Though it shares similarities with many traditional Balinese temples, Tirta Gangga is not a temple but a former royal palace. Known for its stunning water ponds, beautiful fountains, lush gardens, and intricate stone carvings, the palace has significantly grown in popularity over the past years due to the photogenic and Instagrammable stepping stones that allow you to cross one of the water ponds. To help you plan your visit and get the most out of your time here, we put together this Visiting Guide for Bali’s Tirta Gangga Water Palace. Located in East Bali, many combine a visit to the temple with a visit to the nearby and grandiose Taman Ujung Palace.
Disclosure: This page (Bali’s Tirta Gangga Water Palace – A Temple Visiting Guide) may contain product affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, we may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. More details can be found on our disclosure and policies page.
You might also be interested in these pages (coming soon):
Best Things to See and Do in Bali
Best Things to See and Do in the Gili Islands
The Perfect Three-Week Bali Itinerary
Everything You Need to Know About Visiting Bali
Tirta Gangga Water Palace: Location & Map
Tirta Gangga Water Palace is located in eastern Bali’s Karangasem Regency (link to Google Maps). There is a small car park right next to the temple.
How to get to Tirta Gangga Water Palace
Drive times can be highly variable depending on the traffic conditions.
Distance from Ubud: 65 km // Average Drive Time: 1h45 – 2h15
Distance from Kuta: 80 km // Average Drive Time: 2h – 2h30
Distance from Canggu: 80 km // Average Drive Time: 2h15-2h45
Distance from Sanur: 70 km // Average Drive Time: 1h45 – 2h15
Distance from Sidemen: 25 km // Average Drive Time 50 – 60 minutes
In our opinion, the three best transport options to reach Tirta Gangga Water Palace are: renting a scooter (moped), joining a group tour that hits several nearby attractions within a day or a half-day, or hiring a car and driver (which really isn’t as expensive as it sounds).
You can also use Bali ride-hailing apps such as Gojek or Grab, and make use of local taxis, but these options will typically cost more, especially if you plan on visiting several sites and attractions on the same day. Also, Gojek or Grab are not authorized to pick up people in certain locations where local taxi unions limit their services, including Canggu, Sanur, and Ubud. For more information on getting around the island and the different available options, check out our How to Best Get Around Bali guide.
Regardless of your chosen transportation method, you are likely to enjoy the ride there. The road leading to the waterfall is very scenic. You will pass small villages and beautiful rice fields.
We highly recommend Airalo (eSIM card) for your connectivity needs when travelling abroad. Airalo is the world’s first and largest eSIM store with eSIM plans for 200+ countries and regions worldwide.
Getting to Tirta Gangga by Scooter: Once you get to Bali, you’ll quickly realize that scooter rental operators are everywhere. Although most street-side vendors will regularly be the cheapest option, they come short in several other aspects compared with more reliable and established vendors. For instance, most won’t offer roadside assistance or insurance that covers theft, nor do they regularly sanitize the helmets or have their scooters undergo regular maintenance. For this reason, we highly recommend using Bikago for your scooter rentals. Renting from them might be slightly more expensive (but still can be rented for as low as 12-15 US$/€ per day) but you get great peace of mind as among many other perks, all scooters undergo extensive quality checks.
What you get with your Bikago rental:
-Helmets
-Full tank of petrol and unlimited mileage
-Free Delivery and Collection at your Hotel
-24/7 Roadside Assistance and First Aid Medical Kit
-Charging Mobile Phone Holder
By Car and Driver hire: Hiring a car and driver to explore Bali can be a practical and cost-efficient way to experience a full day of sightseeing. Although this option is more expensive than renting a scooter (typically 40-60 US$/€ per day), you don’t have to worry about navigating the Bali roads and traffic, Also, most cars are modern and air-conditioned, which is welcome in Bali’s humid heat, and the local drivers always know the best routes to take and can optimize your ideal itinerary. Here are some of the best options to choose from:
By Group Tour: Group tours can be a great option to lower costs and reduce the hassle of having to plan an efficient itinerary. Their main downside is they might not exactly be tailored to your specific interests and preferences. But if you are mostly interested in hitting the main sights and attractions, there are these great tour options that can pick you up in multiple towns and visit places including Tirta Gangga Water Palace:
Tirta Gangga Water Palace – Ticket Price and Operating Hours
Palace Entrance Fee
The Tirta Gangga Water Palace entrance fee for foreigners is 90,000 IDR per person (2025), which roughly amounts to 5.50 US$/€ (which is nearly double the cost of most other temples we visited). This fee helps maintain the temple and its surrounding grounds.
