Saraswati Temple
Bali, Indonesia
Taman Ayun Temple, Bali
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Photo: Cindi CGJ, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia CommonsThe essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- ≈ IDR 30,000–50,000
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Opening hours
- Daily, roughly 8:00–18:00
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Time on site
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A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes. - 1 h
- With kids
- Fine with kids
- Entrance fee
- ≈ IDR 30,000–50,000 foreign adult; sarong usually included
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Inside
- The inner courtyard is for worshippers; visitors walk the path around its wall
- UNESCO
- Part of the Cultural Landscape of Bali (subak system) since 2012
- Location
- Central Mengwi; ≈ 17 km from Ubud, ≈ 26 km from Kuta and Seminyak
Key facts
1634the year the king of Mengwi built the temple
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English Wikipedia'Beautiful garden'the meaning of Taman Ayun
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English Wikipedia6.9 hathe area of the compound, ringed by a moat
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English Wikipedia2ndlargest temple on Bali
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English Wikipedia11 tierson the tallest meru shrines in the inner courtyard
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English Wikipedia2012added to the UNESCO subak World Heritage site
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English Wikipedia3 subaksin Badung are fed by the temple's waters
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English Wikipedia≈ 18 kmto Tanah Lot
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OSRM routeTaman Ayun entrance fee and hours
There's no official price list online; 2026 guides quote IDR 30,000–50,000 for a foreign adult, usually with a sarong included. Pay cash at the ticket booth. It's open roughly 8:00–18:00 daily; access can change on holidays and ceremony days.
What is Pura Taman Ayun?
Pura Taman Ayun is a garden temple in the town of Mengwi. The Mengwi king Gusti Agung Putu built it in 1634 as a family temple honouring the dynasty's ancestors. The name means 'beautiful garden'. It's Bali's second-largest temple: a 6.9-hectare rectangle surrounded on three sides by a broad moat, entered by a bridge from the south.
Like every Balinese temple it has three courtyards divided by split gates. The inner one holds shrines from two up to eleven tiers, for the gods and the Mengwi royal ancestors. The temple's water feeds three subak irrigation societies, and in 2012 Taman Ayun became part of UNESCO's Cultural Landscape of Bali Province.
What you'll see
Over the bridge and through the gate is a garden of lawns, ponds and pavilions. The inner courtyard is closed to visitors, but a path runs around its low wall — perfect for seeing the rows of meru towers with their dark palm-fibre roofs and carved stone bases.
It's calm and spacious: Taman Ayun appears on fewer big-group itineraries than Tanah Lot, and it's a pleasant place to wander. For the classic shot of the merus lined up, walk to the western side of the wall.
Things to see at Taman Ayun
- Rows of meru shrines up to 11 tiers in the inner courtyard.
- The moat around the temple and the entrance bridge.
- The main gate, carved in red brick.
- Gardens with ponds and lotus.
- The wantilan pavilion in the outer courtyard, traditionally used for cockfights — none are held for visitors.
How to get to Taman Ayun Temple
Step-by-step directions are below; the map shows where you arrive.
Where are you starting from?
We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.
More tips
- From Ubud — about 17 km west, 20 minutes on paper, usually 30–40.
- From Kuta or Seminyak — about 26 km, 40–60 minutes in normal traffic.
- From Ngurah Rai Airport (DPS) — about 30 km.
- No public transport: taxi, Grab, Gojek, scooter or a hired driver.
- Tanah Lot is about 18 km away and the Jatiluwih rice terraces about 30 km north.
When to go and what to combine
Allow about an hour. The light is best in the morning or mid-afternoon; at noon it's hot with little shade. Taman Ayun sits where the roads west and into the hills meet, so it slots easily into a day trip.
The classic pairing is Taman Ayun in the afternoon and Tanah Lot at sunset. Or head for the hills: Taman Ayun, the Jatiluwih rice terraces and the lake temple at Beratan.
Is Taman Ayun worth visiting?
Yes: it's one of Bali's most beautiful and peaceful temples, inexpensive and conveniently placed. The rows of merus behind the wall are as striking as the famous temples on the water and cliffs.
