Tirta Empul Temple: A Visitor Guide to Bali’s Sacred Spring
Photo: Nick Fewings / Unsplash
Contents
Tirta Empul is a Balinese Hindu water temple in Manukaya, near Tampaksiring in Gianyar. Springs bubble up into a clear pool and feed the purification pools where worshippers wait in line to dip their heads under the water. It is one of the busiest water temples in Indonesia and still a working place of worship.[1] Visitors are welcome to watch, and non-Hindu visitors may also join the melukat purification ritual if they follow the temple's rules.[2]
What you see inside
You enter through a large stone candi bentar gate into the outer courtyard. A second gate, guarded by two golden-tinted Dwarapala statues, leads to the central courtyard.[1] The complex has three areas. Jaba Pura is the outer area, where you put on your sarong. Jaba Tengah is the heart of the temple, with the purification pools fed by the spring. Jeroan is the holiest area, where people pray after melukat.[2]
In the pools, bathers wade in on the left side, stand waist-deep under the first spout and join the next queue after each one. Two spouts are reserved for cleansing the dead and are not used for melukat.[1] Behind the pools, the jeroan is quieter, with a spring full of small fish and brightly decorated shrines.[1] On the way out, a walled koi pond is a calm spot to sit.[1] The temple is dedicated to Vishnu, and the complex also has shrines to Shiva, Brahma, Indra and Mount Batur.[1] The Tampaksiring Presidential Palace, built in 1957 by Indonesia's first president Sukarno, stands just above the temple.[1]
Plan 30 minutes to an hour to explore the whole site.[1]
Things to Do
Offers are only loaded from GetYourGuide after you click. GetYourGuide can then process your IP address and set cookies. Privacy Policy
GetYourGuide partner offers. GoAsia may earn a commission if you book through these offers. Check whether tickets or transfers are included, and follow the attraction's official booking and admission rules.
Melukat: take part or watch
Melukat is a purification ritual that starts with a prayer and continues with washing under the spring's spouts.[2] The entrance ticket covers the temple grounds. If you want to join melukat, follow the procedures and the staff or guides at the site.[2] Bring a change of clothes, because you will be in the water.[2] Women who are menstruating may not take part in the ritual or enter the sacred areas.[2] Come in the morning to avoid queues, especially on weekends and holidays. On full-moon days more Hindu worshippers come to pray.[2]
Visit with respect
Wear modest clothing that covers shoulders and knees.[3] A sarong and sash are required and can be rented at the entrance for a small donation.[1][2] Move quietly, follow the directions of temple officials, do not step on canang sari offerings on the ground and do not disrupt ongoing ceremonies.[3]
Getting there from Ubud
Tirta Empul is roughly 14 km northeast of Ubud, about 30 minutes by road.[1] You can ride a scooter, rent a car or join a tour from Ubud.[1] The temple is about 40 km from Denpasar and 52 km from Ngurah Rai Airport, around 1.5 hours by road.[2] Ride-hailing apps work for the trip out, but few vehicles are available for the return, so arrange your ride back before you go.[2]
Hours and tickets
The temple is open daily from 08:00 to 18:00 WITA.[2] As of January 2025, admission was IDR 75,000 for adults, IDR 50,000 for children aged 5 to 12 and free for children under 5.[2] Prices and hours can change, so keep some flexibility in your budget.
For more trip planning around the island, see our Indonesia travel guide.
Sources and background
Numbers in the text such as [1] refer to these sources.
- [1] Indonesia Travel: A Guide to the Holy Springs of Tirta Empul: Bali’s Sacred Water Temple. Retrieved October 23, 2026.
- [2] Indonesia Travel: Pura Tirta Empul: Sejarah, Daya Tarik, Tiket Masuk. Retrieved October 23, 2026.
- [3] Indonesia Travel: 11 Must-Visit Temples in Bali and How to Reach Them. Retrieved October 23, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a Balinese Hindu water temple in Manukaya near Tampaksiring, Gianyar. Natural springs feed its purification pools, where worshippers perform the melukat ritual, and the complex is still an active place of worship.
No. You can walk the courtyards and enjoy the architecture, the pools and the koi pond. The entrance ticket covers the temple grounds, and joining melukat means following the procedures set at the site.
Yes. Non-Hindu visitors may take part as long as they follow the rules at the temple. Women who are menstruating may not take part or enter the sacred areas.
Wear modest clothing that covers your shoulders and knees. A sarong and sash are required and can be rented at the entrance for a small donation. If you plan to bathe, bring a change of clothes.
It starts with a prayer. You then enter the pool from the left side, stand under the first spout and move on from spout to spout in turn. Two spouts are only for cleansing the dead and are not used by the living.
The temple is roughly 14 km northeast of Ubud, about 30 minutes by road. You can ride a scooter, rent a car or join a tour. Ride-hailing vehicles are scarce for the way back, so arrange your return in advance.
The temple is open daily from 08:00 to 18:00 WITA. As of January 2025, admission was IDR 75,000 for adults, IDR 50,000 for children aged 5 to 12 and free for children under 5.
Come in the morning to avoid queues, especially on weekends and holidays. On full-moon days more Hindu worshippers come to pray.
