, the Traveloka app offers a full range of Bali accommodation options — from boutique villas near the rice terraces to beachfront resorts in Nusa Dua — all bookable alongside your flights for a seamless planning experience.

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