Trunyan (Lake Batur): the open-air burial ground, boat price and rules
Trunyan is a village of the Bali Aga people on the east shore of Lake Batur, in Kintamani. It is known for its cemetery: the dead are neither buried nor cremated, but laid in bamboo cages under a large tree, the Taru Menyan, and left in the open air. It can be reached only by boat from the Kedisan pier, in 15 to 30 minutes; allow 1 to 1.5 hours on site. Sources consulted in October 2026 give a boat of about 650,000 IDR (up to 950,000 after haggling, 1,200,000 as a first offer), plus 10,000 IDR village entry and a mandatory donation of about 200,000 IDR reported by one traveller; booked tours cost about 21 to 42 USD. No official price list: confirm before getting in the boat.
Highlights
The bamboo cages under the tree
The bodies are placed in cages under the Taru Menyan, a sacred tree whose scent, according to residents, masks the smell of decomposition (claim not verified). Bones and skulls are arranged nearby.
A partly staged cemetery
One traveller reports that the "skull wall" was arranged for tourists, and that the site is smaller than expected. It is a place of worship and mourning: go with respect, not for the spectacle.
Lake Batur
The boat crossing offers a fine view of the lake and the volcano; see Mount Batur and Kintamani.
Practical info
Tips
- The boat is the item that varies most: negotiate it at Kedisan before boarding, ask for the total including entry fee and donation, or book an all-inclusive tour. Dress modestly (shoulders and knees covered), ask before photographing a person and touch nothing. Local village rules may change (some Balinese customs restrict access for certain people): follow the guide's instructions. To combine with sunrise on Batur, see Mount Batur sunrise: which tour; for a driver, private driver in Bali.
How to get there
Kedisan is about 1 h 15 to 1 h 30 from Ubud by road (estimate); from there the boat takes you to Trunyan village in 15 to 30 minutes according to one guide. Kintamani tours sometimes include the stop.
Opening hours
Nearby
See on the map →
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