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Guide · One-day combos
Bali rice terraces and temples in one day, from the sea to the lake
Tanah Lot on the coast, the Jatiluwih terraces in the hills and Ulun Danu Bratan on its mountain lake make the classic western loop of Bali rice terraces and temples. Here is how the tours fit them into a day.
Check availabilityfrom $35 · no cancellation fee
Editorial team, tanahlottempletour.comUpdated October 23, 2026Reading time about 6 minutes25 sources
The loop in brief
- 01Most reviewed
- Tanah Lot, Jatiluwih and Bratan in 7 to 8 hours, from $29.
- 02Longer version
- The full day booked here adds Taman Ayun, 10 hours, from $35.
- 04Pack
- A light jacket: the terraces and the lake can be cool and windy.
Why the coast and the hills belong in one day
The western loop of Bali rice terraces and temples links three very different landscapes. At Tanah Lot the temple stands on a rock in the surf, dedicated to Bhatara Segara, the god of the sea.3 Up in the hills, the Jatiluwih terraces belong to the Catur Angga Batukaru subak landscape, and above them Pura Ulun Danu Bratan stands on the shore of Lake Beratan near Bedugul, where offerings go to Dewi Danu, the goddess of water, lakes and rivers.245
Seen together, the places tell one story about water: the lakes in the hills, the terraces watered through the subak irrigation societies, and the sea at the end of it all. Even at the coast the link is there. Pura Pakendungan, a short walk from Tanah Lot, also serves as the Pengulun Subak temple of the Kediri district, a temple of the local irrigation societies.6
It is a satisfying arc for a day trip, long but varied. You start or finish in the heat of the coast and spend the middle of it in the cooler hills, so pack for both. The sections below compare the listings, the time each gives the stops and the questions to ask before you book.
The compact loop
A day from the coast to the lake and back
-
Start
Pick-up or meeting point
About an hour by car to Tanah Lot.
-
Tanah Lot
45 minutes
The sea temple on its rock, the first stop.
-
Jatiluwih
30 minutes
About 1.5 hours inland to the terraces.
-
Bratan
40 minutes
Another hour up to the lake temple.
-
Return
About 1.5 hours
Back to Kuta or to Ubud Palace by car.
The most reviewed loop: three stops in a working day
The most reviewed listing for this combination runs 7 to 8 hours and starts from $29, rated 4.83 from 1,008 reviews. Its reviewers score the guide and the transport at 4.9 and the value at 4.7. The guide speaks English, a private group is available, and the listing calls itself wheelchair accessible.
Its itinerary is compact: about an hour by car to Tanah Lot for 45 minutes, 1.5 hours on to the Jatiluwih rice terraces for 30 minutes, an hour on to Ulun Danu Bratan for 40 minutes, then 1.5 hours back. Group departures meet at Ubud Palace or at Central Parking Kuta; other options depend on what you book.
The short stops are the price of the compact day. That short stop at Tanah Lot is enough for the view and a walk along the shore, but not for the reef, the Kecak or a sunset. If any of those matter, look at a longer version, or plan a separate evening at the sea temple and treat this loop as your highland day. Ask the operator about the order of the stops too: a loop that reaches the coast late in the afternoon gives you a different Tanah Lot from one that starts there in the morning.
Time at each stop
Compact loop or the full day booked here
hrs
Side by side
Tours that link the sea temple with the hills
| Tour | Length | Stops besides Tanah Lot | Entry fees | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compact loop | 7 to 8 hrs | Jatiluwih, Ulun Danu Bratan | Bring cash | $29 |
| Booked here | 10 hrs | Jatiluwih, Ulun Danu Bratan, Taman Ayun | Inclusive option | $35 |
| Slow highland day | 1 day | Jatiluwih, coffee, Bratan, gate | Not included | $32 |
| Private highlands | 1 day | Bratan, gate, Jatiluwih | Not stated | $44 |
| Small group of 6 | 1 day | Taman Ayun, waterfall, Jatiluwih, Batukaru | Not stated | $29 |
Stops, lengths, fee terms and starting prices as each listing states them on GetYourGuide.
Three ways to do the loop
Compact, complete or slow
Most reviewed
Booked here
Most timeDecision helper
Which loop suits you?
Choose the line closest to your plans
The compact loop
1,008 reviews, rated 4.83, 7 to 8 hours.
The full day booked here
It adds 95 minutes at the royal water temple.
The slow highland day
2 hours at Jatiluwih, Ulun Danu Bratan and Tanah Lot.
The full day booked here
Live guides in English, French, Spanish and German.
Ask the compact loop's operator
The listing calls itself wheelchair accessible.
The longer full day booked on this site
The tour this site books covers the same ground and adds Taman Ayun. Its itinerary lists Tanah Lot for 1.5 hours, Jatiluwih for 30 minutes with an optional lunch break of 1 hour, Ulun Danu Bratan for 2 hours and Taman Ayun for 95 minutes, inside a 10-hour day with hotel pick-up. It starts from $35 and is rated 4.71 from 2,097 reviews.
