Tirta Empul and Gunung Kawi sit about 1.5 km apart in Tampaksiring, both along the sacred Pakerisan River, and both about 20 minutes from The Pala Ubud. Living this close, we know them less as sights and more as neighbours, places where local families still come to pray on a normal Tuesday morning. If you plan it well, you can see both before lunch, without the crowds and without rushing.
Here are our Tirta Empul visit tips, from what to wear to how the purification ritual works, plus how to fit in Gunung Kawi on the same morning.
Why Visit Both Temples in One Morning
The two sites complement each other well. Tirta Empul is a living water temple, busy with prayer and the sound of running springs. Gunung Kawi is older and quieter, a valley of royal shrines carved into the cliffs. Seeing them together gives you a real sense of how deep Balinese history runs in this small corner of the island.
The order matters. Start at Tirta Empul right at opening time, before the tour groups arrive from Ubud, then drive the five minutes to Gunung Kawi while the air is still cool enough for its long staircase.
Quick Facts Before You Go
Prices are for foreign visitors and were checked in November 2026. Bring cash in rupiah, as card payments are not always possible.
| Tirta Empul | Gunung Kawi | |
| Opening hours | Daily, about 8 am to 6 pm | Daily, about 8 am to 6 pm |
| Adult ticket | IDR 75,000 | IDR 75,000 |
| Child ticket | IDR 50,000 | IDR 50,000 |
| Sarong and sash | Included for entry | Included for entry |
| Time needed | 1 hour, or 1.5 to 2 hours with the ritual | 1 to 1.5 hours |
| Effort | Easy, mostly flat | Around 300 steps down and back up |
A Simple Morning Plan
- 7:40 am: Leave the estate after an early coffee.
- 8:00 am: Arrive at Tirta Empul as the gates open.
- 9:45 am: Change into dry clothes and drive five minutes to Gunung Kawi.
- 10:00 am: Walk down into the valley and explore the shrines.
- 11:30 am: Climb back up and head home for lunch at Hura Restaurant.
Tirta Empul Visit Tips
Tirta Empul is built around a natural spring that fills a series of pools lined with carved stone spouts. For more than a thousand years, Balinese Hindus have come here for melukat, a purification ritual, and the temple welcomes visitors of any faith who join respectfully.
Go Early or Go Late
The busiest hours run from about 10 am to 2 pm, when tour groups from Ubud arrive. Midday often means a queue in the water and a crowd with phones along the edge. Arrive at opening, around 8 am, or come after 4 pm, and the temple feels completely different.
Tirta Empul: What to Wear
Cover your shoulders and knees. A sarong and sash are included with your ticket for walking around the temple, so there is no need to buy one from roadside sellers. If you plan to enter the water, you will need a separate green bathing sarong, which you can rent along with a locker for a small fee inside the temple.
Wear swimwear or light clothing under your sarong, and bring a towel, a change of clothes and a plastic bag for anything wet. Under Balinese custom, women who are menstruating, and anyone with an open wound, do not enter the temple or the pools.
How the Purification Ritual Works
Before entering the water, buy a small canang sari offering from the stalls outside, usually around IDR 10,000 to 20,000, and place it at the shrine beside the pools with a quiet prayer in your own way. Then step into the main pool at the far left and queue behind the person ahead.
At each spout, bow your head under the water, and move along the row from left to right. Skip the two spouts reserved for ceremonies for the dead. If you are unsure which ones they are, watch the local families or ask an attendant. Above all, treat it as worship rather than a swim: no splashing, no posing for long photos, and no rushing the person in front of you.
Respect the Offerings
You will see small offerings on the ground and on shrines throughout the temple. Walk around them, never over them. Keep your voice low, avoid photographing people at close range while they pray, and never stand higher than a priest during a ceremony.
Gunung Kawi Temple: The Valley of the Kings
Five minutes away, Gunung Kawi temple feels like another world. Ten great shrines, each set in a niche around seven metres tall, are carved straight into the cliffs on both sides of the Pakerisan River. They date to the 11th century and are linked to King Anak Wungsu of the Udayana dynasty and his family. The site was hidden in forest until Dutch archaeologists rediscovered it around 1920, and local people still use its holy water for ceremonies today.
Getting there is part of the experience. From the ticket booth, a long stone staircase of around 300 steps winds down through rice terraces to the river. The descent is easy. The climb back up, in the heat of late morning, is the real workout.
A few things to do in Tampaksiring well at Gunung Kawi:
- Wear shoes with grip. The stone steps get slippery after rain, which is common from November to March.
- Bring water. There is little to buy at the bottom of the valley.
- Cross the river. The five largest shrines sit on the far bank, along with a working temple courtyard.
- Take your time. Gunung Kawi rarely gets as crowded as Tirta Empul, so there is no need to hurry.
Prefer Somewhere Even Quieter?
If the idea of a crowded pool does not appeal, there is an alternative right next to the estate. Goa Garba, a 12th century meditation site carved above the same river, is a short walk from your villa. Our resident priest leads a gentle melukat there, offered as a wellness experience without any religious obligation, and you are unlikely to share it with anyone else.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best time to visit Tirta Empul?
Right at opening, around 8 am, or after 4 pm. The temple is busiest between about 10 am and 2 pm.
Can tourists join the purification ritual?
Yes. Visitors of any faith can take part, as long as they wear the green bathing sarong, follow the order of the spouts, skip the two reserved for the dead and treat the ritual as prayer.
What should I wear to Tirta Empul?
Clothing that covers your shoulders and knees. A sarong and sash are included with your ticket. For the ritual, rent a green bathing sarong and wear swimwear underneath.
How many steps are there at Gunung Kawi?
Around 300 steps each way. Visitors who have counted them report about 315, so allow time and energy for the climb back up.
Can I visit Tirta Empul and Gunung Kawi in one morning?
Yes. The two temples are about 1.5 km apart. Start at Tirta Empul at 8 am and you can finish at Gunung Kawi before noon.
Plan Your Morning from The Pala Ubud
Our butlers can arrange your driver, prepare offerings and time the morning around any ceremonies happening that day. For more ideas nearby, read our guide to day trips from Ubud, explore our Experiences page, or message our team on WhatsApp to plan your visit.
