16 Fascinating Cultural Attractions in Bali Not To Miss!

Beyond the idyllic beaches and luxurious resorts, Bali has one of the richest and most captivating cultures of anywhere we've ever visited.

Known as the "Island of the Gods," Balinese Hinduism is deeply ingrained in every aspect of life on the island. And despite the huge surge in tourism, Balinese people have held on tightly to their many ancient traditions, practices, ceremonies, and lively festivities.

If you're as interested in delving deeper into the heart of Balinese life as we are, there are countless fantastic cultural attractions in Bali where you can learn about local life, religion, art, and culture. Below are some of our absolute favourite ways to experience Balinese culture as a tourist.

1. Take part in a "melukat" water purification ritual

“Melukat” is one of our favourite local traditions in Bali. It's an important Balinese water purification ritual that's said to help cleanse the body, mind, and soul. It's usually performed in holy springs, but can also take place in waterfalls, rivers, or oceans.

While melukat is traditionally a Hindu ritual, anyone is welcome to join. We've taken part in purification rituals in multiple places across Bali, and have always felt more than welcome.

Every purification ceremony has began by making an offering to the gods. We then entered the water, wearing a special ceremonial sarong, and visited several holy fountains to perform a small cleansing ritual.

Where to experience a water purification ritual in Bali

Tirta Empul Water Temple is the best-known temple for melukat in Bali and the one you've probably already seen in countless photos online. To the north of Ubud, the temple's holy spring waters are believed to have healing properties.

This is where we took part in our first-ever melukat experience, and we paid a local guide to take us through the ceremony. We'd definitely recommend getting a guide so you know exactly what to do and which fountains to visit - some are connected to birth or death, so are best avoided.

Tirta Empul has become famous for its water ceremonies, meaning there are now often big crowds and long lines. We've seen it get pretty chaotic during peak times and it is not a particularly peaceful experience (which it should be!).

The best way to avoid the crowds is to arrive early in the morning, around 7-8am. When we last took friends to Tirta Empul, we arrived at 7:30am and were the only group in the water during our ritual, which was a fantastic experience.

If you’d rather avoid the crowds altogether, you could also consider visiting a lesser-known water temple. Taman Beji Griya Waterfall and Sebatu Water Temple are two of the best places we've taken part in melukat rituals in Bali.

2. Watch a traditional Balinese dance performance

Another of our favourite ways to experience local culture in Bali is through traditional dance performances. Three of the most popular styles of Balinese dance that we've experienced in Bali are Legong, Barong, and Kecak.

Legong Dance

Legong is a traditional form of Balinese dance characterised by intricate finger movements, complicated footwork, and intense facial expressions. It was once a form of royal entertainment and many of the dances act out traditional Balinese stories and legends.

Barong Dance

The Barong Dance is another traditional dance that depicts an eternal battle between two mythical creatures; Barong (good) and Rangda (evil). It involves two dancers performing in an elaborate lion-like costume.

Kecak Fire Dance

The Kecak fire dance is a Balinese dance known for its dramatic choreography and use of fire. It's performed by a huge chorus of 50-60 men who chant “cak-cak-cak” throughout. The performance tells stories from the Hindu epic, Ramayana, focusing on Prince Rama’s quest to rescue Sita.

Where to watch traditional dance in Bali

We've also seen experienced Balinese dance performances at numerous resorts, restaurants, and beach clubs across the island. Keep an eye on the daily schedule wherever you visit.

3. Join a Workshop at Experience Bali Culture in Kuta

One of the most authentic ways we've learnt about Balinese culture was by joining a workshop at Experience Bali Culture. EBC is a hands-on workshop run by Komang, a lovely local woman originally from a rural village who now lives in Kuta.

During our two-hour session, she told us all about Balinese culture, beliefs, and traditions, with some fascinating insights into life in her small village. We loved hearing Komang’s first-hand stories, especially about black magic and her village’s unique beliefs surrounding twins.

The rest of the workshop was more interactive and hands-on. We got to try traditional jamu (a healthy Balinese drink), learn how to make the daily offerings, and even try on traditional Balinese outfits for some photos.

Komang and her family were so lovely and extremely passionate about sharing their culture with guests. We loved the entire experience and have even kept in touch with Komang to this day - say hi for us!

