# Besakih Temple, Bali > Besakih is Bali's Mother Temple: a complex of 23 temples on the slopes of Mount Agung, around 1,000 m up and 44 km from Ubud. Foreign adults pay IDR 150,000, which covers the buggy from the car park, a sarong and a local escort. It's open daily from about 8:00 to 18:00. Allow two hours, and go early before clouds hide the volcano. Web page: https://yesgo.io/indonesia/bali/besakih - City: [Bali](https://yesgo.io/indonesia/bali), Indonesia - YesGo score: 22/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 2 h - Entry: IDR 150,000 - With kids: Fine with kids - Entrance fee: IDR 150,000 foreign adult, ≈ IDR 80,000 child - Included: Electric buggy from the car park, sarong, local escort - Opening hours: Daily, roughly 8:00–18:00 - Inside: Inner courtyards are for worshippers; visitors use the stairways and outer terraces - Altitude: About 1,000 m — cool in the morning - Location: Slopes of Mount Agung, Karangasem; ≈ 44 km from Ubud, ≈ 62 km from Kuta - Coordinates: -8.37410, 115.45222 - Facts checked: 10.11.2026 ## Key facts - **23** — temples make up the Besakih complex (source: English Wikipedia) - **≈ 1,000 m** — above sea level on the slopes of Mount Agung (source: English Wikipedia) - **6** — terraces climbed by the main temple (source: English Wikipedia) - **Penataran Agung** — the largest and most important temple of the complex (source: English Wikipedia) - **17th century** — approximate date of the padmasana, the lotus throne at its heart (source: English Wikipedia) - **1284** — by this year the site was in use as a Hindu temple (source: English Wikipedia) - **70+** — festivals a year — nearly every shrine has its own anniversary (source: English Wikipedia) - **IDR 150,000** — the foreign adult fee since April 2024 (source: bali.live, 29 Mar 2024) ## Besakih Temple entrance fee and what's included Since April 2024, foreign adults pay **IDR 150,000** and children around IDR 80,000. That's steep by Bali standards, but it covers an **electric buggy** from the car park to the gate, a **sarong**, and a **local escort** who shows you the way and explains the rules. Buy your ticket at the **official counter** by the car park and bring rupiah cash. Hours are roughly 8:00–18:00; on major ceremony days some courtyards close to visitors. > **Watch out for touts at Besakih** Besakih has long had a reputation for pushy self-appointed guides and sellers. On the road in or at the drop-off you may be told you can't enter without them, or offered sarongs and offerings at silly prices. Buy only at the official ticket office — the escort and sarong are already included — and politely but firmly say no to anything else. ## What is Besakih, the Mother Temple? **Pura Agung Besakih** is the most important, largest and holiest temple of Balinese Hinduism, known as the **Mother Temple**. It sits on the southern slopes of **Mount Agung**, the island's highest and most sacred volcano, at about **1,000 m**. Rather than one building, it's **23 temples** on parallel ridges linked by stairways and gateways. The heart is **Pura Penataran Agung**: six terraces, a split candi bentar gate at the entrance and the Kori Agung gate into the second courtyard. Its ritual focus is the **padmasana**, a stone lotus throne from around the 17th century. Some stone bases resemble megalithic stepped pyramids, and the site has been a Hindu sanctuary **since at least 1284**; by the 15th century it was the state temple of the Gelgel dynasty. ## What you can see at Besakih A broad **stairway** climbs from the gate past stone figures from the Mahabharata and Ramayana to the split gateway — on a clear morning, Agung's summit rises right behind it. Beyond are courtyards of tiered **meru** shrines, the most important with 11 roofs. Inner courtyards with altars are for worshippers only, but from the stairs and side terraces you can see nearly everything. **Ceremonies** are frequent: families in white and gold carry offerings while a gamelan plays. Keep out of their way and don't walk in front of people praying. > **Dress code and etiquette** A sarong and sash come with your ticket; cover your shoulders too. As at all Balinese temples, signs ask women who are menstruating and anyone with an open wound not to enter the shrines. Don't sit on walls or altars, and don't push a camera into worshippers' faces. ## Things to see at Besakih - **The main stairway** of Penataran Agung with its epic-hero statues. - **The split gateway** framing Mount Agung. - **Eleven-tiered meru roofs** over the principal shrines. - **The padmasana**, the lotus throne at the centre of the complex. - **A ceremony**, if your timing is lucky. - **Views down** over east Bali's valleys and rice fields from the upper terraces. ## How to get to Besakih Temple 1. **From Ubud** — about 44 km, 35–40 minutes on paper, about an hour in practice. 2. **From Sanur** — about 51 km; **from Kuta or Seminyak** — about 62 km, 1.5–2 hours in normal traffic. 3. **From Ngurah Rai Airport (DPS)** — about 66 km. 4. There's no public transport: hire a driver, take a taxi, Grab or Gojek, or ride a scooter — the last stretch climbs steadily. 