In contrast to most of Indonesia, which is generally Muslim, Bali is a Hindu-majority island, and most of the temples in Bali are open to tourists who may be interested in sightseeing or taking pictures.
Bali has dozens of old Hindu temples to explore. Many of the best ones are in Ubud and north Bali, although you can also find some interesting Balinese temples in places like Uluwatu and Nusa Penida.
The architecture and history behind some of these is pretty neat, so it’s a good idea to see at least a couple of them on your trip to Bali.
Here’s my complete list of the best temples in Bali, Indonesia!
Where To Stay
What To Wear To Temples In Bali
To enter most of these temples in Bali, you’ll need to wear a sarong, which is a traditional skirt you tie around your waist.
Sarongs can usually be rented on the spot for a small fee like 5,000 Rupiah (less than one US Dollar), and the temple staff in Bali always have plenty of these to hand out.
Or, if you plan to visit a lot of temples in Bali, it may be worthwhile to shell out for a sarong of your own to keep. They’re very cheap to buy!
Bali Temple Entrance Fees
Most of the temples in Bali that are popular to visit and photograph also charge a small entrance fee for tourists.
The entrance fees for Bali temples can be as low as 10,000 Rupiah (less than one US Dollar) for less popular temples, or as high as 75,000 Rupiah (~$5 USD) for very popular temples like Uluwatu or Ulun Danu Bratan.
You can pay the entrance fee in cash, and oftentimes this ticket price also includes a free sarong rental to wear around the temple grounds, as described above.
Bali Temples Map
Here’s a map you can use to find some of the best temples in Bali. You can click the icons to get more info and directions for each point of interest, but keep in mind some of the locations on this map may be approximate.
For more detailed information on how to get to each of the Bali temples on this map, you can check out my individual travel guides for each location.
Best Central Bali / Ubud Temples
1. Saraswati Temple
The Saraswati water temple is in central Ubud and it has some of the coolest wall patterns and carvings you’ll see in Bali. The doors are insanely detailed and elaborate. Flowers, dragons, demon figures, and more.
Read More: Saraswati Temple
2. Pura Dalem Temple
This is another temple in central Ubud and it’s known for having some of the most bizarre and intricate statues of any of the Bali temples. Creepy demon goddesses, lions, and other creatures stare back at you here.
3. Ubud Sacred Monkey Forest
The Instagram famous Ubud Monkey Forest is mostly known for the wild monkeys living there, but it also has some old temples and dragon statues in the jungle that are worth checking out. The whole place has an Indiana Jones-y feel to it.
The main temple in the monkey forest is called Pura Dalem Agung Padangtegal and it’s thought to have been built around 1350 AD.
Read More: Ubud Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary
4. Puri Saren Agung
Also known as the Ubud Royal Palace, this one was built in the 1800s and it’s easily the most well known temple in Ubud, partly because it’s located directly in the town center. This is one of the easiest temples to visit in Bali.
Read More: Ubud Royal Palace
5. Goa Gajah Temple
This is one of the oldest temples I’ve visited in Ubud, and also one of the weirdest. The doorway to the cave is really bizarre and unique, and it feels like you’re walking into the belly of some underground rock monster.
Read More: Goa Gajah Temple
6. Samuan Tiga Temple
This is a big temple from the 10th century between Ubud and Gianyar, just 800 meters from the Goa Gajah temple or a 10 minute drive from central Ubud. This temple is unusually quiet and only a few tourists seem to know about it, but it’s popular for Hindu ceremonies.
7. Goa Garba Ruins
This is an ancient cave temple and 12th century archaeological site in Pejeng village.
Goa Garba was a school and place of study for the Balinese kings and their children. Today, it’s a peaceful hidden spot in the jungle where you can see some ruins and escape the tourist crowds.
Read More: Goa Garba
8. Gunung Kawi Ruins
In my opinion, this is one of the most unique and interesting temples in Bali. Gunung Kawi is actually an underground temple carved into the side of a cliff. It’s an 11th century temple, and the age of everything here is obvious when you look at it.
Read More: Gunung Kawi Temple
9. Gunung Kawi Sebatu Temple
The name and location of this temple is very close to Gunung Kawi, but this one is not nearly as famous. This is a water temple with a nice jungle setting.
10. Tirta Empul Temple
This is one of the most well known temples near Ubud, partly because of the Hindu holy spring where visitors (including tourists) are allowed to bathe and pray, if that’s your thing.
Read More: Tirta Empul Temple
11. Beji Griya Waterfall
Beji Griya is a very unusual temple and waterfall near Ubud that was just opened in 2022, although the carvings near the waterfall give everything the appearance of being much older. It’s a 30 minute drive west of Ubud.
Be warned that this is one of the most expensive temples (or waterfalls) we’ve visited in Bali. They charged us 100k Rupiah per person for the most basic entrance ticket. You can also pay extra to take part in a Balinese Hindu ceremony at the waterfall. We didn’t do that, but we noticed the price was 200k Rupiah per person.
Anyways, the Beji Griya waterfall was nice and we enjoyed the mysterious carvings on the rock walls, which were really well done. I don’t know if we’d come back again, but it was worth at least one visit. It’s definitely one of the most unique Bali temples we’ve seen!
Beji Griya temple & waterfall
12. Sangeh Monkey Forest
In the center of the Sangeh Monkey Forest is a 17th century temple called Pura Bukit Sari, along with several smaller temples scattered throughout the jungle nearby. As an added bonus, you get to hang out with… you guessed it… more monkeys!
