With over 20,000 recorded temples across the island, Bali is rightfully known as the Island of the Gods (Pulau Dewata). From sea-swept promontories like Tanah Lot to the cloud-draped mountain heights of Pura Besakih, visiting a traditional Pura is often the cultural pinnacle of a traveler’s journey. However, a Balinese temple is not an open-air museum, tourist park, or Instagram set—it is an active sanctuary of living Hindu faith.
Every courtyard, carved stone doorway, and tiered shrine is imbued with sacred energy (kesucian). Navigating these spiritual grounds requires an understanding of ancient customs, local decorum, and ritual taboos. This definitive guide breaks down everything you need to know about temple attire, physical behavior, and spiritual sensitivity to ensure your visit is welcoming, respectful, and enriching.
1. The Mandatory Temple Dress Code: Kamben and Selendang
Entering the outer or inner courtyards of any Balinese temple requires modesty. Both men and women must wear proper traditional garments regardless of personal style or hot weather. Modesty signifies humility before the divine.
The Kamben (Traditional Sarong)
In Balinese tradition, the waist and legs represent lower worldly attachments and must be cloaked with a Kamben—a long rectangular piece of fabric wrapped around the waist extending down to the ankles. Wrapping styles vary slightly by gender, as detailed in our guide to Balinese traditional attire:
- For Men: The kamben is wrapped from left to right, with a folded pleat (kancut) hanging down the front. The hem is positioned slightly higher—about a handbreadth above the ankles—to accommodate purposeful strides.
- For Women: The kamben is wrapped snugly from right to left, extending smoothly to the ankles, symbolizing feminine grace, stability, and modesty.
The Selendang or Umpal (Waist Sash)
Tied securely around the waist over the kamben, the Selendang (or Umpal for men) is far more than a decorative belt. Spiritually, Balinese philosophy divides the human body into three vertical zones: Utama Angga (the sacred head), Madya Angga (the worldly torso), and Nista Angga (the instinctual lower limbs). Tying the sash around the solar plexus symbolically binds and controls lower human passions, lust, and earthly impulses before entering sacred precincts.
Shoulder and Torso Coverage
Tank tops, spaghetti straps, halter tops, backless dresses, and plunging necklines are strictly prohibited within temple boundaries. Both men and women must cover their shoulders and upper arms. A simple t-shirt with sleeves, a polo shirt, or a traditional lightweight cotton Kebaya or Safari shirt is ideal.
2. Understanding Sebel (Ritual Impurity): Taboos Explained Respectfully
One of the most frequently misunderstood aspects of Balinese Hinduism among Western travelers is the prohibition against entering temples while in a state of Sebel (also termed Cuntaka). Signs in English and Indonesian at temple gates explicitly state that menstruating women, people with open bleeding wounds, or those in active mourning must not enter.
Deconstructing the Taboo: Energy, Not Misogyny
Outsiders occasionally misinterpret this rule as discriminatory against women. In Balinese Hindu theology, however, Sebel is not a moral judgment or a declaration of physical dirtiness. Instead, it refers to a temporary disruption in spiritual electromagnetic balance.
Balinese rituals rely heavily on the balance between blood, life force, and the spirit realm. Blood spilled outside consecrated ritual sacrifice (such as a bleeding cut or natural menstrual flow) attracts terrestrial spirits (Bhuta Kala). Entering a temple during this phase invites discordant energetic interference. Furthermore, traditional Balinese culture views menstruation as a time of physiological vulnerability when women should rest rather than engage in demanding ceremonial activities. Men with active bleeding wounds or recent fractures are subjected to the exact same restriction.
Mourning and Bereavement Impurity
Anyone who has recently experienced the death of an immediate family member is considered Sebel for a prescribed period (varying from several days to several weeks until purification rites are concluded). Out of respect for the temple’s sanctified atmosphere, those undergoing active bereavement voluntarily refrain from entering until ritual cleansing is completed.
3. Critical Do's and Don'ts Inside the Temple Grounds
| Do's (Recommended Conduct) | Don'ts (Strictly Forbidden Actions) |
|---|---|
| Always wear a clean sarong (kamben) and waist sash (selendang). | Never climb on shrines (pelinggih), walls, or holy stone statues. |
| Walk mindfully and step around ground offerings (canang sari). | Never step directly over or trample upon fresh floral offerings or burning incense. |
| Keep your head lower than seated priests (pemangku) and elders. | Never stand directly in front of worshippers who are actively kneeling in prayer. |
| Speak in soft, respectful conversational tones. | Never use flash photography or place cameras in a priest’s face during blessings. |
| Remove shoes before stepping onto raised wooden prayer pavilions (bale). | Never fly consumer camera drones above active temple courtyards. |
4. Temple Offerings: Navigating the Canang Sari on the Ground
As you stroll through temple entrances and stone stairways, you will notice dozens of square, hand-woven palm-leaf trays adorned with colorful petals, rice, and smoking incense sticks. These are Canang Sari—the daily devotional offerings of the Balinese people.
When offerings are placed on the ground, they are intended for the earth spirits (Bhuta Kala) to placate negative energies and maintain cosmic equilibrium. While local Balinese understand that accidental steps occur in crowded alleyways, purposefully kicking, stepping across, or walking over an offering while its incense is still smoldering is considered deeply disrespectful. Always keep your gaze mindful and gently step around them.
5. Photography, Drones, and Etiquette During Ceremonies
Bali’s religious festivals are visually stunning, filled with vibrant silks, golden crowns, and sacred processions. Worshippers are generally warm and accommodating, but respectful boundaries must be maintained:
- Keep Your Distance: Use zoom lenses rather than physically crowding worshippers. Never walk between a praying devotee and the shrine they are facing.
- Priest Protocol: Balinese Hindu priests (Pemangku or Pedanda) are channels of divine blessing. In Balinese culture, the human head (Utama Angga) is sacred. Never position yourself physically higher than a seated priest—do not stand on elevated stone perches while the priest conducts prayers on the ground below.
- No Drones: Flying unmanned aerial drones above a temple complex during active ceremonies is strictly forbidden across Bali. The buzzing noise disrupts meditation, and flying directly above sacred shrines desecrates the spiritual space.
6. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I rent a sarong at the temple gate?
Yes. Almost all major public temples—including Pura Besakih, Tanah Lot, and Tirta Empul—provide sarong and sash rentals at the entrance ticket booth. In many cases, the rental is already included in your entrance ticket fee. However, carrying your own high-quality sarong in your daypack is more hygienic, comfortable, and respectful when visiting smaller village shrines.
Are tourists allowed to participate in temple prayers?
In tourist-accessible temples like Tirta Empul, visitors may participate in specific cleansing rituals such as Melukat (holy water purification) if they wear proper wet-ritual attire and follow the ritual rules. However, the innermost sanctum (Jeroan) of most temples is reserved strictly for practicing Balinese Hindu worshippers during major festivals.
What should I do if a priest sprinkles holy water (tirta) on me?
If an officiating priest approaches to offer Tirta (blessed holy water), receive it with your right hand cupped on top of your left hand. The priest will sprinkle water onto your head three times, pour water into your palms to sip three times (optional for foreigners concerned about untreated water), and finish by pressing consecrated raw rice grains (Bija) to your forehead between the eyebrows as a third-eye blessing of wisdom.