5. An electric buggy runs from the car park to the gate; it's included in the ticket. ## Best time to visit and how long to stay Allow **about two hours**, stairs included. Come **in the morning**: by early afternoon Agung usually disappears into cloud and rain is common on the slopes. At 1,000 m it's cooler than the coast, so a light layer helps. Besakih pairs naturally with the **Sidemen Valley** (about 24 km) and **Goa Lawah** temple on the way back south. For a quieter visit, avoid major Balinese festival days, when pilgrims fill the stairways and courtyards close. ## Is Besakih Temple worth visiting? Yes, if you're interested in Balinese religion as it's lived: it's the island's most important temple, huge and tiered, with the volcano behind it. Nothing in the south comes close in scale. YesGo's take: the ticket is pricey, you can't enter the inner courtyards and the approach can feel hassly. If you're staying in the south on a short trip, the round drive eats half a day. On its own it's borderline; combined with Sidemen, it's worth it. ## Before you go - [ ] Rupiah cash for the ticket - [ ] Shoulders covered, a layer for the cool air - [ ] Leaving early to see Mount Agung - [ ] Ticket from the official counter only - [ ] Sidemen or Goa Lawah next ## Bali temples compared Temples on Bali rated by YesGo. - [Saraswati Temple](https://yesgo.io/indonesia/bali/pura-taman-saraswati) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · free; dance ≈ IDR 100,000 - [Ubud Monkey Forest](https://yesgo.io/indonesia/bali/ubud-monkey-forest) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · IDR 130,000 - [Goa Gajah (Elephant Cave)](https://yesgo.io/indonesia/bali/goa-gajah) — YesGo score 35/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ≈ IDR 50,000 - [Batuan Temple](https://yesgo.io/indonesia/bali/batuan-temple) — YesGo score 29/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · donation or ≈ IDR 30,000–50,000 - [Tanah Lot Temple](https://yesgo.io/indonesia/bali/tanah-lot) — YesGo score 26/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · IDR 75,000 - [Taman Ayun Temple](https://yesgo.io/indonesia/bali/taman-ayun) — YesGo score 26/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ≈ IDR 30,000–50,000 - [Gunung Kawi](https://yesgo.io/indonesia/bali/gunung-kawi) — YesGo score 25/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · ≈ IDR 50,000 - [Tirta Empul Temple](https://yesgo.io/indonesia/bali/tirta-empul) — YesGo score 24/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · ≈ IDR 50,000–75,000 - [Ulun Danu Batur Temple](https://yesgo.io/indonesia/bali/ulun-danu-batur) — YesGo score 24/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ≈ IDR 35,000 - [Goa Lawah Temple](https://yesgo.io/indonesia/bali/goa-lawah) — YesGo score 24/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · ≈ IDR 30,000 - [Uluwatu Temple](https://yesgo.io/indonesia/bali/uluwatu-temple) — YesGo score 23/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · ≈ IDR 50,000–60,000 - [Ulun Danu Beratan Temple](https://yesgo.io/indonesia/bali/ulun-danu-bratan) — YesGo score 23/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · IDR 100,000 - [Besakih Temple](https://yesgo.io/indonesia/bali/besakih) — YesGo score 22/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · IDR 150,000 - [Lempuyang Temple (Gates of Heaven)](https://yesgo.io/indonesia/bali/lempuyang) — YesGo score 20/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · ≈ IDR 100,000 + shuttle - [Geger Beach](https://yesgo.io/indonesia/bali/geger-beach) — YesGo score 20/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · free or ≈ IDR 5,000–10,000 ## East Bali in a day Besakih in the morning, the Sidemen Valley rice fields at midday, and Goa Lawah cave temple on the way back. Add it to your trip — YesGo will set the timings and transfers. 1. [Besakih Temple](https://yesgo.io/indonesia/bali/besakih) — YesGo score 22/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · IDR 150,000 2. [Sidemen Valley](https://yesgo.io/indonesia/bali/sidemen) — YesGo score 24/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · free 3. [Goa Lawah Temple](https://yesgo.io/indonesia/bali/goa-lawah) — YesGo score 24/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · ≈ IDR 30,000 ## Tips - Leave early: by midday Agung's summit is usually in cloud. - Buy only at the official counter — the escort and sarong are included. - Bring a layer; at 1,000 m it's cool and showers are common. - The best view of the volcano is through the split gateway from the main stairs. - Carry on to the [Sidemen Valley](https://yesgo.io/indonesia/bali/sidemen), 24 km away. ## Questions ### How much is the Besakih Temple entrance fee? IDR 150,000 for a foreign adult and about IDR 80,000 for a child, including the buggy, sarong and escort. ### Why is Besakih called the Mother Temple? It's the largest and most important temple of Balinese Hinduism, the centre of the island's religious life. ### Do I need a guide at Besakih? An escort is included in the official ticket; you don't need to pay roadside guides. ### Can tourists go inside Besakih Temple? Inner courtyards are for worshippers. Visitors climb the stairways and view the courtyards from outside. ### What are Besakih's opening hours? Roughly 8:00–18:00 daily; some areas close on major ceremony days. ### How do I get to Besakih from Ubud? It's about 44 km by hired car, taxi or scooter — around an hour. ### Is Besakih Temple worth visiting? Yes for its scale and setting, especially combined with Sidemen; on its own from the south it's a long trip for a pricey ticket. ### What should I wear to Besakih? Cover your shoulders; a sarong comes with the ticket. Bring a layer for the cool morning. ### Where is Besakih Temple? On the southern slopes of Mount Agung in Karangasem Regency, east Bali. ## How we checked The description, altitude, number of temples, architecture, history (1284, Gelgel) and festival count come from English Wikipedia. The IDR 150,000 foreign fee from 1 April 2024 and what it includes are from bali.live (29 March 2024); the child fee and 8:00–18:00 hours are from 2026 travel guides, so they're marked unconfirmed. In line with YesGo policy we don't describe Mount Agung's eruptions. The warning about touts is our own, based on travel guides. Distances are OSRM routes without traffic from Ubud (44 km), Sanur (51 km), Kuta (62 km) and the airport (66 km), and to Sidemen (24 km) and Goa Lawah (31 km). ## Sources - English Wikipedia — Besakih Temple: 23 temples, altitude, terraces, Penataran Agung, padmasana, 1284, festivals - bali.live, 29 March 2024 — new foreign visitor fee and what it includes - 2026 travel guides (themerusanur.com, water-sports-bali.com) — child fee, hours, buggy (unofficial) - Wikidata Q829418 — coordinates; OSRM routing — distances --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.