Explore Ubud’s Tranquil and Crowd-free Temples, Perfect for Mind Relaxation and Self-Healing
Bali is well-known for its magnificent scenery and unique traditions. The island has hundreds of Pura or Balinese Hindu temples which are spreading anywhere. Many temples are indeed located in cities and near public places. Such temples tend to be popular with many tourists coming. Interestingly, some other temples are quieter than others. It makes them very suitable for you who want to relax your mind or do self-healing.
Some of those tranquil temples are located in Ubud. Undeniably, those temples are not completely crowd-free since there are still visitors coming and leaving particularly in the holiday season. But still, those temples are recommended for you who are looking for calmness. What are those temples? Here they are.
Dalem Agung Padangtegal Temple
One of the most popular tourist destinations in Ubud is the Monkey Forest. Just like the name, it is a tropical forest in Ubud functioning as the habitat of more than a thousand long-tailed monkeys (Macaca fascicularis). If you go through the Forest, you will find 3 temples. One of them is the Dalem Agung Padangtegal Temple.
Although the Monkey Forest is almost always full of visitors, the temples are relatively quiet. This is because not all tourists are interested in visiting the temples that are located too far inside the forest. Dalem Agung Padangtegal Temple is considered the biggest and the most artistic Temple among those 3. The ancient temple applies an old architectural design along with many unique ornaments.
You can take photos in some spots outside the temple. But since the Temple is holy based on the belief of Balinese Hindu people, some areas cannot be entered. Don’t worry, this beautiful temple is still one of the best choices for you who want to avoid crowds.
Taman Sarasvati Temple
Taman Sarasvati Temple may not be as quiet as Dalem Agung Padangtegal Temple. But once you have been in Ubud and looking for great Puras, it seems you must not miss this one. Yes, the iconic temple of Ubud is located on Kanjeng Street, Ubud Village. The temple was built by an art maestro, I Gusti Nyoman Lempad with beautiful and unique architecture.
The temple is surrounded by a big pond of lotuses. The combination of the building and the pond looks great as the temple environment is indeed made as the altar of worship for Sarasvati, the goddess of knowledge.
You can avoid weekends and holiday seasons to enjoy the crowd-free Sarasvati Temple. At certain times, a temple is a place for conducting shows like Kecak Dance and art exhibitions. Those events are indeed great but they invite many visitors for sure.
Gunung Lebah Temple
The next recommendation for iconic but tranquil temples is Pura Gunung Lebah. Pura Gunung Lebah or Gunung Lebah Temple was established by a holy priest named Rsi Markandeya. The name Gunung Lebah was created based on the environment around the temple. Gunung means mountain while Lebah is the old word of lembah meaning valley. Yes, the temple is named that way because the location is on a mountain near the valley of the Campuhan River.
Campuhan River is the confluence of 2 streams from the Cerik and Oos rivers. This makes the temple very calm and quiet as well as it is quite far from crowd spots in Ubud. Furthermore, Gunung Lebah Temple is also surrounded by hills and farming fields. The ancient yet elegant architecture just makes the temple worth visiting.
Are you interested in visiting Gunung Lebah Temple? Don’t forget to try other trips around the area. One of them is the trekking path of Campuhan Hill. In terms of accommodation, the location of the temple is also not too far from Ibah Hotel.
Goa Gajah Temple
Temples in Bali are indeed used for Hindu spiritual activities. But do you know that there is a temple that unifies Hinduism and Buddhism? Yes, it is Pura Goa Gajah or Goa Gajah Temple that is located in Bedulu Village, Kecamatan Blahbatuh. The location is around 3 km from the tourist center of Ubud. The main characteristic of the temple is a big engraving of an elephant on the entrance. Well, Gajah means elephant anyway.
The name Goa Gajah was found on an ancient encryption, Lontar Negara kerta gama. There was a phrase Lwa Gajah. Lwa means the river while Gajah symbolizes a vihara or a worshipping place for Buddhists. Moreover, around 13 Buddhist stupas are also seen around the temple.
While the temple seems to be a place for Buddhists in the past, there are also Hindu symbols that you can still find today. They include statues of Ganesha and Tri Lingga. Of course, it is reasonable to say that this tranquil temple is an acculturation symbol of Buddhism and Hinduism.
Closing
Tranquil and crowd-free temples are indeed the best places to relax your mind and probably heal your mental problems. Just like those temples, Mandara & Spa Training Center also offers calmness and comfort through training programs for professional therapies. Are you interested in joining? Click here for more information.