Taman Ujung

Taman Ujung, officially Taman Soekasada Ujung, is a royal water garden about 5 km south-east of Amlapura, on the road that runs down from the town to the coast. It is one of the water palaces built by the last raja of Karangasem, the same ruler behind Tirta Gangga in the hills to the north.

The complex spreads across three large ponds at the foot of a steep hill. The main pavilion stands on an island in the central pond, reached by two bridges, and a second, open pavilion sits in the middle of another pool where music and dance were once performed. The mix of styles is the thing to look for: European columns and balustrades, arched openings that recall Middle Eastern buildings, and Balinese stone carving on the details. Steps climb the hillside behind the pools to viewpoints over the gardens, the coast and, on clear mornings, Mount Agung.

The grounds are spacious and usually quieter than Tirta Gangga, and the lawns are a favourite with local families at weekends. Late afternoon brings softer light and cooler air.

Taman Ujung lies on the coast road about 5 km south-east of Amlapura, roughly 20 to 30 minutes’ drive east of Candidasa. Most visitors come by hired car or scooter, and it pairs naturally with Tirta Gangga and Amlapura’s royal palace in a single day around East Bali.

The palace was built for the last raja of Karangasem, Anak Agung Anglurah Ketut Karangasem, and completed around 1921 as a place to receive guests and for the royal family to retreat to by the sea. Karangasem was then under Dutch colonial rule, and the raja, who took a close interest in architecture, borrowed freely from European designs.

The palace suffered badly when Mount Agung erupted in 1963, as the earthquakes that came with the eruption cracked its buildings, and a strong earthquake in 1979 brought down much of what remained. For years the site lay in ruins. A restoration supported by the World Bank later rebuilt the pavilions, bridges and pools, and the garden reopened as a public park.