Despite its small size, Bali is a land of over 10,000 Hindu temples. One of the best places from which to explore many of them is Ubud, Bali’s cultural capital, whose location makes it the perfect base from which to explore many of the island’s temples. In this guide on the Best Temples in and Around Ubud, we will focus on our favourites that are either in Ubud itself or within about an hour’s drive from town. To further help you decide on which temples you might want to prioritize visiting, we will also rank them in different categories (most impressive temples, least crowded temples, best temples for purification rituals, hidden gems, etc).

Disclosure: This page (Best Temples in and Around Ubud) 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

General Information on the Best Temples in and Around Ubud

Although the temples located within the Ubud city limits are definitely interesting and worth of a visit: the most impressive and large temple complexes are located outside the city. Ubud temples can typically be visited in as little as 5-10 minutes as there are fewer structures and they cover less ground (though you might want to stick around longer to appreciate the architecture), whereas the larger temples outside the city can keep you busy for much longer.

–Temple Visiting Attire: As with all Balinese temples, it’s important to dress modestly and to ensure your shoulders and knees are covered when visiting Balinese temples. Although this is not strictly enforced in all places, it is at all temples that require that you pay an entrance fee to visit – in fact, these temples will also provide you with a sarong and sash rental to wear during your visit.

–Entrance Fees: Although a few in Ubud are free to visit, most temples require that you pay a modest admission fee to visit, typically between 50,000 IDR and 100,000 IDR per person (2025), which roughly amounts to 3 to 6 US$/€. Having the exact change or small bills to pay for all costs is preferable as the majority of temples don’t accept credit cards and they may not have enough change for large bills.

–Best Time to Visit: As a general rule, the earlier you visit a temple during the day the better. Some of the more popular temples get quite crowded during the middle of the day, which definitely makes your visit less enjoyable.

–Temple Opening Hours and Planning: The temples vary in their opening times, but typically open between 7 am and 9 am. If you plan to visit several temples on the same day and are an early riser, you can try to visit them in the order that they open to maximize your chances of visiting them with fewer other people around.

–Temple Popularity: Although we will specifically mention further below which temples are the busiest and the most crowded, another good cue to use is the number of Google Maps reviews they have (the larger the number, the more popular the temple).

– Local touts: Don’t be turned off by the various vendors and people trying to sell you things around the temple car parks. This is just the locals trying to make a living and you’ll encounter them at most temples. If you are not interested, just say no thanks and continue onwards towards the temple.
Also, don’t fall for those trying to convince you that you need to buy a sarong before entering the temple. All temples that charge an entrance fee will provide you with a sarong and sash rental (included in the entrance fee).

Best Temples in Ubud

The following temples are located within the Ubud city limits, generally within walking distance of most locations in the center of town. The first three are located along Ubud’s main east-west drag, Jl. Raya Ubud.

Pura Dalem Ubud

Located near the western edge of town, a few blocks west of the Ubud Water Palace (and in between the Subak Juwuk Manis rice field trail and the Sari Organic rice field trail), Pura Dalem Ubud is a unique temple in Bali, which is dedicated to Rangda, the Demon Queen. She is the personification of evil, often depicted with bare breasts, fangs and unkempt hair, while holding a baby (apparently her favorite snack). The Balinese believe that recognizing evil is essential to fully appreciating the benefits of all that is good.

Pura Dalem Ubud is a very imposing temple from street level with a long stone staircase you need to climb to enter the temple. But once inside, it becomes a peaceful oasis that seems far removed from the hustle and bustle of Ubud’s main drag. We are alone for part of our time in the temple, as given its location it doesn’t receive the same amount of visitors as Ubud’s more central temples. The stone carvings are particularly impressive as is the gain Banyan tree in the corner of the temple complex.

Temple Opening Hours: 9 am to 5 pm
Temple entrance fee: 50,000 IDR per person (2025), which roughly amounts to 3 US$/€(includes sarong rental)

Another reason you might want to visit this temple is that it regularly hosts a fascinating Kecak Fire Dance show (every Wednesday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m.). Tickets can be purchased on-site for 100,000 IDR.

