Bali's Water Purification Ceremony: Best Places To Do It

Melukat is a Balinese water purification ceremony that is believed to help cleanse the mind, body, and spirit. Most Balinese Hindus practice it each month around the full moon and on special occasions.

The purification ritual has also become increasingly popular among tourists, who are welcome to join (as long as you're respectful). We’ve experienced five different purification ceremonies in Bali, and each was special in its own way. In this guide, we’ve ranked our favourites and included what to expect at each.

Quick Tips for Melukat in Bali

Best Places Near Ubud

1. Sebatu Temple – Our favourite

Around 30 minutes north of Central Ubud is the small village of Sebatu, where you'll find our favourite Melukat water purification ceremony at Pura Gunung Kawi Sebatu (known as Sebatu Temple).

The lovely little complex has natural holy water springs, koi ponds, and lots of greenery - resembling a smaller, but more peaceful version of Pura Tirta Empul. There were many locals taking part in melukat here during our visit, as well as a handful of small tour groups and their guides.

Sebatu Temple strikes a great balance between feeling authentic while still being well-equipped for tourists. There’s an official information counter, guides for hire, and fixed prices for purification packages (120,000 IDR ⓘ per person). If it’s your first time trying Melukat, this is a great one to begin with.

Our local guide was amazing. She led us through the prayers and offerings, then explained how to enter the holy water pools and use the fountains. We both came away feeling rejuvenated from the experience.

We visited Sebatu Temple while staying at Puri Gangga, a boutique luxury resort with a traditional Balinese style, which directly overlooks the temple (just a few minutes walk away).

We’d definitely recommend staying at Puri Gangga if you’re looking for a peaceful spot away from the noise and traffic of Central Ubud. They offer other cultural activities too, including traditional offering making and local cooking classes.

2. Taman Beji Griya Waterfall – For something different

The most unique water purification ceremony we’ve tried in Bali was at Taman Beji Griya Waterfall (watch here). This sacred site, just west of Ubud, is home to a series of temples, caves, and huge waterfalls. You can no longer just visit the waterfall as a standalone activity; the only way to see it is by doing the ceremony.

There’s a set price for the ceremony of 300,000 IDR ⓘ, which includes the sarong, lockers, purification ceremony, hot drink, and the guide (we also left a small tip as he was great). You can add other spiritual activities too, such as palm reading, tarot, and healing rituals, but we opted to only do the purification.

The experience lasted almost an hour in total. Our guide led us around many different shrines, where we placed an offering at each and learned about the gods they are dedicated to. We finished by entering the waterfalls, where we could let go of negative energy by screaming into the water.

This experience is already fairly popular, so it can feel busy when you first arrive. However, their timed entry system only allows a few guests to do the ceremony at any time. Once you reach the caves and waterfall, it immediately feels much calmer and quieter.

We didn’t realise there was an option to pre-book a time slot, so we had roughly a 50-minute wait to start. This went quickly by the time we’d looked around the stalls and enjoyed the complimentary coffee, but we’d recommend booking ahead if you can (only use their official website).

3. Pura Mengening – Off the beaten path

Just a 10-minute walk from the famous Pura Tirta Empul, Pura Mengening is another of Tampaksiring’s water temples. But unlike its busy neighbour, Mengening remains much quieter and less well-known. There were only a couple of other tourists when we visited.

The temple has recently started welcoming tourists to join Meulkat ceremonies. Entrance was 30,000 IDR ⓘ and the sarong/locker hire was only 10,000 IDR ⓘ per person, making it the one of the most affordable options in Ubud.

Pura Mengening was a much more local purification experience compared to the others we'd done and a little more challenging to navigate on our own. While the staff were very friendly, their English was limited, and there was no information or option to hire a dedicated guide.

Luckily, having taken part in multiple purifications before, we knew what we were doing and still had a great experience here. The priest helped us give the offerings and led us through a prayer, then left us to do the rest of the ceremony alone.

The only other tourists here during our visit had brought in their own tour guide, who was leading them through the purification ritual.

If you do have a private guide to accompany you or have taken part in Melukat before, Mengening temple is a peaceful and authentic option. But if you’re completely new to it, we'd suggest visiting one that’s more tailored towards tourists.

4. Pura Tirta Empul – The famous one

We’re including Pura Tirta Empul as it’s the most famous place for water purification in Bali. However, we think it’s become a victim of its own success. With so many tourists and no system for dealing with such a large number of visitors, it can get very crowded, which really ruins the experience.

You can still enjoy a visit to Pura Tirta Empul, but you’ll need to visit early in the morning before the tour groups. The temple opens from 7am (despite it saying 8am online), so aim to arrive around this time. We arrived at 8am and it was still quiet, but it was already getting busier by the time we left at 9.30am.

A guide is not essential, but we would strongly advise getting one anyway. You’ll learn a lot more about the ceremony and they'll ensure you follow the correct etiquette. The guides here are used to taking photos and videos of guests and know all the best angles.

We hired a guide at the temple, but had to negotiate on price as they start high. We paid 100,000 IDR ⓘ for 1 guide between 4 people. In addition, you’ll need to pay for temple admission, sarong hire, and a locker. See the latest prices in our guide to Pura Tirta Empul.

The rest of the temple complex is very beautiful and worth spending time exploring. We spent a total of 90 minutes here, including the purification ceremony - although we do like to take a lot of photos!

Best Places in South Bali

5. Geger Temple – For a private ceremony

In South Bali, we visited the Apurva Spa (part of the Apurva Kempinski) for their Awakening the Chakra Spirit ritual, which included a private water purification ceremony. This was a really unique experience for us, as it was the only ceremony we've done that took place on the beach, rather than inside a water temple.

We got a transfer from the spa to the small Geger Temple in Nusa Dua, where we were met by a Balinese Priest who guided us through a private Melukat purification ritual, using water and coconut water for cleansing.

Compared to other Melukat rituals we’ve experienced in Bali, we loved how personal and intimate this one felt, with the priest thoughtfully guiding us through each step and explaining its significance.

We also had a guide from the spa who took photos and videos so we could focus on the priest's instructions and explanations.

The half-day experience also included a 60-minute sound meditation session and a 60-minute Balinese massage at the luxury spa, which targeted our chakra blockages. The total price was 3,500,000 IDR ⓘ for two people, so it's quite expensive but worth it!

Water Purification in Bali: Common Questions

Below are some questions we've been asked about taking part in purification ceremonies in Bali. We'll keep updating this section as more questions come in.

Can children take part in water purification?

Yes, children can join water purification rituals at most temples in Bali. In fact, popular temples like Tirta Empul and Sebatu allow children under 4 years old to join for free. We've seen many children taking part. It's still best to check the guidelines for each temple individually.

While we don't have kids ourselves, we can imagine the ceremony might be a little boring for younger children. You'll also need to make sure they are well-behaved and not splashing around in the fountains. Remember that these are holy sites and spiritual ceremonies, not public paddling pools.

Can you take part in purification if you have tattoos?

Yes, as far as we're aware, there's no rule against people with tattoos taking part in melukat in Bali. We both have several small tattoos and have never had any problems. We've also seen other visitors (locals and tourists) with large back tattoos and sleeves taking part in purifications without a problem.

What do you wear to the purification ceremony in Bali?

As most purification ceremonies take place in holy spring temples, you'll need to dress respectfully to enter (no low-cut tops or offensive slogans). The entrance fee almost always includes a sarong to enter the temple.

To take part in the purification ceremony itself, you're given a different sarong and sash to wear into the water. Make sure to bring swimwear to wear under this so you don't need to get your clothes wet.