Before I visited the beaches (aside from the beach near the hostel) in Bali, I met up with a fellow travel blogger to see the different temples in Bali.
Bali is definitely a very spiritual island. One can see plenty of offerings in front of houses, restaurants, shops, and other places. The Balinese also like to put sarongs around trees, rocks, and other inanimate objects. The Balinese were also a demure group of people, they don't seem to get angry much.
Taman Ayun
Taman Ayun was the first temple that we visited, it was quite far from the city but the view of the countryside was splendid. Taman Ayun means 'beautiful garden' and this temple does live up to its moniker because of the garden and design of the temples.
Taman Ayun was built in 1634 by the Raja of Mengwi, I Gusti Agung Putu. Walking around this temple gave me a sense of calm and serenity.
It looks like the ancestors of the Balinese liked cockfighting as exemplified by some of the displays in this temple.
My favorite part of Taman Ayun is the area displayed in the photos above. The towering Hindu temples made me think of ninjas flying through the air. People were not allowed to step inside this section, but viewing these temples from a distance was still worth it.
I don't know if she was a caretaker or a worshiper, but there was one Balinese woman walking inside the complex and placing offerings inside the temple. There is a 15,000 IDR entrance fee for Taman Ayun.
Ulun Danu Temple
Our next stop was Ulun Danu Temple, I was fortunate enough to meet the new friends I made back in Yogyakarta. It just so happened they were also heading north.
Ulun Danu Temple was built in 1663, dedicated to the lake, water, and river goddess, Dewi Danu. This beautiful temple sits on the shores of Lake Bratan in Bedugul.
There is also a beautifully kept garden in the premises of the temple.
There were also other temples within the complex. I really liked the cold but not too cold weather of Bedugul. Bali has diverse weather because some parts are mountainous and some parts are filled with beaches. There is a 30,000 IDR entrance fee for Ulun Danu.
Jatiluwih
My travel blogger friend and I headed to Jatiluwih after another hour. The rice terraces were ok but nothing special.
Tanah Lot
Tanah Lot was our last destination for the day. This impressive temple rests on a rock formation by the shore.
Droves of tourists and worshipers flock to Tanah Lot to take in the sights and place their offerings for the gods. There were other temples around Tanah Lot. The view of the shore and the gardens were also a nice mix. There is a 32,500 IDR entrance fee for Tanah Lot.
My friend and I just booked a car for the whole day to take us to these places, it cost us 200,000 IDR each. Getting to these places was not easy because of the distance between them, we ended up traveling 12 hours just to get to these four places and back to the hostel in Sanur.