Pura Taman Kemuda Saraswati (Ubud Water Palace)

Pura Taman Kemuda Saraswati, also known as the Ubud Water Palace, is primarily known for its beautiful lotus ponds, fountains and water gardens. It’s located between the temple highlighted above (Pura Dalem Ubud) and the next temple described below (Ubud Palace). Saraswati temple is a relatively new temple, having only been built in 1952, and is dedicated to Sarasvati, the Hindu deity of learning, literature and art.

It’s probably the most scenic and unique temple that you will find in Ubud. The lotus ponds create quite a scenic and relaxing ambiance, which are separated by a stone bridge decorated with paras (volcanic tuff) sculptures of Hindu mythological figures.

Beyond the water ponds, you’ll find several Meru towers and a pavilion (bale) with three empty thrones dedicated to the Hindu Trimurti of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.

Temple Opening Hours: 8 am to 7 pm (except Fridays until 9:30 pm)
Temple entrance fee: 60,000 IDR per person (2025), which roughly amounts to 3.25 US$/€(includes sarong rental)

Another reason you might want to visit this temple is that it regularly hosts a Balinese dance performance every night of the week at 7:30 pm (except on Fridays). Tickets can be purchased on-site for 100,000 IDR.

Ubud Palace

The Ubud Palace, officially Puri Saren Agung, was the official residence of the royal family of Ubud. The palace was built in the early 1800s. However, after the 1917 earthquake, palace structures suffered significant damage, but since it was the residence of the royal family it was quickly restored, before being opened to foreign guests in 1928.

Its central location (located across from Ubud’s Art Markert) and the fact that it is free to visit, means that Ubud Palace is by far the busiest and most crowded of Ubud’s temples. We also found it to be the least impressive of Ubud’s temples. Much like the previous temples, Ubud Palace hosts nightly dance shows.

Temple Opening Hours: 7 am to 5 pm.
Temple entrance fee: Free (and no sarong required).

Puri Langon Ubud

Located about a kilometre north of Ubud Palace, Puri Langon Ubud is definitely off the beaten track. Not only were we alone during our visit, but we didn’t see other visitors even come close to it either, as it lies about a hundred meters away from the main north-south street in the area (Jl. Suweta).

The temple is also unique in that it is part of a private residence (or palace) as opposed to a public place of worship, giving it a completely different look and feel. Everything is sparkling and immaculately clean, and you are so far away from Ubud’s traffic that the temple courtyard is very quiet and time seems at a standstill.

Like many of the other temples on this list of Ubud temples, Puri Langon is a relatively modern temple, having been built in the 19th century, and is known for its beautiful and intricate carvings, which cover every inch of the temple’s walls, gates, and shrines. The temple is dedicated to the Hindu god Brahma, who is revered as the creator of the universe.

Temple Opening Hours: 9 am to 5 pm (gates are opened to the public)
Temple entrance fee: Free (and no sarong required).

Pura Dalem Agung Padangtegal

Pura Dalem Agung Padangtegal, or the Padangtegal Great Temple of Death, is one of three Hindu temples making up a temple complex located in the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary – commonly called the “Ubud Monkey Forest”. The temple lies in the southwestern part of the forest s used for worshiping the god Hyang Widhi in the personification of Shiva, the Recycler or Transformer. This temple is older than most of those mentioned above, and dates from the mid-14th century.

Although the temple isn’t the most photogenic temple on its own, what makes it particularly interesting is seeing it covered with monkeys.

Temple Opening Hours (opening hours of the Ubud Monkey Forest): 9 am to 5 pm
Temple entrance fee (Ubud Monkey Forest entrance fee; no sarong required): 100,000 IDR per person (2025), which roughly amounts to 6.00 US$/€.

Pura Gunung Lebah

Unfortunately, we didn’t get to visit this temple as it was exceptionally closed during our time in Ubud, but normally it is fairly popular with visitors. It’s easy to combine the temple visit with the Campuhan Ridge Walk, as you will walk by the temple at the very beginning of the trail.
The temple is much older than the other Ubud temples and is believed to originally date from the 8th century.