Modest additional costs are required for parking: 5,000 IDR for scooters and 10,000 IDR for cars.
Having the exact change or small bills to pay for all costs is preferable as many temple sites don’t accept credit cards and they may not have enough change for large bills. To our knowledge, there are no ATMs around the water palace.
Palace Opening Hours
Tirta Gangga Water Palace is open daily from 7 am to 7 pm.
Palace Facilities
Toilets are available on-site (near the center of the palace). We didn’t use them, but we heard and read reports that they are often dirty.
Palace Dress Code
Since Tirta Gangga is not an actual temple but rather a formal royal palace, wearing a sarong is not required. However, modest clothing that covers the shoulders and knees is recommended.
About Tirta Gangga Water Palace and its History
Tirta Gangga is a former royal palace in eastern Bali and was named after the sacred river Ganges in India, symbolizing the holy water of life and reflecting its spiritual importance.
The Water Palace was built in 1948 by the last king of Karangsem (who was also behind the construction of the Taman Ujung Water Palace) It was originally designed as a resting place for the royal family and their guests, but also to host spiritual rituals as the water in the pools was believed to possess healing powers.
Unfortunately, the water place was nearly completely destroyed following the 1963 eruption of nearby Mount Agung. After a partial restoration, Tirta Gangga Water Palace was opened to the public in 1970 – but its current appearance dates from the early 2000s when a more extensive renovation took place to restore the water palace to its former glory.
Tirta Gangga Water Palace – What to Expect
Tirta Gangga Water Palace is a large outdoor complex built on three different levels (Bhur, Bwak and Swah levels). When entering the complex, the largest ponds are to your left, and the beautiful stone bridges feature intricate carvings (Bhur level).
The first thing one notices when entering the complex however are the main attractions of the middle level: the koi pond featuring stepping stones (Mahabharata pond) and the imposing water fountain in the background.
Many come just for the stepping stone pond as they have become a popular attraction for Instagrammers and those looking for a unique selfie spot. If you don’t arrive early enough in the day, you might find it difficult to actually cross the pond due to several stones being occupied by people posing for pictures.
We found the large ornate Nawa Sanga fountain to be more impressive honestly. It’s an 11-tiered fountain designed to resemble the Meru towers found in many of Bali’s Hindu temples.
Tirta Gangga can get quite crowded due to its popularity, but fortunately, you can easily escape the crowds by heading to the upper level as most tourists tend to stay in the two lower levels (particularly around the stepping stone pond).
The upper level features the Versailles and Victoria ponds, beautiful intricately carved stone statues and the natural spring that feeds the ponds under a large Bayan tree.
Many fountains are adorned with intricate and beautifully detailed stone carvings of mythological figures and animals, transforming the area into an artistic masterpiece.
For those interested, two pools are designated for swimming. The water in the pools is very cool and clear, but during our visits to Tirta Gangga, we didn’t see anybody actually swimming in them.
Why You Should Visit Tirta Gangga Water Palace
– An Incredibly Scenic Palace: The ponds and fountains are some of the most beautiful in Bali, surrounded by lush gardens and intricate stone carvings.
– The stepping stones: if you are looking for a unique selfie or photo spot for your Instagram, this is the place.
– Cultural Significance: Although it was only for a short period, Tirta Gangga Water Palace is a former royal palace.
Why You Might Not Want To Visit
– Often busy and crowded: By mid-morning the temple complex is filled with visitors.
– Expensive: Although not that expensive in absolute terms for most foreigners, Tirta Gangga is significantly more expensive than most temple complexes we visited.
How Long Do You Need at Tirta Gangga Water Palace
Tirta Gangga Water Palace is not a very large complex, you can probably walk around the entire complex in less than 10 minutes. If it is not too busy when you visit, you might want to take your time to admire the scenery, the beautiful fountains and the detailed statues, in which case you should plan for about 30 minutes.
Best Time to Visit Tirta Gangga Water Palace
Best Time of the Year
Although we visited during the dry season, there’s no bad time of year to visit the temple. There’s a higher risk of rain during the wet season (November-April), but that shouldn’t discourage you as there are likely to be fewer other tourists around.
Best Time of Day
Although this is true of all temples and palaces – the “earlier the better” is particularly true about Tirta Gangga Water Palace. Crowds will quickly start to form after 9 am. If you can’t make it early in the day, the best time is towards the late afternoon when the number of people visiting will start to diminish. If you do come during a busy time, fortunately, most people tend to stick around the stepping stone pond, so you can find quieter corners around the water palace, particularly on the third level.
Other Nearby Temples, Palaces, and Attractions
There are no other major temples in the immediate vicinity of Tirta Gangga Water Palace. However, the impressive Taman Ujung Water Palace is only a 15-minute drive away. Even closer to (though smaller and less impressive than Taman Ujung) you’ll find Puri Agung Karangasem, a former royal family residence in the center of the city of Almapura.
A 20-minute drive east from Tirta Gangga will take you to the Temple Of Penataran Agung Lempuyang, where you will find the iconic Gate of Heaven, a popular spot for those looking for that perfect Instagram shot – but expect to wait a long time for your turn.
North of Tirta Gangga is Amed Beach (a 30-minute drive away), a popular destination for snorkelling and diving activities, and south is Virgin Beach (also about a 30-minute drive away), one of Bali’s most beautiful beaches.
To discover more of Bali’s temples, be sure to check out our guide on Bali’s Best Temples to Visit.
Where to Stay Near Tirta Gangga Water Palace
In our opinion, the best place to stay in the area is in Sidemen, whose location makes it a great base from which to explore East Bali’s waterfalls and temples. These are two of the best mid-range hotel accommodations that are set in a beautiful location amongst the rice fields:
If you are looking to splurge, Wapa di Ume Sidemen is simply fantastic and is located on the same street as the other two accommodation options above:
Another great base in Bali is Ubud. It’s a bit further from Tirta Gangga, but it’s well-located to visit several other fantastic attractions throughout Bali. All of the following are some of the best mid-range hotel accommodations located within walking distance from the city center:
Komaneka at Rasa Sayang Ubud Hotel
Planning a Trip to Bali?
You might be interested in these pages: (coming soon)
Best Things to See and Do in Bali
Best Things to See and Do in the Gili Islands
The Perfect Three-Week Bali Itinerary
Everything You Need to Know About Visiting Bali
We also highly recommend these guidebooks:
Bali: The Solo Girl’s Travel Guide
Lonely Planet Bali, Lombok & Nusa Tenggara
Photography Gear
If you like our photography, you might be interested in some of the gear we use to shoot our travel and hiking destinations.
Camera Body – Nikon Z 6ii Fx-series Mirrorless Body
Main Lens – NIKON 24-120mm F/4G ED VR AF-S
Zoom Lens – Sigma 745-306 150-600mm f/5-6.3
Polarizing filters – Urth Circular Polarizing (CPL)
Camera Tripod – K&F Concept 64-inch Camera Tripod
Mini-tripod – Lammcou Flexible Camera Tripod
Camera/hiking backpack – Vanguard Alta Rise 48 Backpack
Universal Travel Adapter – VYLEE Universal International Power Travel Plug
Other Travel Essentials
Travel Insurance
SafetyWing is a travel insurance company that offers comprehensive coverage for travellers. Includes Medical Insurance and Travel Insurance. Primarily geared towards long-term travellers, digital nomads, and expats.
e-Sim cards
Airalo is the world’s first and largest eSIM store with eSIM plans for 200+ countries and regions worldwide. With Airalo eSIMs, travellers can get connected the moment they land at their destination and avoid nasty data roaming charges
eSIMS are a sustainable alternative to single-use SIM cards – they are 100% digital, require less energy to produce and be re-used rather than disposed of.
Car Rentals
Discover Cars is our go-to website for car rentals. We almost always find our preferred rate there.
Transfer from Airport
Welcome Pickups is our favourite private transfer service, which you can pre-book at a fixed price. Currently available in 220 cities all over the world (mostly in Europe, but with several major cities in Asia, the Middle East and the US).
Kiwitaxi is another private transfer service – we haven’t tried it yet, but it’s currently available in a few more countries (102 as of 2024).
Hotels and Accommodations (coming soon)
Photography Prints
If you found this blog useful, you can help support our blog by purchasing low-cost digital prints. Printed physical prints are also available for purchase.
—–
Well, that wraps it up! We hope you enjoyed our guide on Bali’s Tirta Gangga Water Palace and that it will prove useful for planning your trip.
—–
You might also be interested in these related pages:
