Ubud · Temple
Tirta Empul, Tampaksiring
Holy spring water, thirteen carved spouts and a living purification rite, 40 minutes from Ubud.
By the Baligasm editors · Updated 29 October 2026 · Photo: Chainwit. / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)
Overview
Tirta Empul: before you go
At Tirta Empul, a spring temple in Tampaksiring, Balinese Hindus purify themselves under a row of carved stone spouts, and visitors of any religion can step into the pool beside them. It lies 19 km north-east of Ubud (30–40 minutes) and around 52 km from the airport (1.5–2.5 hours). Entry is IDR 75,000 for adults. Watching takes about an hour, bathing nearer two. Go for the ritual, not the photographs.
A spring rises inside the temple's innermost courtyard and runs out to become part of the Pakerisan River. The temple itself is dated to 962 AD, under King Candrabhaya Warmadewa, yet the legend behind the water is older. Mayadenawa, a tyrant who had outlawed worship of the gods, was retreating before Indra's army when he poisoned a spring, and the soldiers who drank from it fell dead. Indra drove his spear into the earth; new water gushed out and brought his men back to life. Tirta is Balinese for holy water, and this is the spring of that story. Locals say the name Tampaksiring recalls the fleeing king's footprints.
For Balinese Hindus the bath, melukat, purifies body and mind together. Every spout is named and has a role, whether cleansing, healing or turning away harm, and Hindus who come to worship pay nothing. The calendar shapes the crowd: on Purnama, the full moon, and Tilem, the new moon, families arrive in temple dress with offerings, and the line in the water can run along the whole row.
Non-Hindus are welcome on the temple's terms. That means a sarong and sash, no soap, swimwear only underneath a bathing sarong, and staying out of the water during menstruation, as at all Balinese temples. The sequence is straightforward: change into a green rental sarong, make an offering, then work from the left-hand spout along the row, ducking your head beneath each. Spectators can follow everything from the walkway, and the inner courtyard, with the spring pool among its shrines, is usually far quieter.
Popularity has costs. The adult foreign ticket rose from IDR 50,000 in 2023 to IDR 75,000 by January 2025, and from about 10 am until 2 pm day tours from Ubud fill the pool and line its edge with phones. On the hill above the temple is Tampaksiring Palace, a presidential retreat Sukarno began in 1957 and a separate site. Arrive at opening, behave as you would in any place of prayer, and the morning can be one of the most memorable of a Bali trip.
- Opening hours
- Roughly 8 am to 6 pm every day, ceremony days included
- Ticket
- Adults IDR 75,000; children IDR 50,000; under 5 free
- Time needed
- About 60 minutes to watch; 90–120 minutes with bathing
- Best time
- Right at opening, or late afternoon; skip Purnama and Tilem if you dislike queues
- Dress code
- Sarong and sash compulsory for all; separate bathing sarong for rent
- Location
- Tampaksiring, a 30–40 minute drive (19 km) north-east of Ubud
Manukaya, Tampaksiring, Gianyar Regency, Bali
Open in Google Maps ↗Read it on the Blog →What to see
What to see at Tirta Empul
Before the bath
Once you have a ticket, pick up a sarong and sash at the gate, borrowed or rented. In the middle courtyard a cash-only counter rents the green bathing sarongs (around IDR 10,000) and lockers (around IDR 15,000). Changing areas are split by gender but open, with no cubicles, so arrive with swimwear on. Buy a canang sari, tuck in a small donation, leave it at the shrine next to the pools and say a prayer in whatever form suits you.
The row of spouts
Thirteen carved spouts line the main pool, starting at the far left. Join the queue there. At each one, put your palms together for a silent wish or prayer, rinse your mouth three times and spit the water out, splash your face three times, and finally bow your head into the stream. Then shuffle right to the next. Two spouts are reserved for rites for the dead and should be skipped; attendants, or the Balinese ahead of you, will point them out.
The spring itself
Past the pools is the jeroan, the temple's holiest courtyard, where the spring wells up into a wide pool surrounded by shrines. This is the source of the water in every spout and, beyond the walls, of the Pakerisan. Non-Hindus in a sarong may go in if they keep quiet. It is calmer than the bathing area and explains better than anything else why Tirta Empul is here.