Best Temples Near and Around Ubud

The following temples are all roughly located within an hour’s drive of Ubud’s city center. For a more complete list of our favorite Balinese temples including those that are further out from Ubud, check out our guide on the Best Temples and Palaces to Visit in Bali.

Goa Gajah

Distance from Ubud: 5 km // Average Drive Time: 10 minutes

Located just outside Ubud, Goa Gajah is a popular destination due to its impressive “Elephant Cave”, whose impressive and ornate doorway is a unique attraction in Bali. The exact origins of the cave are uncertain, but it is believed to have been built as a sanctuary for meditation and spiritual reflection. Archeological and historical experts believe Goa Gajah dates from the 11th-century Bali Kingdom

Our favorite part of Goa Gajah wasn’t the elephant cave, but rather a lush jungle garden with a cascading river, beautiful stone bridges and a scenic waterfall.

Temple Opening Hours: 8 am to 6 pm
Temple entrance fee: 50,000 IDR per person (2025), which roughly amounts to 3 US$/€.

For more information on this temple and what to expect during your visit, check out our detailed Goa Gajah Temple Guide.

Pura Goa Lawah

Distance from Ubud: 30 km // Average Drive Time: 1h – 1h20 minutes

Although the temple is one of Bali’s most important temples from a spiritual and cultural perspective, the main draw for tourists is the large cave that is home to thousands of bats, Although you are not allowed to enter the cave, you can still get pretty close to admire these creatures of the night. Pura Goa Lawah was established in the 11th century by Mpu Kuturan, who was one of the early priests to introduce Hinduism to Bali.

The bats here are mainly nectar bats (Eonycteris Spele) which means they eat fruit and are not a threat to people.

Temple Opening Hours: 8 am to 6 pm
Temple entrance fee: 50,000 IDR per person (2025), which roughly amounts to 3 US$/€.

For more information on this temple and what to expect during your visit, check out our detailed Goa Lawah Temple Guide.

Pura Kehen

Distance from Ubud: 25 km // Average Drive Time: 1h – 1h15 minutes

Pura Kehen is one of the oldest and most beautiful in Bali. It sits atop a long, ornate staircase with intricate stone carvings and statues. Although not off the beaten path nor in a far remote location, the temple doesn’t seem to be part of the main tourist circuit yet, meaning that you might find yourself alone (or almost) when visiting. The temple’s outer courtyard is home to a huge banyan tree, which is believed to be over 400 years old, whereas the inner courtyard’s main attraction is an impressive 11-tiered Meru Tower, but you’ll also find several other smaller shrines in the main sanctum.

Temple Opening Hours: 8 am to 5 pm
Temple entrance fee: 50,000 IDR per person (2025), which roughly amounts to 3 US$/€.

For more information on this temple and what to expect during your visit, check out our detailed Pura Kehen Temple Guide.

Pura Tirta Empul

Distance from Ubud: 15 km // Average Drive Time: 30 – 40 minutes

Pura Tirta Empul is one of Bali‘s most popular temple complexes, a sanctuary revered for its sacred springs and spiritual significance. One of the main draws to this temple is the opportunity to take part in a purification ritual (Melukat purification ceremony), where you will enter the bathing pools.

The temple is also quite large and has several courtyards, meaning there’s lots to explore here even if you are not interested in the purification ceremony.

Temple Opening Hours: 8 am to 6 pm
Temple entrance fee: 75,000 IDR per person (2025), which roughly amounts to 4.50 US$/€.

For more information on this temple and what to expect during your visit, check out our detailed Pura Tirta Empul Temple Guide.

Pura Gunung Kawi Sebatu

Distance from Ubud: 15 km // Average Drive Time: 30 – 40 minutes

Although Pura Gunung Kawi Sebatu isn’t an overly large temple complex, it seems to be jam-packed with things to see. In particular, it is filled with relaxing koi ponds, pools and fountains designated for purification rituals, and several photogenic shrines. The temple is primarily dedicated to Lord Vishnu, the protector and preserver in Hindu tradition, and was constructed as a tribute to Bali’s water deities, symbolizing the island’s close ties with natural elements, especially water.

