12 Best Temples in Bali You Can't Miss (Local Guide)

Bali is often called the Island of the Gods — and with over 20,000 temples scattered across rice fields, cliffs, jungles and coastlines, the name checks out. But let's be honest: you don't want to spend your vacation on a temple treadmill. After living in Bali for two years and visiting more pura than we can count, we've narrowed it down to the 12 that genuinely moved us.

What to know before you go

Sarong & sash: Required at every temple. Most provide them free at the entrance; bring your own if you prefer.

Menstruation rule: Balinese Hindu tradition forbids women from entering a temple while menstruating. It's on the honor system and taken seriously locally.

Donations: Usually IDR 30,000–75,000 ($2–$5). Keep small bills ready.

Time of day: Sunrise and sunset are the magic hours — both for light and for avoiding tour buses.

1. Uluwatu Temple (Pura Luhur Uluwatu)

Perched on a dramatic cliff 70 meters above the Indian Ocean, Uluwatu is pure sunset theater. Arrive by 4pm to claim a good spot for the 6pm Kecak fire dance — yes, it's touristy; yes, it's still worth it. The chanting, the flames, the cliff, the Indian Ocean breathing below: we've brought six sets of visiting friends here, and every single one ranks it as their Bali highlight.

Insider tips: Take off earrings and sunglasses before you enter — the monkeys are professional pickpockets and they have favorite resale spots where staff help you bribe your stuff back with fruit. Sarongs are provided free. The amphitheater fills up fast, so don't sit in the back row.

2. Tirta Empul

The holy water temple near Tampaksiring, where Balinese Hindus come for melukat — ritual purification under 30 spring-fed spouts. The water comes from a sacred spring that's been flowing since 962 AD. You can participate, and we strongly recommend you do: it's genuinely moving.

Insider tips: Go before 8am on a weekday to have the pools nearly to yourself. Bring a change of clothes and a sarong for the purification (a separate one from your dry sarong). Don't skip the last two spouts — they're reserved for ancestor offerings, not tourists.

3. Tanah Lot

The iconic sea temple sits on a rock formation that becomes an island at high tide. Best photographed at sunset when the silhouette against a pink sky is every travel magazine cover ever. The complex itself is crowded but the coastline walk to Batu Bolong (the nearby arch temple) is quieter and equally stunning.

4. Besakih — The Mother Temple

Bali's largest and holiest temple complex, sprawling up the slopes of Mount Agung. It's impressive but notorious for pushy unofficial guides — politely decline ("tidak, terima kasih") and walk on. The official entry includes a guide if you want one. Go on a clear morning for the volcano backdrop.

5. Lempuyang — The Gates of Heaven

You've seen the photo: the split gateway framing Mount Agung with a reflection pool below. Spoiler — the "pool" is a piece of glass held under a phone by a local photographer. That's not a scandal, it's the local trade; tip them fairly and move on. Beyond the photo, Lempuyang is a 1,700-step climb through seven temples that's a genuine pilgrimage.

6. Goa Gajah (Elephant Cave)

An 11th-century meditation cave carved with a demonic mouth entrance. The complex includes bathing pools and Buddhist relics. Small, atmospheric, and often skipped — which is exactly why we love it.

7. Tirta Gangga

Not technically a temple but a royal water palace built in 1946. The stepping stones across koi ponds are pure Instagram bait, but early morning it's quiet and genuinely peaceful.

8. Taman Ayun

The royal family temple of Mengwi, surrounded by a moat. The multi-tiered meru shrines are some of the most beautiful on the island. Rarely crowded.

9. Pura Ulun Danu Beratan

The temple on the lake (Lake Beratan, Bedugul). The one on the 50,000 rupiah note. Misty mountain setting, best in the morning before the bus tours arrive around 10am.

10. Gunung Kawi

Ancient 11th-century shrines carved directly into a cliff face, reached by walking down 315 steps through rice terraces. The walk is half the experience.

11. Pura Dalem Agung Padangtegal (Monkey Forest Temple)

The temple inside Ubud's Monkey Forest. Covered in moss, guarded by mischievous macaques, and feels like something out of an Indiana Jones set.

12. Pura Kehen

In the town of Bangli, far from tourist trails. 43 steps lined with Ramayana carvings lead to a temple you'll often have to yourself. Our favorite for a reason.

Our one-day temple loop

If you only have one day: start at Tirta Empul at 7am → Gunung Kawi by 10am → lunch in Ubud → Goa Gajah in the afternoon → Uluwatu for sunset. It's a lot of driving but hits four of our top 12.

Getting around: Grab and Gojek barely work outside central Ubud. Hire a driver for the day ($40–$55) — ours (Wayan Adi) works with our readers, ask for his WhatsApp in our newsletter.

If you use our Bali Travel Guide from the shop (7- or 14-day PDF), every temple on this list is mapped on the day-by-day route with opening times, entry fees, and transport tips. For the warungs and cafés we hit between temple stops, browse our Indonesia Hidden Gems food maps in the shop — each PDF lists real venues with Google Maps links.