Pura Mengening: The Quiet Alternative to Tirta Empul (2026 Guide)

Why go

Tirta Empul is one of the most visited temples in Bali, famous for its long pool of carved spouts where Balinese Hindus come for melukat, a purification ritual with holy spring water. It is genuinely beautiful, and it is also often packed, with queues at every spout in high season.

Pura Mengening offers the same experience in a calmer setting. It is a small temple built around a natural spring, in a lush hollow just outside Tampaksiring. Local families come to pray and bathe; visitors are welcome to watch or take part respectfully. If what you want is the atmosphere of a working water temple rather than a photo in a crowd, this is the better choice.

Getting there

The temple is a short drive from Tirta Empul and from Gunung Kawi, about 30 minutes north of central Ubud. The last stretch is a small village road, and the temple sits below road level, so it is easy to miss — use the map link above and look for the parking area near the stairs.

As with the other Tampaksiring temples, a private driver is the simplest way to visit several in one morning. Ride-hailing pickups for the return are unreliable out here.

What to expect

A short stairway leads down to the temple grounds. You'll find a bathing area fed by the spring, shrines, and a quiet courtyard. There is usually someone at the entrance to collect the entry donation and lend sarongs.

If you want to take part in the purification:

• Ask first. A temple attendant can explain the order of the spouts and which ones are used for which purpose. Some spouts at Balinese water temples are reserved for specific rites and aren't used for general purification.
• Bring an offering if you can. Small canang offerings are often sold nearby; the attendant can show you where to place it.
• Wear a sarong into the water, not swimwear alone, and bring a towel and dry clothes for afterwards.
• Move slowly and quietly. People around you are praying, not swimming.

If you don't want to bathe, simply watching for a while is perfectly fine. Keep photos discreet and never photograph people mid-ritual without asking.

Tips

• Any time of day works, which makes Mengening a good stop after the morning light at Gunung Kawi.
• Women who are menstruating are traditionally asked not to enter Balinese temples. This applies here too.
• Carry small notes for the donation and parking; see how much cash to carry in Ubud.
• If you still want to see Tirta Empul, go there first thing in the morning and come to Mengening for the actual purification.

Combine with

Mengening, Tirta Empul and the rock-cut shrines of Gunung Kawi make an easy half-day loop from Ubud. With an early start you can continue east to Penglipuran Village. For the right clothes, read what to wear at Balinese temples.