Watching instead
You can enjoy the temple without getting wet. The walkway beside the pools looks straight down on families moving spout to spout, many in temple dress and carrying offerings. On full and new moon days, the pattern of the ritual is easier to follow from up there than from inside the queue. Stand back, ask permission before photographing people at prayer, and clear the way for anyone with an offering.
The outer courtyard
The jaba, where you first enter, is dominated by a big koi pond ringed by figures from Hindu mythology. Use it to orient yourself before the pools, and for a picture of the temple with nobody bathing in it. It is worth a second look on the way out, after the tour groups have moved on.
Sukarno's palace on the hill
Looking down on the temple is Istana Tampaksiring, built for President Sukarno. The first building, Wisma Merdeka, went up from 1957; its guest room faces the spring, and a relief on the back veranda depicts the Mayadenawa story. The palace still serves the state, is not included in the temple ticket, and admits the public only at set times.
Seasons
Best time to visit Tirta Empul
Opening time, about 8 am, is the sweet spot. The pools are quiet then, filling by around 9:30 and jammed by 1 pm; the worst stretch, roughly 10 am to 2 pm, matches the arrival of Ubud tour buses. After 4 pm the light is gentler, but the last hour leaves little slack for changing and bathing. Occasionally the gate opens before 8 am, though that is not something to rely on.
Moon phases matter more than seasons. Purnama and Tilem bring the biggest local crowds of the month, with families coming to pray and bathe. That is the time to go if you want to see devotion at full strength and do not mind waiting in the water. Galungan (13 January 2027) and Kuningan (23 January 2027) are similarly busy. The temple keeps its usual hours on ceremony days; on Nyepi, 8 March 2027, all travel on the island stops.
Weather is a minor factor, since you will be wet anyway. Between April and October, mornings are dry and both the drive and the changing rooms are more pleasant. From November to March the Tampaksiring hills often see heavy afternoon rain.
Getting there
How to get to Tirta Empul
Ubud centre30–40 minutes
19 km by car or scooter, either north through Tegallalang or south-east via Bedulu and Pejeng. A driver for the day is the norm.
Ngurah Rai Airport1.5–2.5 hours
52 km through Denpasar and Gianyar. Book a driver in advance; how bad Denpasar is decides the time.
Canggu or Seminyak1.5–2.5 hours
47–49 km. Leave around 7 am to beat the noon queue, with Tegallalang as a stop on the return.
Sanur1–1.5 hours
37 km heading north through the Gianyar regency.
Nusa Dua or Uluwatu2–3 hours
60–70 km. Too long for a quick visit; go during a stay in Ubud.
Penelokan, Kintamani30–40 minutes
19 km downhill from the caldera rim, a natural stop after the Mount Batur sunrise trek.
| From | Time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Ubud centre | 30–40 minutes | 19 km by car or scooter, either north through Tegallalang or south-east via Bedulu and Pejeng. A driver for the day is the norm. |
| Ngurah Rai Airport | 1.5–2.5 hours | 52 km through Denpasar and Gianyar. Book a driver in advance; how bad Denpasar is decides the time. |
| Canggu or Seminyak | 1.5–2.5 hours | 47–49 km. Leave around 7 am to beat the noon queue, with Tegallalang as a stop on the return. |
| Sanur | 1–1.5 hours | 37 km heading north through the Gianyar regency. |
| Nusa Dua or Uluwatu | 2–3 hours | 60–70 km. Too long for a quick visit; go during a stay in Ubud. |
| Penelokan, Kintamani | 30–40 minutes | 19 km downhill from the caldera rim, a natural stop after the Mount Batur sunrise trek. |
Know before you go
Tips for your visit
- 01Bring a towel, a full change of clothes and a waterproof bag; the changing areas are communal.
- 02Small cash covers the bathing sarong, locker, offering and parking, and there is an ATM next to the ticket desk.
- 03Rinse but do not swallow, and leave soap and shampoo behind.
- 04Women who are menstruating should, by Balinese custom, stay out of the temple and the water.
- 05Give way to worshippers, speak quietly in the pool and save posed photos for somewhere else.
- 06Valuables go in the locker. If you want a phone, use a waterproof pouch or leave it with someone on the walkway.