4. Learn to write in Balinese at the Lontar Museum

Hidden in rural East Bali, the Lontar Museum is our favourite lesser-known cultural experience in Bali. The small museum is run by locals from Penaban Karangasem village. It offers short workshops to educate visitors on the Balinese language and traditional lontars, a type of palm-leaf manuscript.

Our workshop was led by Kadek, who first explained a little about the Balinese language and how it’s different from Bahasa, the main language of Indonesia. She then introduced us to the traditional Balinese alphabet, known as “aksara,” and taught us how to write our own names.

Next, we learned about lontars, a type of paper made from palm tree leaves that are soaked, pressed, and dried. Lontars have been used by Balinese people to keep written records throughout history, including holy scripts, laws, information about medicines, stories, poetry, and art.

The lontars are written on using a delicate carving knife (called a pengrupak) and coloured using burnt macadamia nuts which are rubbed into the etchings.

After the explanation came the fun part, we got to try writing on the lontars ourselves. We carved our names onto two lontars, one to leave behind at the museum in a special display area and another to take home with us - a super unique Balinese souvenir!

The museum itself is free to visit, but you need to make a small donation of 50,000 IDR to participate in the lontar writing workshop. Here’s a Google Maps pin for the museum. The easiest places to visit from are Amed and Candidasa.

5. Visit Pura Besakih "The Mother Temple" of Bali

Known as the "Island of the Gods," Bali is home to thousands of beautiful temples. While not all Balinese temples are open to the public, many are, and some offer tourist facilities and guided tours. Exploring these temples is a great way to learn more about local religion and culture.

One of the most interesting temples to visit is Pura Besakih in East Bali. Pura Besakih, aka "The Mother Temple," sits on the slopes of Mount Agung (Bali’s tallest volcano) and is the largest and most important holy site in Balinese Hinduism.

Pura Besakih isn’t just one temple, but a complex of hundreds of temples. Some are used by local families or communities, while others are open to all Balinese Hindus. The complex's location has stunning views across the countryside in one direction and a close-up view of Mount Agung in the other.

The entrance fee for tourists to visit Besakih Temple is 90,000 IDR per person, which includes the use of a sarong, the shuttle, and a local guide.

Our guide was excellent and really made the experience for us. As well as making sure we didn’t get lost, he had a wealth of knowledge about the temple and was able to share some interesting facts about the temple’s history and why it’s culturally significant.

There's plenty to explore inside the complex. Our guide left us after around 40 minutes, but we easily spent another 30 wandering around and taking photos. The temple is a popular tourist attraction, but you'll still see many locals praying inside, so always be respectful.

6. Watch the Devdan Show at Nusa Dua Theatre

Taking place at Nusa Dua Theatre, the Devdan Show is, without a doubt, one of the best cultural performances we’ve seen in Bali. The reason we kept it separate from the other Balinese dances above is that the performance showcases many diverse dance styles from across Indonesia, not just Bali.

The large production follows two young children who get lost from their tour group and discover a chest full of cultural objects. The story then takes them on a journey through the islands of Bali, Sumatra, Java, Borneo, and Papua.

Devdan features a unique blend of traditional and modern dance, amazing acrobatics, and state-of-the-art special effects. There are colourful costumes, elaborate props, pyrotechnics, water performances, illusions, and so much more!

The Devdan Show runs every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday evening in Nusa Dua, starting at 7:30pm and lasting just over an hour.

There are four categories of tickets to choose from, which vary in price: VIP, A, B, and C. The VIP ticket simply gets you a comfortable armchair. But to be honest, you don’t really need it for an hour-long show.

We had the cheapest Category C side-view tickets and ended up just a few rows away from the stage with a fantastic view! You can buy your tickets online here (cheaper than at the door).

7. Learn about rural village life while trekking in Sidemen

Sidemen has long been one of Bali's top agricultural regions, famous for its picturesque rice terraces that stretch for miles in every direction, dotted with small farming villages and communities.

And while there are plenty of viewpoints where you can admire Sidemen's beautiful scenery from a distance, there's only one way to get right up among it and experience it first-hand - on a Sidemen trekking tour with a local.

We went trekking in Sidemen with a lovely guide called Komang Adi, who grew up in the area and took us out to explore the rice terraces. We met him at the local market, where he showed us some produce grown in the region, before venturing out into the fields on a two-hour trek.

We spent the entire trek chatting with Adi as he taught us about all aspects of rural Balinese life, including family, school, marriage, religion, cultural traditions, food, and agriculture.

He also showed us many different local plants and farming techniques used in Sidemen along the way. He even stopped to make me a necklace out of casova leaves at one point (a childhood pastime of his).

Being local to the area, he knew a great route that allowed us to see the paddies with Mount Agung in the background. He knew many of the local farmers, which made us feel at ease walking through their fields, saying hello, and taking photos while they worked.

8. Visit the Garuda Wisnu Kencana (GWK) Cultural Park

When listing cultural attractions in Bali, it's impossible to miss the GWK Cultural Park. Right in the heart of the Bukit Peninsula, the park is home to the iconic Garuda Wisnu Kencana statue, which at 121 metres tall (incl. the base) is the tallest statue in Indonesia and one of the tallest in the world.

The giant statue is devoted to the Hindu god Vishnu, and his mount, Garuda, the mythical bird who became his companion. There's a museum inside the statue's upper floors where you can learn about the symbolism, history, and construction process.

Surrounding the GWK statue is a 60-hectare cultural park, with many other huge sculptures, lovely gardens, a large amphitheatre, and a packed schedule of daily cultural performances, including many traditional Balinese dances.

The park is fairly touristy, but it's still a fantastic place to get a quick introduction to Balinese culture. We wandered around the huge site on foot, but many people use the shuttle (extra fee) or rent bicycles or segways to get around.

We spent around 2.5-3 hours exploring the park, which included visiting the museum and watching a couple of cultural performances. There’s a small food court and some shops and cafes on-site too.

9. Learn how to make traditional Balinese offerings

"Canang sari" are a type of Balinese offering that you find absolutely everywhere in Bali - in temples, in homes, and even out on the streets. If you've ever visited Bali, these small flower-filled packages certainly won't be a new sight to you.

Canang sari are the simplest type of offering in Bali. They are made every single morning and offered to Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa, the Supreme God of Balinese Hinduism, as a form of gratitude for balance and peace in the world.

While canang sari may just look like a colourful box filled with flower petals, these offerings are actually highly symbolic, with each part having its own important meaning. The act of making the offerings is a sacred and meaningful practice among locals.

Canang sari are an essential piece of Balinese Hinduism, so learning how to make them is a fantastic way to better understand Balinese life and culture. Many places across the island offer canang-making experiences.

We've joined offering-making classes numerous times in Bali, including at Kuta's EBC Workshop (above), the Rumah Desa Village Experience (below), and at several hotels. We were both surprised at how difficult they were to put together, and we still haven't improved much to this day!

10. Book a Balinese Cultural Village Experience

A Balinese village experience gives you the opportunity to visit a local village or family compound and spend an entire day learning about Balinese life and culture with locals. Perfect for those who want a more in-depth cultural experience but are limited on time.

During my (Emily's) very first month in Bali, I visited Rumah Desa, a local home complex located between Ubud and Bedugul, that offers many different cultural experiences for visitors.

My visit included a full schedule of cultural activities, including a tour of the family home and temple, a quick introduction to Balinese life, religion, language, and medicine, local coffee and sweets, an offering-making class, coconut oil-making, and even a short cooking class.

11. See Balinese artwork in the island's top galleries

Bali isn't somewhere that's particularly famous for its museums and galleries. But there are actually a surprising number of great galleries where you can see modern and traditional Balinese art on display.

Ubud is home to the largest collection of art galleries in Bali, but we've also come across a handful of other galleries and displays all across the island.

Some of our favourite art museums and galleries in Bali:

12. Visit the Bajra Sandhi Monument

The Bajra Sandhi Monument is an imposing gothic-looking structure (it looks a little like an evil villain's lair) sitting at the centre of a large park in Bali’s capital city of Denpasar.

The important monument was opened in 2003 and is dedicated to the struggles of the Balinese people throughout history and the many local heroes before and after independence. Inside is a fascinating little museum that's a great place to learn about Balinese history.

The museum is popular among Balinese and Indonesian tourists (especially school groups), but is lesser-known among international visitors. During our visit, we were the only foreign tourists inside.

The museum has some interesting visual displays that walk you through the most important moments in Bali’s history, with a strong focus on the struggles during Dutch colonialism. All of the displays are translated into English.

You can also head up to the top floor for fantastic views over Denpasar and even further afield. With very few tall buildings in Bali, the vantage point offered amazing sweeping views over the island.

The current foreigner entrance fee is 100,000 IDR per adult. You’ll need cash as they don’t accept card payments. We spent well over an hour exploring the large monument and museum, so it was definitely worth the money.

13. Take a Balinese cooking class

I'm a firm believer that food is one of the most important parts of culture. In the words of the great Anthony Bourdain, “Food is everything we are. It’s an extension of nationalist feeling, ethnic feeling, your personal history, your province, your region, your tribe, your grandma. It’s inseparable from those from the get-go.”

That's exactly why taking a cooking class is one of our favourite things to do, no matter where we visit in the world. It's a fantastic and tasty way to learn about local culture.

We've taken numerous cooking classes in Bali over the last several years, with our favourite being Bali Farm Cooking School in the north of Ubud.

During our cooking class, we started by picking our own ingredients from the school's organic farm. We then headed into the open-air kitchen to cook six authentic Balinese dishes, including sate lilit, chicken curry, sweet and sour tempeh, and more.

After the class, there was plenty of time to enjoy our tasty creations and chat with the friendly staff about all things food. We even got a recipe book to take away with us to remember the dishes we made.

14. Explore the ancient ruins of Pura Gunung Kawi

Pura Gunung Kawi is one of Bali’s most ancient archeological sites. It offers a fascinating glimpse into Bali's cultural heritage.

The temple complex is home to a series of 11th-century royal tombs, aka “candis,” carved into the cliff face that surrounds it. The huge shrines sit over 7 meters (23 ft) high and are surrounded by dense jungle, giving the site a real Tomb Raider-esque feel.

The tombs are thought to have been built by King Anak Wungsu as a tribute to his father, the great Balinese ruler Udayana, and the Warmadewa Dynasty.

The ruins are located around 30 minutes north of Ubud, close to Tirta Empul Water Temple. Entrance costs 50,000 IDR and includes the use of a sarong. From the entrance, you need to walk down a steep, winding staircase to reach the ruins.

15. Learn about the Balinese silent day "Nyepi" at the SAKA Museum

The SAKA Museum is a sleek, ultra-modern museum dedicated to the famous Balinese celebration of Nyepi, aka the "Day of Silence," and the many different rituals and traditions associated with it.

The museum covers the important traditions that take place in the lead-up to Nyepi, including the Melasti ceremony and the famous Ogoh Ogoh parades. We loved exploring the museum's many giant Ogoh Ogoh statues and watching a short film about how the demon-like effigies are built.

The SAKA Museum is part of the AYANA Resort and is free for hotel guests. Outside visitors are also welcome to visit for 120,000 IDR. It took us around 45 minutes to see the whole museum, but a new exhibition has opened since we last visited so there's now even more to see.

16. Visit Bali's largest Buddhist temple

Just 15 minutes away from the coastal town of Lovina in North Bali, Brahma Vihara Arama is the island's largest Buddhist temple and only Buddhist monastery.

While less than 1% of Bali’s population is Buddhist, the temple complex is impressive and offers a sense of peacefulness and tranquillity, unlike many other busier temples in Bali. You can see why Buddhists come here from across Indonesia for meditation retreats.

Upon entering, we were immediately greeted by a huge standing Buddha statue in the middle of a lotus pond. There were several other unique structures around the complex, including a circular three-tiered pagoda and a large bell-shaped pagoda.

Although this is a Buddhist temple, the influence of Balinese Hinduism is still obvious, not least from the large Balinese-style gates at the top of the steps (a great alternative to the busy Gates of Heaven).

Through these gates was a small replica of Borobudur, a Buddhist temple on the neighbouring island of Java, which is the largest Buddhist temple in the world. This is why the temple is also known to many as Mini Borobudur.