The listing names the sunset at Tanah Lot as its highlight, which the compact loop, with Tanah Lot as its first stop, does not offer. It is also clear that the start time affects how much you see, and that later starts may cover fewer stops, so read your confirmation email carefully. If the sunset is the reason you chose this tour, ask the operator which start time keeps Tanah Lot for the end of the day, and book that one.
Entry fees are included only on its inclusive option; with the basic option you pay at each gate in cash. Lunch is not part of the price, and neither are personal expenses. The guides speak English, French, Spanish or German, which makes this tour the better choice if you would rather hear the stories of the temples in one of those languages.
Map
Tanah Lot, its shore temples and the roads to it
The temples on the rocks around Tanah Lot, the drive in from south Bali and Ubud, the highland stops of the full-day tour, and Uluwatu at the other end of the coast.
1Tanah Lot2Pura Batu Bolong3Pura Batu Mejan4Pura Enjung Galuh5Pura Jro Kandang6Pura Penataran7Pura Luhur Pakendungan8Ticket counter
1Tanah Lot9Kediri10Canggu11Seminyak12Kuta13Ngurah Rai Airport14Denpasar15Ubud
1Tanah Lot16Pura Taman Ayun17Jatiluwih18Pura Ulun Danu Beratan
1Tanah Lot19Pura Luhur Uluwatu20Jimbaran12Kuta13Ngurah Rai Airport
- 1Tanah Lot
The sea temple on its rock, reached on foot only at low tide.73
In Google Maps ↗ - 2Pura Batu Bolong
A shrine on a rock with a crescent-shaped hole, loved at sunset.89
In Google Maps ↗ - 3Pura Batu Mejan
Also called Beji temple; a spring shows on the beach at low water.1011
In Google Maps ↗ - 4Pura Enjung Galuh
A temple for Dewi Sri on a point that is a fine sunset spot.1213
In Google Maps ↗ - 5Pura Jro Kandang
Where farmers pray to the god who rules crop pests.14
In Google Maps ↗ - 6Pura Penataran
Its Madya shrine sees worship above all at high tide.15
In Google Maps ↗ - 7Pura Luhur Pakendungan
Its festival every 210 days brings the sacred kris from Kediri.1617
In Google Maps ↗ - 8Ticket counter
Foreign adults pay IDR 75,000 by the official price list.18
In Google Maps ↗ - 9Kediri
The large sign at its main crossroads marks the turn to Tanah Lot.19
In Google Maps ↗ - 10Canggu
One of the pick-up areas of the full-day tour.
In Google Maps ↗ - 11Seminyak
Another pick-up area for the tour booked here.
In Google Maps ↗ - 12Kuta
Free pick-up area of the half-day sunset trip as well.
In Google Maps ↗ - 13Ngurah Rai Airport
About 30 km from Tanah Lot, says the Ministry of Tourism.20
In Google Maps ↗ - 14Denpasar
Tanah Lot lies 20 km to its north-west.21
In Google Maps ↗ - 15Ubud
Pick-up there too; the highland loop also meets at Ubud Palace.
In Google Maps ↗ - 16Pura Taman Ayun
The royal water temple inside the UNESCO subak listing.1
In Google Maps ↗ - 17Jatiluwih
Rice terraces in the Catur Angga Batukaru heritage area.2
In Google Maps ↗ - 18Pura Ulun Danu Beratan
On Lake Beratan near Bedugul, built in 1633.45
In Google Maps ↗ - 19Pura Luhur Uluwatu
A cliffside temple 70 m above the Indian Ocean.22
In Google Maps ↗ - 20Jimbaran
On the south-coast day that pairs Uluwatu with Tanah Lot.
In Google Maps ↗
Checklist
For a day on the western loop
01
Wear and pack
- A light jacket for the cool, windy hills
- A sarong or scarf for every temple
- Shoes for uneven paths on the terraces
02
Money and plans
- Cash: some places take no cards
- Entry fees, unless your option includes them
- Your start time and which stops it covers
Cost calculator
The western loop for your group
Starting totals for three ways to combine the stops.
People
Total from$58
per traveler from $29
Check availabilityfree cancellationGroup totals use each trip's lowest GetYourGuide price times the number of travellers, shown in your currency at today's ECB reference figure; you see the exact amount before you pay.
Video
Tanah Lot, Ulun Danu and the Jatiluwih rice terraces
The video starts loading once you tap play.
Slower days and private cars
If short stops put you off, a slower day gives Jatiluwih 2 hours, adds a coffee stop, spends 2 hours at Ulun Danu Bratan, an hour at the Handara gate and then 2 hours at Tanah Lot. It starts from $32 with a rating of 4.92 from 160 reviews, but its entrance fees are not included.
Private versions let you set the pace yourself. One private day spends 2 hours each at Ulun Danu Bratan, the Handara gate, Jatiluwih and Tanah Lot, from $44. Another private tour adds Taman Ayun, the Bedugul market and the Angseri hot springs, an hour at each place, from $58.
A small-group day limited to 6 takes a different route through the hills, with Taman Ayun, a waterfall, 2 hours at Jatiluwih and Pura Luhur Batukaru before it finishes at Tanah Lot. It suits travellers who want the terraces at length and the sea temple at the end of the day, and it starts from $29.
