The district of Tampaksiring, about 30–45 minutes north-east of Ubud, holds two of the most important sacred sites in Bali. Tirta Empul is a spring temple whose water is believed to be holy; Balinese Hindus come here for melukat, a purification ritual in which they pass under a row of spouts in a long stone pool.
Visitors may join the ritual if they do it respectfully: wearing a sarong, following the order of the spouts and, ideally, with a guide or temple attendant explaining what to do. Even if you do not bathe, watching the pools from the side is one of the most memorable sights in Bali.
A few minutes down the road, Gunung Kawi is an 11th-century royal memorial: a series of huge shrines, each several metres tall, carved into niches in a cliff face on either side of a river. You reach them down a long stairway through rice terraces.
Top things to do at Tirta Empul & Gunung Kawi
Take part in melukat
Change into the provided sarong, bring an offering if your guide suggests it, and move along the spouts in order. Some spouts are reserved for specific rites, so ask first.
Walk down to Gunung Kawi
Several hundred steps lead down through rice terraces to the river and the rock-cut shrines. Allow time for the climb back up.
See the spring pool
Behind the bathing pools, the spring bubbles up through the sand of a clear pond. It is the source of everything else.
How to get to Tirta Empul & Gunung Kawi
- Both sites are in Tampaksiring, roughly 30–45 minutes by car from central Ubud, depending on traffic.
- Go by hired driver, Grab/Gojek car or as part of a tour; many full-day Ubud tours include Tirta Empul.
- Combine them with Tegallalang or Mount Batur, which are on the way.
- Both sites charge an entrance fee (each around IDR 50,000 at the time of writing; check current prices) and lend sarongs.
- For bathing, bring a change of clothes and a towel; lockers and changing rooms are available.
- Arrive at opening time — Tirta Empul gets very crowded by late morning.
- Women who are menstruating are traditionally asked not to enter temple areas.
Best tours & tickets for Tirta Empul & Gunung Kawi
These top-rated experiences are the easiest way to see Tirta Empul & Gunung Kawi and make the most of the day:
Temple & ritual from US$15 Bali: Holy Spring Temple Tour with Purification Ritual
Visit the holy spring temple of Tirta Empul with a guide and take part in a traditional purification ritual in its pools, learning the history of the temple and the legend of its sacred spring.
- Guided visit to Tirta Empul
- Take part in a traditional purification ritual
- The temple’s history and legend explained
Heritage tour Bali: Archeology Museum, Gunung Kawi & Goa Gajah Temple Tour
A day for history: the rock-cut shrines at Gunung Kawi, the carved cave of Goa Gajah and an archaeology museum that puts both in context. A small tour with top ratings.
- The rock-cut shrines of Gunung Kawi
- The Elephant Cave at Goa Gajah
- An archaeology museum
Private tour from US$23 Ubud: Waterfalls, Water Temple & Rice Terraces Private Tour
A flexible private tour built around water: Ubud waterfalls, the holy spring temple at Tirta Empul and the Tegallalang rice terraces. Pick the shorter version if you want your afternoon back. Over 7,000 reviews.
- Choose a 6-hour or a full-day version
- Tirta Empul water temple
- Waterfalls and the Tegallalang terraces
