Besakih Temple: The Mother Temple of Bali, Prices, Scams and Visit
Besakih, on the slopes of Mount Agung in eastern Bali, is the largest and most sacred Hindu temple of the island, nicknamed the "mother temple". It is not one temple but a complex of about 23 linked temples, stacked up the mountain, with Pura Penataran Agung as the main one. The tiered roofs (meru) stand out against the volcano when the clouds allow. It is a very active place of worship; it is also the site where foreign visitors meet the most touts on the island, hence the preparation below.
Highlights
The tiered roofs of Pura Penataran Agung
Black thatched towers stacked on several levels dominate the main courtyard. You reach the complex by climbing stairs (about 150 steps up to the main courtyard).
The meru and the volcano
On a clear day, especially in the morning, the roofs stand out against the slope of Agung. In 1963 an eruption of the volcano devastated the region; the lava flow is said to have stopped near the complex, an episode Balinese people still tell.
The ceremonies
Besakih hosts major ceremonies, notably on full moon days and festivals, when the site can be very crowded and some parts closed to visitors. If you come across a procession, stay back and do not photograph worshippers at prayer without their consent.
Practical info
Tips
- Prices noted in October 2026 from travel guides, with differences an official source did not let us settle: entry for a foreign adult is given between 90,000 and 150,000 IDR, and some guides add a camera fee (about 50,000 IDR). A sarong and sash are compulsory, covering the knees, and shoulders must be covered; they are rented or supplied depending on the ticket window. Touts: near the car park and the entrance, people present themselves as official guides and claim a guide is compulsory, or offer a very expensive sarong. Buy your ticket at the official window, politely refuse if you do not want a guide, and agree the price before any service if you take one. Avoid the day of major ceremonies if you want to move around freely. Combine with Tirta Gangga and Lempuyang, or compare with Tirta Empul.
How to get there
The complex is in the Karangasem district, at the foot of Mount Agung, about 90 minutes to 2 hours by road from the south coast and Ubud (estimate, depending on traffic). Public transport is slow and impractical: a private driver or a day tour is simplest. The site fits well into a day in the east with Tirta Gangga and Lempuyang; see private driver in Bali.
Opening hours
Our guides that feature it
Nearby
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