Temple Opening Hours: 8 am to 6 pm
Temple entrance fee: 50,000 IDR per person (2025), which roughly amounts to 3 US$/€

For more information on this temple and what to expect during your visit, check out our detailed Pura Gunung Kawi Sebatu Temple Guide.

Pura Mengening

Distance from Ubud: 15 km // Average Drive Time: 30 – 40 minutes

Often overlooked by tourists, Pura Mengening is one of Bali’s Bali‘s best-kept secrets and a true hidden gem. The temple is a beautiful oasis surrounded by lush vegetation on all sides. Also, much like in Tirta Empul, its popular neighbour temple from down the street, you can take part in a water purification ritual but in a much more relaxed atmosphere with fewer other tourists. It’s a great place to enjoy several temple water features (ponds, fountains and bathing pools) in a relaxed atmosphere and relative solitude.

Temple Opening Hours: 9 am to 5 pm
Temple entrance fee: 30,000 IDR per person (2025), which roughly amounts to 2 US$/€

For more information on this temple and what to expect during your visit, check out our detailed Pura Mengening Temple Guide.

Gunung Kawi Tampaksiring

Distance from Ubud: 15 km // Average Drive Time: 30 – 40 minutes

Gunung Kawi Tampaksiring is easily one of our favorite temples in Bali, as its several attractions rolled into one: a beautiful temple complex, and huge archeological site that includes royal tombs, and a series of stunning rice terraces, all of which are surrounded by lush green vegetation and crisscrossed by the scenic Pakerisan River. Gunung Kawi Temple, also often referred to as the Valley of The Balinese Kings, was built in the 11th-century temple and served as a funerary complex that is spread across both sides of the Pakerisan River. One of its notable features are the 10 rock-cut shrines that are carved into some 7-metre-high (23 feet) sheltered niches into the cliff face.

Beyond the temple, there’s also a short but scenic rice terrace walking trail.

Temple Opening Hours: 8 am to 6 pm
Temple entrance fee: 50,000 IDR per person (2025), which roughly amounts to 3 US$/€.

For more information on this temple and what to expect during your visit, check out our detailed Gunung Kawi Tampaksiring Temple Guide.

Map of the Temple Locations near Ubud

You’ll notice that a few of the temples are clustered together. Immediately south of Pura Tirta Empul are Pura Mengening and Gunung Kawi Tampaksiring. Slightly northwest of these is Pura Gunung Kawi Sebatu.

Other Must-See Balinese Temples and Palaces

In this guide, we focused on temples that are located in and around Ubud, but Bali has many more temples and places that might be of interest to you, including Taman Ujung Water Palace, Pura Ulun Danu Beratan, Pura Luhur Batur, and Tirta Gangga Water Palace.

To find out more about these temples, check out our guide on Bali’s Best Temples. In this guide, we will also directly compare the different temples based on various metrics such as “most crowded”, “hidden gems”, “most expensive”, and “most scenic”.

For more ideas on planning day trips from Ubud (including waterfalls, temples and rice terraces), be sure to check our guide on the Best Day Trips from Ubud.

How to get to the Temples from Ubud

In our opinion, the three best transport options to reach the majority of these temples 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 temples 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 departing from nearby Ubud that visit several temples:

Where to Stay in Ubud

Ubud is a great base from which you not only can explore the above-listed temples but also many beautiful rice terraces and waterfalls. If you are still looking for a place to stay here in Ubud, all of the following are some of the best mid-range hotel accommodations located within walking distance from Ubud’s city center:

Komaneka at Rasa Sayang Ubud Hotel

Ubud Village Hotel

Adiwana Resort Jembawan

Kajane Mua Villas

Alaya Resort Ubud

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)

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)

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Well, that wraps it up! We hope you enjoyed our guide on Best Temples in and Around Ubud and that it will prove useful for planning your trip.

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You might also be interested in these related pages: