We got up early and got ready for our second day here. We booked a car and driver for the remainder of our stay in Bali. Our driver arrived at the hotel at 6:30 am, and we were on our way. We picked up some breakfast and coffee to go from Circle K and continued to drive on.

Our first stop was the Besakih Great Temple. It is the most important, largest, and holiest temple of Balinese Hinduism. The entrance fee, including the sarong rental for both of us, was IDR 180,000. Having left from Kuta very early in the morning, we had the advantage of being one of the very few visitors there. It was a huge site with multiple temple complexes to explore as we climbed higher. We got to see everything at our own pace and then headed back down. As we were leaving, we could see more and more people coming in.

Next, we headed to Tirta Gangga, which was a complex of gardens and natural springs. The ticket for the two of us and parking was around IDR 100,000 and IDR 4,000. Once inside, they had large pools with koi fish, fountains, and walkways. We spent some time here strolling around. There was also a natural swimming pool there which we could have gone into, but eventually, we decided against it as no one else was really in the water and we didn’t want to be the only ones.

We took a lunch break at Warung Devassan, which was right across the road. It was geared more toward foreigners and felt less local than I usually like, but we decided to go ahead anyway. The open seating area had nice views of the fields. We ordered grilled fish and chicken curry, and it was quite nice.

Our driver also included an unscheduled stop at Tunas Bali Luwak Coffee. They gave us a guided tour of the plantations and explained how Luwak Coffee is made. They provided a complimentary sampler of various types of teas and coffees so we could purchase what we liked. We also ordered one cup of the Luwak Coffee, which they prepared in front of us. It tasted a little richer and smoother than the regular coffee, but to be honest, I would not have noticed the difference unless I was keenly looking for it. It was just something interesting to try once.

We then headed to the Temple of Penataran Agung Lempuyang. We climbed uphill and had to park our car in a common lot, from where there was separate transport to the temple. The entrance to the temple and the ticket for the shuttle bus cost around IDR 110,000 and IDR 90,000 for the two of us, including the rental sarongs. When we reached the complex of hillside Hindu temples, we saw a huge line with token numbers for getting a photo at the famed “Gates of Heaven” with Mount Agung in the background.

People were waiting for their numbers to be called for their turn. There were photographers using a horizontal mirror to create the famous Instagram “reflection” effect. As couples and groups were called, they had a couple of minutes to strike a few poses at the gates. Because there were heavy clouds, there was no view of Mount Agung at all, and we didn’t want to spend hours sitting around, so we decided to skip the photo. It seemed a little too touristy for our taste. I did, however, manage to get a photo of the empty gates in between people switching!

Our last stop for the day was Taman Ujung. The ticket for the two of us plus parking was around IDR 150,000. This is a scenic water palace built in 1909 and was the former home of the royal family. As the intensity of the sun went down, it was nice to stroll through the manicured gardens and walkways amidst the water. After spending some time here, we started our drive back to Kuta; it was dark by the time our driver dropped us off at the hotel.

It had been a long day of driving, so we relaxed at the hotel for a bit and then walked to the nearby Warung Fantaola Malang 1 for dinner. We ordered Nasi Goreng and Mie Goreng and liked the food here as well. We walked back to the hotel and called it a night.

🍽️ Warung Devassa
☕ Tunas Bali Luwak Coffee
🍽️ Warung Fantaola Malang 1
🛏️ The Kutaya