There are lots of temples on Bali: Each village has at least three, each with a specific purpose and location, so there are hundreds of them across the island. One of the most beautiful ones, both for its design and location, is Pura Ulundanu on Lake Beratan. It’s part of many organized tours and you should add it to your itinerary as well, regardless of where on Bali you are staying – it’s worth the trip!

The temple Ulundanu (Ulun Danu) is located on the shores of Lake Beratan near the town of Bedugul, in the North of Bali, about 2 hours drive from the airport or the Southern beaches. Despite the traffic and the narrow roads, it’s a beautiful drive once you leave the densely populated South Bali: forest, rice fields and mountains along the road! Once you get over the mountain pass, you have a view over Lake Beratan, worth a visit on its own!
The temple complex was built in 1663 and is situated right on the shore of Lake Beratan, which contributes to the beauty and makes for great photo opportunities. The most famous one, Pura Di Tengah Danau, made it onto the 50,000 rupiah banknote and is built on a little island surrounded by the lake. It is dedicated to Shiva and It’s pagoda shape with 11 roofs is very distinctive. The whole complex is well maintained – and it’s still an active temple. During our visit, there was a ceremony going on and we respectfully left them to their service. You can roam around the complex at your leisure and check out the many temples with their beautiful detailing and the nicely kept grounds and landscaping.
The maintenance is supported by the ticket fees: It’s 30,000IDR per adult foreigner plus 5,000IDR for a car.You can find the current prices, more information about the temple and photos here! South Bali has cleaned up nicely and there are a lot fewer scams than there used to be (except the taxis), the scams are alive and well at the tourist sights away from the beaches. Make sure to ask for a ticket – consider any amount without a ticket your donation to the local economy…