Pura Luhur Batukaru Temple

Address: Pura Luhur Batukaru, Baturiti (Penebel), Tabanan Regency, Bali, Indonesia

Hours: Daily 7:00am-6:00pm

Pura Luhur Batukaru is a major Balinese Hindu temple complex located on the slopes of Mount Batukaru in western Bali. The temple functions as an important regional shrine and is set within forested, often mist-covered hillside terrain.

The complex comprises multiple courtyards and shrines following Balinese temple layout and is visited for ritual ceremonies, offerings and by visitors interested in Balinese religious architecture. The setting is shaded by forest and characterized by moss-covered stonework and traditional split-gate entrances.

The temple lies in west Bali on the lower slopes of Mount Batukaru within Tabanan Regency, and is accessed via rural roads and short walks from nearby villages.

• Directional temple: Situated on the slopes of Mount Batukaru, it is one of Bali’s important directional temples (Pura Kahyangan Jagat) serving the western part of the island.

Pura Luhur Batukaru is accessible by road from Tabanan (about 1-1.5 hours depending on traffic) or from the Ubud area (≈1.5-2 hours). Drive or hire a car/scooter and follow signs up the western slopes of Mount Batukaru; the final approach is a short walk through forested steps.

• The temple sits within dense forest on Mount Batukaru's slopes - arrive early morning for quieter atmosphere and to hear temple gamelan rehearsals.
• Wear respectful attire: sarong and sash are often required; many temples provide them at the entrance.
• Combine with a hike to the Batukaru summit if seeking a longer wilderness day; the temple is on the route for pilgrims heading up the mountain.

Pura Luhur Batukau is one of the nine directional temples, or kayangan jagat, that protect Bali from evil spirits, guarding the island from the west; its peers include Pura Luhur Uluwatu and Pura Besakih. These directional temples occupy auspicious sites such as volcano flanks or clifftops above the ocean. First built in the 11th century, the temple was destroyed in 1604 and rebuilt in 1959. Its central shrine is a seven-tiered meru honouring Gunung Batukau, Mahadewa.

Galungan is Bali’s most important ceremony, and worshippers travel from far and wide to pray here; the temple’s holy waters are used in rituals asking for the fertility of the land and enough rain for the coming harvest. Because it is harder to reach than most of the island’s temples, fewer tourists arrive, the air stays fresh and vendors are absent. Its lush, leafy surroundings and frequent mountain mist have earned it the nickname of the garden temple.