Pura Saraswati

Ubud, Bali, Indonesia Travel Guide

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Pura Saraswati

Overview: I loved the Pura Saraswati (or, Pura Taman Saraswati). It’s known as the Water Palace. It was designed and built by Gusti Nyoman Lempad in the late 19th century, early 20th. The Water Palace is across the street from Ubud’s Royal Palace (Sareng Agung) and is behind the Cafe Lotus on Jalan Raya Ubud.

The palace has a statue of Dewi Saraswati, the goddess of learning, wisdom and the river and a main goddess in Hindu, to whom the temple is dedicated. When you enter the grounds next to Cafe Lotus, you’ll immediately notice a pathway which cuts between two large water beds. In the water are fat, large lotus blossoms. Walk or wheel down this path and you will hit what appears to be a large barong stone statue in the center. The path ends here and you must climb a large step. Then, you must mount another couple of steps to reach the next level where there is a staircase leading up to the temple.

The palace is very serene and aesthetically pleasing. The water garden and the statues are most impressive and interesting. You can dine at the Cafe Lotus and have this spectacular view right behind you. The Ubud Water Palace also holds a barong dance show on Thursday evenings at 7:30pm for Rp80,000 per ticket.

Location: Jalan Raya Ubud. It’s kitty corner from the north end of Jalan Monkey Forest.
Site: www.purisaraswati.com (this is for the hotel)

Cost: Free to visit

Accessibility: The entrance and initial path are wheelchair accessible.

Getting There: Walk, wheel