Located in Eastern Bali, Tirta Gangga was once a royal palace and is now a haven of beautiful gardens and water pools.
How to visit Tirta Gangga
Tirta Gangga is located a 2 hour drive from Ubud and around 2.5 hours if you’re travelling from Seminyak or Canggu.
We recommend staying in Amed, a stretch of coastal villages 30 minutes away on Bali’s East coast.
A scooter is the easiest and cheapest way to travel around Bali and rentals start from 60,000 IDR per day. As always, ride carefully and make sure you have comprehensive travel insurance should you need it. We travel with SafetyWing and it’s never let us down.
Another option is to hire a driver who will safely transport you to and from each location including any stops on the way.
Best time to visit the Water Palace
Tirta Gangga is open 8:00 am – 5:00 pm daily.
As with most destinations in Bali, the earlier you arrive the less people you’ll be sharing it with. The sunrise casts a golden glow across the gardens and makes for great photos. That being said we arrived mid-morning and it wasn’t overly busy or crowded.
Tirta Gangga is a fairly small complex and should only take 1-2 hours to walk around and even take a dip in the pools.
Entrance fee and costs
If you’re arriving by scooter you will need to pay a 2,000 IDR parking fee. This will be collected by an attendant who will direct you where to park.
Head across to the ticket office where you’ll be charged 50,000 IDR per adult and 15,000 IDR per child for entry to Tirta Gangga.
Before you enter make sure you pick up some fish food from one of the vendors along the carpark. Expect to pay 5,000 IDR for a small bag of pellets, although we did see some closer to the entrance gates for 2,000 IDR.
If you’re planning to cool off with a swim in the bathing pools it will cost you 10,000 IDR. A small price to pay to swim where royalty once did!
Significance of Tirta Gangga in Bali
Originally built in 1946 by the late King of Karangasem, Tirta Gangga had to be restored in 1963 after almost being completely destroyed by the eruption of Mount Agung.
The King, the last ever King of Bali, helped construct the palace himself and was well respected by the people for getting his hands dirty.
You’ll find many Hindu shrines and Balinese statues built around the gardens, accompanied by pools of holy water. Tirta Gangga translates to “Water from the Ganges” referring to the River Ganges, India’s sacred river. Many locals visit to bathe and cleanse in the holy water and the grounds are still host to a number of religious ceremonies.
Underground pipework also means that the natural spring water in Tirta Gangga is used to supply the local village with drinking water.
What to expect
It’s difficult not to enjoy a visit to Tirta Gangga, the Balinese architecture is stunning and the whole complex has an air of tranquility and beauty.
It’s comprised of three levels. The first level is filled with pools of koi carp, beautiful bridges and of course, those famous stepping stones.
This is where the fish food you bought earlier comes in to play. The fish lurk under the water jumping and splashing in anticipation as if they’ve never been fed.
The weave of stepping stones sit in front of an eleven tier fountain and circle a smaller one in the pool. There may be a small wait for your turn but be patient, it’s worth it.
The second level consists of statues, fountains and the Patirthan temple but this time the pools that you see are open to swim in.
It’s a great way to cool off from the harsh Bali sun and lockers are available to store your belongings while you bathe.
The third level has a small cafe and Warung that offer food and refreshments. You can also book to stay in one of the few rooms built within Tirta Gangga that are open to the public.
A popular option is to combine Tirta Gangga with a tour to Pura Lempuyang, Bali’s most popular temple. You can visit the two yourself or book a hassle free tour.
Find out everything you need to know about a visit to Pura Lempuyang here.
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