Gunung Kawi temple complex is a must see in Bali

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Pura Gunung Kawi temple complex is in Tampaksiring Bali, around 30 minutes from Ubud and exceeded our expectations for what Bali could deliver.  Bali is more than beach resorts, cheap beer and shopping for fake luxury brands. Bali is rich in culture, steeped in tradition and has serious natural beauty. Gunung Kawi displays all these beautiful qualities.

As one of Bali’s oldest and largest monuments it should definitely be on your activity list for a trip to Bali.

“Pura” means a Balinese Temple and place of worship

“Gunung” means mountain

“Kawi” is classical Javanese, the language of poetry

What to expect at Gunung Kawi

Views over rice fields that line the valley and lush green surrounds is what you will see first. Start the journey by following the stairs which cross a water channel and pass many vendors selling a variety of goods. If you know Bali, then you might dread the word “vendors”, but we arrived early and didn’t feel harassed at all.

Once you arrive at the bottom of the stairs you can’t help but be in awe of the surroundings. The area gives off serious Indiana Jones vibes and could easily be a movie set. Carved rock faces are on both sides of the river. Paths go off in different directions to explore the river and the surrounding area.

The larger carvings stand around 8m high and are believed to be memorials to members of the 11th century Balinese royalty. Across the river is the temple courtyard and the path to the meditation caves.

Cost

Adult 50,000 IDR, Child 20,000 IDR which includes a sarong. Adults need to wear the sarong even if dressed appropriately.

Getting to Gunung Kawi

Renting a scooter or hiring a driver are the easiest options for visiting Gunung Kawi.  

Gunung Kawi is a 30 minute drive from Ubud and around 1-2 hours from resort areas (Kuta, Nusa Dua etc).

Half day trips with a private driver from Ubud to cover Gunung Kawi, Tirta Empul Temple and Ceking Rice Terrace (Tegallalang) are around AUD $35-40.

Day trips with a private driver from the main resort areas (Kuta, Nusa Dua etc) cost around AUD $80-90 and can be combined with other attractions in the area.

TIP | Generally the price for a private driver is not based per person, rather by car. So if you are travelling on budget find someone to share the cost with!

Private drivers can be arranged through accommodation providers, otherwise find a tour on GetYourGuide.

How long to stay

Allow around 2 hours to visit Gunung Kawi and enjoy the peacefulness of the area.

Tips for visiting

Here are my top tips for visiting Gunung Kawi:

• Go early to avoid the heat.
• Be prepared for all the steps.
• Take your time and enjoy the peaceful river environment.
• Being a place of worship it is best to dress appropriately, although adults will still need to wear the sarong.
• Menstruating women are not permitted to the site. But I will leave that one up to you as an individual to decide. No-one is going to check are they!? Up to you whether you want to respect the customs.

Tips for visiting with children

This walk can be tiring for children (and adults!) with over 270 steps in the Balinese heat.  But ice-cream rewards always help!

There was only one toilet at the main temple area which was a squat style. Whilst I am fine with squat style toilets, our son (7 year old) was terrified of falling-in! I had to squat in-front of him and hold him up hoping that he didn’t accidently wee on me. Encourage children to go before you walk down to the main area if you think a squat toilet might be an issue.

TIPS | You can find more practical family travel tips here.

When to visit

Arrive early at Gunung Kawi to enjoy the morning stillness. Opening hours are 8.00am to 6.00pm but check before you visit for any changes.

What to bring

Bring the usual items for outdoor activities in Bali – comfortable footwear, appropriate clothes and money for temple donations (and snacks!).

Where to stay

We fell in love with Nyuh Kuning Village in Ubud which is only 30 minutes from Guning Kawi. The village is around 10 minutes from the main Ubud centre.

We stayed at Chili Ubud Cottages and enjoyed a spacious villa with gorgeous gardens and swimming pool. The staff were prefect too!

Places to eat

Places to eat can be found at the entrance area. I can’t provide any personal recommendations as we visited Gunung Kawi straight after breakfast so didn’t need to find a meal.

Extend your visit

A visit to Gunung Kawi can easily be combined with a visit to Tirta Empul Temple and Ceking Rice Terrace (Tegallalang).

Visiting Tirta Empul Temple after Gunung Kawi is a great way to enrich your experience of the local area. The walk from the carpark to Tirta Empul is short and mostly flat which your legs will appreciate. BUT more excitingly you get to see spring water bubbling up in the temple pool which actually provides the main source of water to the Pakerisan River, which is the river that flows past Gunung Kawi! I found seeing the source of a river very exciting (can you tell?!).

Estimated driving times to other attractions near Gunung Kawi:

• Central Ubud to Gunung Kawi 30 mins
• Gunung Kawi to Tirta Empul 5 mins
• Tirta Empul to Ceking Rice Terrace 10 min
• Ceking Rice Terrace to Ubud 30 min

Final thoughts on Gunung Kawi

I was pleasantly shocked by the beauty of Gunung Kawi. I distinctly recall turning to my partner and saying “why doesn’t anyone talk about this when they talk about Bali?”. We had heard about cheap beers, all-inclusive resorts, knock-off brands, bargain massages. But not Gunung Kawi and the other beautiful places nearby.  If we knew about these stunning areas of Bali we would have visited sooner!

I really hope this blog article has inspired you to explore more of the Bali because it really is a stunning place!

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