Pura Gunung Kawi Sebatu is a spring temple in Sebatu village, in the Tegallalang area north of Ubud. Its waters are said to honor the supreme god in his manifestation as Vishnu, the preserver associated with water. Not to be confused with the rock-cut shrines of Gunung Kawi at Tampaksiring, it is smaller, greener and far quieter.
Local tradition links the spring to the sage Rsi Markandeya, who is said to have meditated on a rock here; the village name Sebatu is linked to that stone. The temple follows the classic three-courtyard layout of Balinese temples. A purification pool with a fountain stands beside a shrine to Batara Gangga, while one sacred fountain pool is reserved for priests.
The temple's character comes from its water. Springs feed clear pools filled with koi, and moss softens the stonework. Locals come to bathe and pray, while visitors walk the paths between ponds and carved shrines. Surrounded by trees and the sound of running water, it offers a calm alternative to busier water temples nearby. Mornings are usually quietest.
Highlights
- Spring-fed koi ponds
- Purification fountains
- Shrine to Vishnu
- Quiet alternative to Tirta Empul
Photos
Photos: Anggabuana · CC BY-SA 4.0 · edited / Anggabuana · CC BY-SA 4.0 · edited
Good to know
- Ask a temple attendant before entering any purification pool, as some are reserved for priests.
- Do not feed the koi, which are considered sacred.
- Combine it with the Tegallalang rice terraces on the same morning.
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Offerings, ceremonies, temples and beliefs: 100 short chapters on what makes Balinese culture unlike anywhere else.