What is UNESCO World Heritage, and what is not
Several of these tours use the word UNESCO in their titles, and the full day booked here is one of them. The facts are more precise. In 2012 the subak system was inscribed as a World Heritage Site under the title Cultural Landscape of Bali Province: the Subak System as a Manifestation of the Tri Hita Karana Philosophy.23
The listing names its components: the supreme water temple Pura Ulun Danu Batur, Lake Batur, the subak landscape of the Pekerisan watershed, the subak landscape of Catur Angga Batukaru and the royal water temple Pura Taman Ayun.1 The manager of the heritage area at Jatiluwih confirms that Catur Angga Batukaru at Jatiluwih is one of the areas UNESCO recognised.2 Wikipedia gives that landscape as 17,376.1 hectares, with terraces named in a 10th-century inscription.24
A pair of famous stops are not part of it. Tanah Lot is a sea temple outside the listed areas, and Ulun Danu Bratan stands on Lake Beratan, while the lake temple in the World Heritage listing is Pura Ulun Danu Batur on Lake Batur.1254 Both are well worth the visit; they are just not World Heritage. Knowing the difference simply helps you read the tour titles with a clearer eye.
Weather, clothing and money for the hills
The highland stops feel different from the coast. The highland loop warns that Ulun Danu Beratan and Jatiluwih can be cooler and windy and asks you to bring a light jacket. A private highland tour likewise tells you to be ready for changing weather at higher places such as Bedugul.
Dress for the temples at every stop. The full day booked here enforces a dress code at some sites, with shoulders, underarms, back and knees covered, and asks you to bring a sarong, scarf or sweater. The highland loop adds that sarongs may be provided at some temples, and that the paths around temples and terraces can be uneven, with moderate walking all day.
Carry cash. The highland loop warns that some places do not take cards, and it runs rain or shine, though heavy rain can make the paths harder going. Small notes cover the gates on tours without the inclusive option, a coffee in the hills and a lunch, which the tour booked here does not include.
Your day in the west
The sea temple, the terraces and the lake in one day
Hotel pick-up in south Bali or Ubud, a live guide, free cancellation up to a day before.
You ask,we answer.
Can I see Tanah Lot, Jatiluwih and Ulun Danu Bratan in one day?
Yes, several tours do it. The most reviewed loop takes 7 to 8 hours; the full day booked here takes 10 and adds Taman Ayun.
How long do the tours stay at each stop?
It varies a lot. The compact loop gives Tanah Lot 45 minutes; the slower day gives it 2 hours.
Is Jatiluwih a UNESCO site?
Yes, as part of the subak landscape. Catur Angga Batukaru at Jatiluwih is one of the areas inscribed in 2012.232
Is Ulun Danu Bratan a UNESCO site?
No. The listed lake temple is Pura Ulun Danu Batur on Lake Batur.125
Where do the group tours meet?
Ubud Palace or Central Parking Kuta. That is for the highland loop's group options; the full day picks up at hotels.
What should I bring for the hills?
A light jacket and cash. The highland loop warns of cool, windy weather and places that take no cards.
Sources
What this text is based on
- 1WikipediaSubak (irrigation)↩
- 2ANTARA News BaliPetani Jatiluwih Rasakan Manfaat WBD↩
- 3Ministry of Tourism, Republic of Indonesia (indonesia.travel)Tanah Lot↩
- 4WikipediaPura Ulun Danu Bratan↩
- 5WikipediaPura Ulun Danu Bratan↩
- 6Daya Tarik Wisata Tanah Lot (official site)Pakendungan Temple↩
- 7WikipediaTanah Lot↩
- 8Daya Tarik Wisata Tanah Lot (official site)Batu Bolong Temple↩
- 9Daya Tarik Wisata Tanah Lot (official site)Batu Bolong Temple↩
- 10Daya Tarik Wisata Tanah Lot (official site)Batu Mejan Temple↩
- 11Daya Tarik Wisata Tanah Lot (official site)Batu Mejan Temple↩
- 12Daya Tarik Wisata Tanah Lot (official site)Njung Galuh Temple↩
- 13Daya Tarik Wisata Tanah Lot (official site)Enjung Galuh Area↩
- 14Daya Tarik Wisata Tanah Lot (official site)Jro Kandang Temple↩
- 15Daya Tarik Wisata Tanah Lot (official site)Penataran Madya Temple↩
- 16Daya Tarik Wisata Tanah Lot (official site)History & Natural Environment↩
- 17Daya Tarik Wisata Tanah Lot (official site)History & Natural Environment↩
- 18Daya Tarik Wisata Tanah Lot (official site)Ticket Price↩
- 19Ministry of Tourism, Republic of Indonesia (indonesia.travel)Tanah Lot↩
- 20Ministry of Tourism, Republic of Indonesia (indonesia.travel)Tanah Lot↩
- 21WikipediaTanah Lot↩
- 22Uluwatu Temple (official site of the managing body)Uluwatu Temple↩
- 23WikipediaSubak (irrigation)↩
- 24WikipediaSubak (irrigation)↩
- 25WikipediaSubak (irrigation)↩
