Ubud is Bali’s cultural center, so it shouldn’t be any surprise that most of the island’s best temples are in this area.
Some of these are fairly recent creations — built within the last 100 years — while others are more than 1,000 years old. They’re very worth a visit if you’re interested in seeing different cultures and history, not to mention bringing home some unique photos from your trip!
Here’s my complete Ubud temple guide, with a list of the best temples in Ubud and the surrounding areas!
Where To Stay
What To Wear To Temples In Bali
You’ll need to wear a sarong to enter most of these temples in Bali.
A sarong is a traditional skirt you tie around your waist, that can usually be rented on the spot for a small fee like 5,000 Rupiah (less than a Dollar).
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!
Best Temples In Ubud, Bali
1. Saraswati Temple
The Saraswati water temple features a lotus pond and some of the coolest wall patterns and carvings you’ll see in Bali.
The doors are incredibly detailed and elaborate. Flowers, dragons, demon figures, and more.
Tourists aren’t allowed to go through these doors to the main temple, but they’re still great for photos! My favorite is the west door (pictured below).
This temple was built by one of the Ubud princes in the 1950s and it’s dedicated to the Hindu goddess Saraswati (the goddess of learning, literature, and art).
The temple is located in central Ubud, so it’s super easy to visit, and you can combine it with other nearby sights like the Royal Palace.
My favorite door at 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’ 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 located directly in the town center, making it really easy to visit.
The palace has a temple too (of course), but they don’t let tourists go inside, so you’ll have to settle with taking pics of the doorway from the outside.
You can walk through the whole palace in 15 minutes, but it’s still very worthwhile!
Ubud Palace
The walls and doorways have intricate frog-like demon faces carved into the stone, and there’s a door at the back of the courtyard with some of the best designs — gold winged flowers and stone monkey carvings.
Morning is the best time to visit the Ubud Palace, because it gets pretty crowded with tourists by noon. The whole place is free to visit.
If you want to continue the cultural experience, there’s also a traditional Balinese dance performance held here every evening.
A fancy door at the Ubud Palace
5. Goa Gajah Temple
Goa Gajah is one of the oldest and most interesting Hindu temples you can visit in Ubud.
The doorway to this cave temple is really bizarre and unique, and it feels like you’re walking into the belly of some rock monster!
Goa Gajah Temple
The temple itself dates back to the 9th century, and its name means ‘elephant cave,’ although no one knows why.
The inside of the cave has a narrow path that goes about 15 meters deep, where you’ll find some Hindu incense baskets burning.
After checking out the inside of the cave, there’s not much to do here except admire the huge banyan trees.
Amazing tree roots
A lizard we saw near the cave
6. Samuan Tiga Temple
This is a big temple from the 10th century between Ubud and Gianyar, just 800 yards 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.
More Temples Near Ubud
The following temples are not located in Ubud proper, but they’re on the outskirts so you can still visit them easily!
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.
It’s a bit like Bali’s own Valley of the Kings, where ancient royal tombs were carved into a steep cliff wall at the bottom of a river valley.
These ten shrines/tombs were carved during the 11th century, and it’s believed each of the candi (shrines) were dedicated to different members of the ancient Balinese royal family.
Gunung Kawi ruins
There are four monuments on the left as you first enter the site, and then five more on the east bank across the Pakerisan River, which is considered sacred by the locals.
The tenth monument is hidden in the south part of the river valley and you can reach it on a short walking path.
All of Gunung Kawi sits at the bottom of a river valley, so you’ll have to walk down (and back up) nearly 300 steps. It can be a bit tough in the midday heat and humidity.
On the way down to the temples, you’ll pass some rice terraces, souvenir shops, and small cafes and restaurants overlooking the rice paddies.
You’ll notice the shape of the shrines has an uncanny similarity to Prambanan Temple in Java, which is not a coincidence of course since the Hindu people of Bali came from Java.
Gunung Kawi is a neat glimpse into ancient Indonesian civilization, and the river and jungle add to an overall atmosphere that’s just special. You feel like you’re stepping back in time.
All in all, it’s one of my favorite cultural/archaeological sites in Bali.
The cliff shrines
9. Gunung Kawi Sebatu Temple
The name and location of this temple is very close to Gunung Kawi, but this one isn’t as famous. This is a water temple with a nice jungle setting.
10. Tirta Empul Temple
Tirta Empul 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 as part of a purification ritual.
Aside from having some nice photo spots, it’s also been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site with unique cultural sights and history dating back to 960 AD.
The main tourist attraction at Tirta Empul is the holy spring water where people (locals and foreigners alike) do purification bathing rituals according to Hindu customs.
There are two big pools with fountains of fresh water, and Balinese Hindus consider the springs to be holy, while a lot of spiritual tourists from around the world come here to bathe in them too.
The traditional Balinese doorways and statues also make for great photo spots, along with a koi pond and huge banyan tree.
I would plan to spend up to 1 hour looking around the place, or longer if you want to bathe in the pool.
Keep in mind Tirta Empul is one of the busiest temples in Bali. It gets hectic with tourists by noon. The best time to visit is early in the morning before the bus tours and crowds arrive.
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….. 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. 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.
It’s a water temple built in 1634 in the western village of Mengwi, and it’s UNESCO recognized for its culture and history.
Technically you can’t go inside the main temple area, which is locked and surrounded by a canal, but it’s set up kind of like a gallery so you can look inside and take pictures from over the wall.
We even saw a big monitor lizard swimming around in the main moat outside the temple.
Add this 17th century landmark to your to-do list for West Bali!
15. 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
16. Pura Taman Pecampuhan Sala
This is a Balinese temple near Ubud that has a photogenic pool used for purification rituals, and also a natural waterfall that you can visit. It has some similarities to Tirta Empul, although it’s not nearly as well known.
Tourists are welcome to visit, but it’s still rare for foreigners to be seen at this temple, so try to be considerate. You’ll also be asked to wear a sarong and pay a donation. The temple is at the bottom of a long, steep set of concrete stairs.
Ubud Temple Map
Here’s an Ubud temple map you can use to plan your Bali trip. 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 Ubud temples on this map, you can check out my individual travel guides for each location.
More Bali Temples
Looking for more information on the best temples in Bali, Indonesia?
Check out my Bali Temple Guide for a complete list with photos, maps, and more!
More Things To Do In Ubud
I hope this Ubud temple guide was helpful for planning your own trip.
There are lots of other great things to do in Ubud. This area is known for its markets, rice terraces, waterfalls, restaurants, comfy hotels, and more.
Don’t forget to check out my other Ubud travel tips for more info on what to do in Ubud Bali!
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Ubud Hotels
See Also
- Bali Travel Guide – Info, Pictures, & Blog
- Ubud Travel Guide – Best Things To Do In Ubud Bali
- 3-Day Ubud Itinerary – Touring Bali’s Cultural Center
- Ubud Waterfall Guide – Best Waterfalls Near Ubud Bali
- Bali Beach Guide – The Best Beaches In Bali
- Bali Waterfalls Guide – The Best Waterfalls In Bali
- Bali Temple Guide – The Best Temples In Bali
