Bali had been a dream destination for us and we immediately fell in love when we explored this island. We could keep writing continuous articles about Bali since the dimensions, the beauties and the surprises this island offers are endless. But, in this post we will focus only in the religious and spiritual vibe of Bali, which stole our hearts and admiration. The real physic representation of the Balinese Hindu religion are the beautiful temples one can encounter in every corner of this island, from the small family temples in every Balinese house, to the big and magical public ones. We picked our favorite ones during our stay and we totally recommend you to include them in your trip.
Tirta Empul Temple, which is also known as the “Holy Spring Water Temple”, is a water temple close to the town of Tampaksiring in Bali, a forty minutes drive from the center of Ubud. It is a temple complex build around a mountain spring which feeds the purification baths, pools and fish ponds of the temple. The water in the pools is believed to have magical powers and you need to dive in all the 30 water spouts in order to get purified. The temple is open from 9 in the morning until 5 o’clock in the afternoon and you must wear a “sarong”.
Gunung Kawi Temple is close to Tirta Empul Temple and it comprises of 10 rock-cut shrines that are carved into some 7 meters high sheltered niches of the sheer cliff face. These monuments are dedicated to the King of one of the Balinese dynasties and his favorite queens of the 11th century.
Another famous temple in the center of Bali is the Goa Gajah Temple or Elephant Cave Temple. It is built in the 9th century and it served as a sanctuary and spiritual meditation place.
Last but most dear temple for us is Uluwatu located in the south-western part of the island. This temple is built at the edge of a 70 meter high cliff ending at the sea. The ocean views from here are magical at sunset when the rituals at the temple begin. The special inhabitants of this temple are the Macaque monkeys who snatch the visitors’ belongings. They make your visit to the temple a lot more fun since you’ll need to persuade them into trading your items with fruits.
Have you visited the temples in Bali or any other Hindu temples? Share your experience with us!
