Temple · Tampaksiring
Tirta Empul
Busy 09:00 AM - 11:00 AM Found on Google Maps 1 Oct 2026
Tirta Empul is a revered Balinese Hindu water temple founded in 962 AD around a natural holy spring in the village of Manukraya, Tampaksiring. The spring feeds the sacred Pakerisan River, which according to legend was created by the god Indra to heal his troops after a mythological battle. The spiritual heart of the complex is a stone purification pool where worshippers and international visitors partake in the ritual of melukat, bathing beneath 30 carved waterspouts. Beyond the cleansing pools, the historic site features ancient inner sanctums, tranquil koi ponds, and the clifftop Istana Tampaksiring presidential palace constructed for Sukarno.
Insider tips
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01
Melukat Purification Protocol. When participating in the melukat ceremony, proceed from left to right across the spouts; note that two specific spouts are reserved exclusively for funerary rites and should not be used.
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02
Dedicated Bathing Sarong. Regular dry temple sarongs cannot be worn into the water; you must rent a green ritual bathing sarong and sash at the locker counter.
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03
Early Morning Serenity. Arrive before 8:30 AM to experience the sacred springs in calm, reverent stillness before large tour buses arrive from southern Bali around mid-morning.
Good to know
- Entry & Rental Costs
- Foreign adult admission is Rp 75,000 (official Gianyar ticketing); participating in the melukat bath costs an additional Rp 20,000 for the bathing sarong rental and Rp 10,000 for a locker.
- Temple Etiquette & Customs
- Modest dress is strictly required throughout; menstruating women or individuals with open bleeding wounds are religiously prohibited from entering the temple and pools.