Temples are everywhere in Bali. A part of every day life and the temples in Bali are uniquely Bali. As we made our way towards the center of Bali, we decided to visit one of the larger temples set along the edge of Lake Batur - Ulun Danu Batur.
The beautiful lake side temple was serene and breath taking.
As we drove from the coastal edge of Bali inland, the weather changed and by the time we reached the volcanic mountain where the temple lies it began to rain heavily. We simply did what everyone does in Asia during rain storms we found shelter under a massive rain platform and waited it out.
Soon the rain stopped and the sun came out, but we could see the clouds slowly moving in ready for another downpour, so we quickly, yet slowly explored the temple grounds. Many temples in Bali do not allow foreigners or non-Balinese due to impolite behavior during funeral processions and services. But Ulun Danu Batur was open to foreigners with a few rules
We walked around the temple grounds towards a temple just outside the main temple gates which housed deities wrapped in colorful cloth.
We wandered around the lush temple grounds
admired the stone architecture
and enjoyed the festive atmosphere
One of the attractions foreigners can take part in are burial ceremonies and funeral processions. We're not sure of the significance and how often these occur, but tours were offered everywhere. We however were lucky enough to witness the procession while visiting the Ulun Danu Batar temple.
The Ulun Danu Batar Lake Temple was fascinating, beautiful, and a cultural experience we will not forget.
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