- 07Parking is in a large lot at the entrance and costs at most about IDR 2,000 per scooter or IDR 5,000 per car, paid on exit. The courtyards sit close together with few stairs, which makes this an easier temple for anyone with limited mobility, but wet stone around the pools is slippery.
- 08Tampaksiring is a long way from central Ubud, and finding a ride back can take time. Keep your driver, or arrange the return before you go in. On a scooter, stash dry clothes under the seat.
- 09Guides wait near the changing area and can help with the offering and the spout sequence. Rates are not fixed, so settle on one before starting; about IDR 100,000 for four people is a fair benchmark.
- 10Gunung Kawi is only 1.5 km away and also requires a sarong, so combine the two before the day heats up.
FAQ
Tirta Empul questions, answered
What does it cost to enter Tirta Empul?
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IDR 75,000 per adult and IDR 50,000 per child, with under-fives free. That adult figure was IDR 50,000 for foreigners in 2023, so older quotes are stale. Balinese Hindus who come to worship or bathe pay nothing. On top of the ticket, carry cash for the bathing sarong, a locker, an offering and parking.
When does Tirta Empul open and close?
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Roughly 8 am to 6 pm, seven days a week, holidays and ceremony days included. You may find the gate open a little earlier, but 8 am is the official time. To avoid the crush, arrive at opening or after 4 pm; tour groups from Ubud dominate from about 10 am until 2 pm.
Are non-Hindus allowed to bathe?
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Yes. Anyone may take part in melukat provided they wear a sarong and sash, keep to the sequence of spouts and treat the bath as an act of worship, not a swim. Hire a green bathing sarong and a locker in the middle courtyard, leave an offering at the shrine and start from the left-hand end of the main pool.
Are any spouts off limits?
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Two are: they are kept for ceremonies connected with the dead. Attendants will tell you which spouts are for general use, and the two are usually marked. When in doubt, copy the Balinese bathers in front of you or simply ask before you put your head under the water.
What do I need to wear or bring?
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Anything that covers shoulders and knees, plus a sarong and sash from the entrance, which men wear as well. Bathers put swimwear on beneath a rented green bathing sarong; swimwear by itself is not allowed. Pack a towel, dry clothes and sandals that come off easily at the water's edge.
How much time does a visit take?
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Allow about an hour if you only explore and watch, and 1.5–2 hours to bathe, as changing and the spouts typically take an hour between them. The drive from Ubud adds 30–40 minutes each way, and Gunung Kawi, a few minutes down the road, adds another hour.
Is Tirta Empul still worthwhile with the crowds?
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Yes, provided you arrive early and either join in or watch with respect. Few places in Bali let visitors share a living Hindu rite, and the spring and its legend give the temple real depth. In the middle of the day, with queues in the pool, it can feel more like an attraction, so timing is everything.
What if I have my period?
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Balinese custom asks women who are menstruating not to enter temples or join melukat. No one will check, but following the custom shows respect for a working place of worship. If the timing clashes, move the visit to another day, or skip the pools and see the nearby sights instead.
How long is the drive from Ubud?
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Around 30–40 minutes by car to cover the 19 km north-east from central Ubud. From the airport, Seminyak or Canggu, it is closer to 50 km and 1.5–2.5 hours, which is why most people go from an Ubud base or on a day trip with a hired driver.
Is a guide worth paying for?
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It is optional. Attendants handle the essentials, while a guide can explain each spout, help with the offering and hold your phone. Guides approach visitors once they have changed and charge no set fee, so agree a price up front; about IDR 100,000 for a small group is usual.
Nearby
Pair it with
Gunung Kawi Tampaksiring
Ten 11th-century shrines carved into the Pakerisan cliffs, at the bottom of a stairway through paddies; 1.5 km, roughly 5 minutes' drive.
Tegallalang Rice Terrace
The island's most photographed terraces, best before 9 am and handy on the road back to Ubud; 7 km, 15–20 minutes.
Goa Gajah (Elephant Cave)
A cave sanctuary from the 11th century in Bedulu, with a demon-mouth entrance and ancient bathing pools; 14 km south, 25–35 minutes.
Kintamani and Mount Batur
Crater and lake views from the Penelokan ridge, or a pre-dawn climb up the volcano; 19 km, 30–40 minutes.
Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary
Over 1,000 macaques, temples and a ravine on the southern edge of central Ubud; 21 km, 40–50 minutes.
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