Read More: Sangeh Monkey Forest
13. Batuan Temple
This is an ancient 10th century temple located in Batuan village, halfway between Ubud and Sanur. The whole temple grounds are open to tourists, and a lot of the buildings and carvings are different from what you normally see at other Balinese temples.
14. Abiansemal Temple
I know nothing about this temple except that it looks very old and exotic. There’s foliage growing out of the stone roof top. This temple is easy to stop and visit while en route to the Sangeh Monkey Forest.
15. Taman Ayun Temple
I think this is one of the best temples in Bali — very photogenic, but away from the major tourist areas so it doesn’t get too crowded. Taman Ayun is pretty close to Abiansemal and the Sangeh Monkey Forest.
Read More: Taman Ayun Temple
16. Pura Dalem Kahyangan Kedaton
Alas Kedaton is a small jungle that doubles as a wild bat and monkey sanctuary. The fruit bats may look scary, but they’re actually pretty friendly. In the middle of the jungle is a group of temples you can visit too.
Read More: Alas Kedaton Monkey Forest
Best North Bali Temples
17. Lake Bratan Temple
This is an old temple on a crater lake, and it’s arguably one of the most famous and iconic places in Bali. The 12-story pagoda just screams ‘Asia’, and the mountains in the background aren’t too shabby either.
Read More: Ulun Danu Beratan Temple
18. Lake Tamblingan Temple
This is an epic temple at Lake Tamblingan in north Bali. One of the last remnants of the 10th century Tamblingan civilization, this temple sits inside of an ancient caldera surrounded by rainforests.
Read More: Ulun Danu Tamblingan Temple
Best East Bali Temples
19. Pura Kehen Temple
This is a 9th century temple in the Bangli province that has some of the most intricate stone carvings I’ve ever seen in Bali, along with an 11-story pagoda and a giant banyan tree.
Pura Kehen is 1 hour from Ubud, or 30 minutes from Kintamani.
Read More: Pura Kehen Temple
20. Pura Segara Temple
This is an old floating temple on the edge of Lake Batur in northeast Bali.
It has some similarities to the famous Lake Baratan temple in Bedugul, but this one has no crowds and no entrance fee!
Read More: Pura Segara Temple
21. Besakih Temple
This is one of the biggest and most significant temples in Bali. Besakih sits on the slopes of the Mount Agung volcano, and some parts of the temple may be thousands of years old.
22. Lempuyang Temple
The ‘gates of heaven’ at Lempuyang have become one of the most popular Instagram spots in Bali, and you may have to queue for hours to take a pic here.
I like how it looks like a picture frame for the sky.
Read More: Lempuyang Temple
Best South Bali Temples
23. Tanah Lot Temple
This is a mysterious looking 16th century shrine built on a rock overlooking the Indian Ocean. Tanah Lot is one of Bali’s most iconic temples, and it’s located near Canggu and north Kuta.
At high tide, the temple almost looks like it’s floating on the sea! Tanah Lot is a popular sunset spot, and when the tide is low you can even walk out to the rock for a closer look.
Read More: Tanah Lot Temple
24. Garuda Wisnu Kencana (GWK)
This is a cultural park in south Bali’s Bukit Peninsula.
It’s used for exhibitions and Balinese cultural events, but most people know it for the giant statues of Hindu figures.
The centerpiece of the park is a statue of the god Vishnu riding the mythical bird Garuda. At 120 meters tall (400 feet), it’s one of the tallest statues in the world.
25. Uluwatu Temple
The Uluwatu temple sits on the edge of a huge cliff in south Bali. The pagoda itself may not be very spectacular, but the setting is definitely scenic and gives you some epic views of the ocean cliffs. Watch out for the monkeys here, they’re notorious for trying to snatch your stuff!
Read More: Uluwatu Temple
26. Gunung Payung Temple
Located in south Bali right next to a beach of the same name, Gunung Payung is a small, quiet temple you can stroll through in just 5 minutes. There’s no entrance fee.
Best Nusa Penida Temples
27. Goa Giri Putri Cave Temple
This is another temple located on Nusa Penida island, but it’s inside of a cave! After crawling through a tiny hole in the side of the mountain, the inside opens up to a huge cave about 300 meters long, with high rock ceilings.
Read More: Goa Giri Putri Cave Temple
Cave door
Spooky inside
28. Peguyangan Temple
If you like sketchy, remote hikes with steep paths to get your adrenaline going, this one is for you.
Peguyangan is a small waterfall and temple at the bottom of some cliffs, and you reach it by climbing down hundreds of steps on a bright blue stairway.
It’s not for the faint of heart, but the ocean and cliff views here are incredible.
Read More: Peguyangan Waterfall
29. Pura Paluang Temple
Also known as the ‘car temple’, this is a weird one located on the neighboring island of Nusa Penida. The temple is located near some popular tourist sites like Kelingking Beach, so it’s easy to visit if you happen to be exploring the west coast of Penida.
Read More: Paluang Cliff Point
30. Pura Sekar Kuning
Located on Manta Point in Nusa Penida, this temple is made out of bright white stone, just sitting up there on a cliff in the middle of nowhere. It’s a great area to explore.
Read More: Manta Point Overlook
31. Pura Batu Mas Kuning
This is a new temple built on the east coast of Penida in 2018. As usual, it’s open to visitors to look at and take photos, but you’ll need to wear a sarong to go inside.
More Bali Temple Guides
Thanks for looking! I hope you enjoyed this list of some of the best temples in Bali, Indonesia.
Don’t forget to check out my complete Bali Travel Guide with free tips, info, photos, and more!
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