Pura Tirta Empul Holy Water Temple, Bali
In need of a little soul cleansing? I know just the place if you’re willing to travel to a magical land located in central Bali, Tirta Empul is a very sacred spiritual destination. It is a Hindu Balinese water temple and it is absolutely worth a trip to see and feel it in person.
I loved this place so much! It felt so good just to be in the presence of so many worshipers in such a holy place. The energy is so magnetic and you can’t help but feel so connected and it’s as if you are opening up your soul to the universe.
The water is said to be magical by the Balinese and they among others travel from all over to partake in a ritual bathing for its healing properties.
There are two purification pools that you go through, starting on the left side and working your way under each spout along with a line of many other bathers taking turns. There are some offering rituals you follow such as flowers that you will offer to the gods.
Everywhere you look you will see people from all over the globe, it is one of the busiest temples in all of Bali and I can see why with all of its beauty. You can see people praying and worshipping everywhere along with a slew of tourists taking photographs and enjoying the scenery. Our daughter was quite a little celebrity here and was asked to take pictures with many foreigners, they were absolutely infatuated with her.
The temple grounds are sprawling and made up of a few main parts. The grounds are beautifully landscaped and some astounding huge trees surround the area, there is even a holy tree with an intricate and incredible root system you will come across.
There is a huge courtyard, a koi pond, and several other breathtaking structures located throughout.
There is also a separate closed pool area where you can watch the spring water magically bubble up to the surface.
There are some rules that must be adhered to in order to enter the temple like you must wear a sarong (men and women) if you are not wearing long pants. You can bring your own or you can get one at the entrance of the temple to use while you are there.
There’s also an area that women cannot enter unless they tie their hair up so be sure to bring a hair tie. Also women cannot enter the temple if they are menstruating. Just be sure to read all the rules when entering as it is a sacred space and needs to be respected.
When you are leaving the temple you will have to maneuver your way through a maze of vendors, just be aware that they are very aggressive here, putting items in your hands and grabbing your wrists to buy stuff. Me and my husband got separated while trying to make our way out of the markets and it was quite a reunion telling each other our survival stories of the maze of madness! Neither of us had experienced a shopping experience quite like that!
