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Ulun Danu Beratan Temple (Pura Ulun Danu Bratan) - Lake Bratan
Best time to visit
Visit early morning before 8:30 for soft light, fog over the lake, and fewer tour buses. Dry season April to October gives clearer skies and easier walking around grounds.
Budget tips
Entrance fee for foreign visitors is about IDR 50,000; Indonesian residents pay less, and children get reduced rates, while parking and optional boat rides cost extra, so carry cash. Combine the visit with nearby Bedugul attractions by hiring a single driver to reduce transfer costs.
Recommended for
Photography enthusiasts, Spiritual travelers, Couples, Day trippers from Ubud or Bedugul
Plan your visit
1-2 hours
About
Quick facts: Misty mornings often make the tiered shrines seem to float on the lake, producing the mirror-like reflections photographers chase at sunrise. Locals still leave lotus and fruit offerings to the water goddess, and seasonal ceremonies sustain ancient irrigation traditions that shape nearby rice terraces.
Highlights: At sunrise, priests in crisp white sarongs perform melukat purification rites that use jasmine and frangipani smoke, the 17th century temple, built in 1633 for Dewi Danu the water goddess, seems to float because its tiered meru reflect perfectly on the glassy lake. Local farmers still tell stories of bargaining with temple guardians by sending tiny coconut-leaf offerings across the water to secure irrigation, a tactile ritual you can hear as soft paddles and the plop of leaves breaking the mountain-cool silence at about 1,240 meters above sea level.
Insider tips
- Wear modest clothing or bring a sarong and shoulder-covering scarf, guards sometimes require temple-appropriate attire.
- Arrive before 8am for the best reflections and to avoid large tour groups.
- Take photos from the lakeside platform facing the main meru for classic reflection shots, or cross the road for a wider mountain backdrop.
- Skip pricey souvenir stalls near the entrance; buy snacks or drinks from local warungs a few minutes' walk away for better prices.
Book a FREE walking tour in Bali, Indonesia
The best way to experience a city with a local tour guide.
Tip: We strongly recommend a free walking tour on your first day to get to know the city with a local guide. They usually cover all main attractions and you can ask for personal recommendations based on your interests for the next days. Book early as spaces fill up fast!
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