YesGo's take: you can't go inside, and if you've already seen a couple of big temples it may feel like 'another one'. As a stop on the way west, though, it's well worth it.
Bali temples compared
Temples on Bali rated by YesGo. Click a column header to sort.
| Saraswati Temple | 45 | 30 min | free; dance ≈ IDR 100,000 | 10.5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ubud Monkey Forest | 36 | 1 h 15 min | IDR 130,000 | 9.8 km |
| Goa Gajah (Elephant Cave) | 35 | 1 h | ≈ IDR 50,000 | 12.7 km |
| Batuan Temple | 29 | 45 min | donation or ≈ IDR 30,000–50,000 | 12.2 km |
| Taman Ayun Templeyou are here | 26 | 1 h | ≈ IDR 30,000–50,000 | — |
| Tanah Lot Temple | 26 | 1 h 30 min | IDR 75,000 | 12.9 km |
| Gunung Kawi | 25 | 1 h 15 min | ≈ IDR 50,000 | 20.2 km |
| Tirta Empul Temple | 24 | 1 h 15 min | ≈ IDR 50,000–75,000 | 21.0 km |
| Ulun Danu Batur Temple | 24 | 1 h | ≈ IDR 35,000 | 36.6 km |
| Goa Lawah Temple | 24 | 45 min | ≈ IDR 30,000 | 32.6 km |
| Uluwatu Temple | 23 | 1 h 30 min | ≈ IDR 50,000–60,000 | 33.4 km |
| Ulun Danu Beratan Temple | 23 | 1 h 15 min | IDR 100,000 | 30.1 km |
| Besakih Temple | 22 | 2 h | IDR 150,000 | 36.0 km |
| Lempuyang Temple (Gates of Heaven) | 20 | 2 h 30 min | ≈ IDR 100,000 + shuttle | 53.1 km |
| Geger Beach | 20 | 2 h 30 min | free or ≈ IDR 5,000–10,000 | 31.5 km |
West Bali in a day
The Jatiluwih rice terraces in the morning, Taman Ayun at midday and Tanah Lot for sunset. Add it to your trip — YesGo will set the timings and transfers.
- Jatiluwih Rice Terraces2 h · ≈ IDR 50,000–75,000
- 382 min walk from the previous stopTaman Ayun Templeyou are here1 h · ≈ IDR 30,000–50,000
- 224 min walk from the previous stopTanah Lot Temple1 h 30 min · IDR 75,000
3 places · about 14 h 36 min with walks · 606 min on foot in total
How to do it right
- Walk the path around the inner wall — it has the best views of the merus.
- Come in the morning or after 3 pm; midday is hot.
- Carry rupiah cash for the ticket booth.
- Slot it in on the way: it's on the road west from Ubud.
- Finish at Tanah Lot for sunset, about 18 km away.
Questions
How much is the Taman Ayun entrance fee?
2026 guides quote IDR 30,000–50,000 for a foreign adult, usually with a sarong included.
What are Taman Ayun's opening hours?
Roughly 8:00–18:00 daily.
Can you go inside Taman Ayun Temple?
Not the inner courtyard, which is for worshippers; visitors walk the path around it.
Where is Taman Ayun Temple?
In central Mengwi, Badung Regency, 17 km from Ubud.
How do I get to Taman Ayun?
By taxi, Grab, Gojek or car: about 17 km from Ubud and 26 km from Kuta.
Why is Taman Ayun a UNESCO site?
Its water feeds three subaks; it's been part of the subak World Heritage site since 2012.
Is Taman Ayun worth visiting?
Yes, as a calm, inexpensive stop on the way to Tanah Lot or the hills.
How long do you need at Taman Ayun?
About an hour.
Have you been? Was it worth your time?
1 — no, 5 — absolutely
Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.
Sources and fact-check
- English Wikipedia — Pura Taman Ayun: 1634, the Mengwi king, area, moat, merus, UNESCO 2012, subaks
- baliholidaysecrets.com, pickyourtrail.com, heybali.info (2026) — fee and hours (unofficial)
- Wikidata Q1028566 — coordinates; OSRM routing — distances
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