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Best temples in Indonesia

Indonesia has the largest Muslim population in the world, but its temples belong to two other traditions: the living Hindu temples, or pura, of Bali and the ancient Buddhist and Hindu monuments of Central Java. Bali has fifteen of the catalogue’s twenty-five: Uluwatu on its cliff, the holy springs of Tirta Empul, Gunung Kawi and the Ubud temples, Ulun Danu Bratan on its lake at Bedugul, Taman Ayun at Mengwi, the mother temple of Besakih and the Lempuyang gate in the east. Around Yogyakarta stand Borobudur, the largest Buddhist monument in the world, and Prambanan, with Mendut, Pawon, Plaosan and Ijo, while Sukuh and Cetho lie on the slopes of Lawu near Solo.

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Borobudur

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Visiting Borobudur now involves two decisions rather than one.

370 tickets & tours

Prambanan Temple

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Prambanan is easy to visit independently: you buy an entry ticket at the gate or online, and the ticket covers the main…

297 tickets & tours

Uluwatu Temple

Uluwatu, Indonesia

Uluwatu has two separate tickets, and it is worth knowing both.

82 tickets & tours

Tirta Empul

Ubud, Indonesia

Most visitors reach Tirta Empul on a driver-led day out from Ubud, Denpasar or the southern beach resorts, because the…

39 tickets & tours

Pura Lempuyang (Gate of Heaven)

Karangasem, Indonesia

Lempuyang lies in the far east of Bali, on the slopes of Mount Lempuyang above Amlapura, about two hours by road from…

29 tickets & tours

Pura Ulun Danu Bratan

Bedugul, Indonesia

Pura Ulun Danu Bratan lies in the central highlands near Bedugul, about two hours by road from the south coast, and…

28 tickets & tours

Pura Besakih (Mother Temple)

Karangasem, Indonesia

Besakih lies high on the slopes of Mount Agung in eastern Bali, about two hours by car from Ubud and more from the…

20 tickets & tours

Ijo Temple (Candi Ijo)

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Candi Ijo does not sell its own tickets online. Entry is paid at a small booth by the car park, the fee is modest, and…

6 tickets & tours

Pura Kehen

Bangli, Indonesia

Pura Kehen has no online ticket of its own. Visitors pay a modest entrance fee at the gate in Bangli, where a sarong…

6 tickets & tours

Pura Taman Ayun

Mengwi, Indonesia

You do not need to book anything to see Pura Taman Ayun: a modest entrance fee is paid at the ticket desk on the south…

5 tickets & tours

Sukuh Temple (Candi Sukuh)

Solo, Indonesia

There is no online ticket for Candi Sukuh alone. You pay a modest fee at the gate, foreigners at a higher rate than…

5 tickets & tours

Cetho Temple (Candi Ceto)

Solo, Indonesia

Candi Cetho has no ticket sold online in its own right. You pay a small fee at the gate, where you are given a checked…

4 tickets & tours

Gunung Kawi, Tampaksiring

Ubud, Indonesia

Gunung Kawi does not need a ticket in advance: you pay the entrance fee at the top of the steps, where a sarong is…

4 tickets & tours

Pura Taman Saraswati

Ubud, Indonesia

There is nothing to buy to see Pura Taman Saraswati. The lotus ponds and the front courtyard are open to anyone walking…

3 tickets & tours

Mendut Temple

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Mendut has its own small ticket office and the entry fee is modest, paid on the day;

2 tickets & tours

Pura Lingsar

Lombok, Indonesia

No ticket for Pura Lingsar alone is sold in advance. You pay a donation at the entrance, where a caretaker lends a…

2 tickets & tours

Pawon Temple (Candi Pawon)

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Candi Pawon is a small Buddhist shrine standing in a village garden between Mendut and Borobudur, about 40 km…

1 ticket or tour

Pura Beji Sangsit

Singaraja, Indonesia

Pura Beji is a village temple on the north coast of Bali, and there is no ticket for it sold online.

1 ticket or tour

Pura Goa Lawah (Bat Cave Temple)

Karangasem, Indonesia

Pura Goa Lawah is not ticketed online. Visitors pay a modest entrance fee at the gate, which normally includes the loan…

1 ticket or tour

Goa Giri Putri Cave Temple

Nusa Penida, Indonesia

No ticket for Goa Giri Putri alone is sold online. Entry works on a donation basis: you sign in at the foot of the…

No online ticket

Plaosan Lor Temple

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

No ticket for Plaosan is sold online, and there is no need for one.

No online ticket

Pura Ulun Danu Batur

Kintamani, Indonesia

There is no online ticket for Pura Ulun Danu Batur. Foreign visitors pay an entry fee at the ticket counter by the car…

No online ticket

In Bali a sarong and sash are compulsory, lent at most gates, and inner courtyards are often for worshippers only. Arrive at sunrise for Lempuyang, where the volcano clouds over by mid-morning, and early at Besakih for the same reason; Uluwatu is the sunset temple, with the Kecak dance. Borobudur’s climb needs its own ticket, booked ahead. The dry season from April to October is best.

Tours and activities in Indonesia

Temple tours and day trips in Indonesia

Temples in Indonesia: questions

How many temples are there in Indonesia?

This catalogue lists 25 temples, shrines and mosques in Indonesia, 20 of them with tickets or tours to book online. The most booked are Borobudur, Prambanan Temple, Uluwatu Temple.

Which is the oldest temple in Indonesia?

Borobudur, founded in 780, is the oldest in the catalogue for Indonesia.

Which temples in Indonesia are free to enter?

1 of the 25 temples in Indonesia charge no entry fee, among them Pura Taman Saraswati. The entry fee is shown on each page.

Which temples in Indonesia are UNESCO World Heritage Sites?

8 temples in Indonesia in this catalogue are on the UNESCO World Heritage List, including Borobudur, Prambanan Temple, Tirta Empul.