Pura Taman Saraswati : A Beautiful Temple Only If The Lotus Is In Full Bloom

Pura Taman Saraswati

Of all the places along the main street of Ubud, there was only one place which I was keen to visit – Pura Taman Saraswati, also known by many as The Ubud Water Palace.

You may have seen many photos like this before

Sharing a similar design as the Ubud Palace, both places lies just a stone’s throw away from each other on the main street of Ubud and can be visited in the same day. Along the street, you will find many restaurants, bars, gelato shops, boutiques, and souvenir shops. The Ubud Market is just diagonally opposite the street.

A photo at a Balinese gate is always a must-do

Pura Taman Saraswati was designed by I Gusti Nyoman Lempad following a commission by the Prince of Ubud Cokorda Gede Agung Sukawati. Lempad was a notable stone sculptor and architect who built palaces and temples throughout Ubud and its neighboring villages and was considered one of the most talented artists of the pre-war Balinese modernist painters.

Side gate

Construction of Pura Taman Saraswati started in 1951 and was completed in 1952. The temple is dedicated to Sarasvati, the Hindu deity of learning, literature and art. This should come as no surprise that Ubud town itself is very expressive and is known to be the cultural heart of Bali. There are plenty of carvings and sandstone bas-reliefs in the temple which were created in her honor.

Hard not to be photobombed

The most notable feature of the temple is its lotus pond and water garden, which marks the outer area of the actual temple. Plumeria trees decorate the edges of the pond, while the straight bridge-like access is decorated with paras sculptures of Hindu mythological figures. Access to the inner sanctum is provided by three red-bricked kori agung gates. The central one is the largest and is flanked with two tall plumeria trees.

Café Lotus and Starbucks

In the right season, the pond is filled with blooming pink lotus flowers at its entrance, making this temple a breath-taking site. Visitors can dine in the attached Café Lotus while admiring the view of the temple. Alternatively, there is also a Starbucks right next to the entrance.

Cafe Lotus

Starbucks

Unfortunately, the pond was bald of lotuses when we visit which was a huge let down. We left the site only after 20 minutes or so, and having no interest in the neighbouring Ubud Palace, we strolled along the street and eventually ended up at Seniman Coffee Studio for our afternoon tea.

Only one bloomed

Seniman Coffee

About 7-minute walk away from Pura Taman Saraswati, we found ourselves at one of the most famous café in town – Seniman Coffee Studio. Since Terry loves coffee a lot, I purposely searched for the best coffee in town, and stumbled upon this café, which was actually the most famous in town. Besides, it is conveniently located near Pura Taman Saraswati, so finding it was easy.

Seniman Coffee

The workshop is right opposite

They have a fantastic little shop across the road selling everything from coffee to the glassware, and even perfumed soap, so we went in and looked around before finally entering the café.

They even have a store opposite

They sell coffee and other brewing equipment

Coffee

We ordered a cup of coffee (for Terry), a mashmallow tart and a lemon tart for sharing. Both coffee and desserts were good though the place is too crowded for us to truly enjoy ourselves. We are both the type of person who likes to sit in a quiet café, while enjoying our cup of  drinks and dessert, doing some people watching and clearing our mind from the hustle bustle of the city. Unfortunately, this was not found here in Seniman Coffee Studio.

What we ordered

Seated at the bar, where the syphon is in display

Their other interesting menu

After spending about an hour there, I started feeling unwell and since it seemed like it was about to rain, we decided to head back to the hotel, without heading to Bebek Tepi Sawah for dinner. We ended up having instant cup noodles in the hotel, before we both tucked in for a good night’s sleep. I guess I’ll have to revisit Bali to try Bebek Tepi Sawah next time.

Cost

Free!

In the evening, they have Traditional Legong Dance on Thursday and Saturday for RP 80,000 per person, while Janger dance is only available on Sunday, also for RP 80,000 per person. The dance performance usually starts at 7.30pm but you will see tickets being sold on site in the afternoon.

How to get there

Pura Taman Saraswati is right on Ubud main street, where the The Ubud Palace and Ubud Market is also located. It is only 25 minutes to the famous Tegallalang Rice Terrace and 35 minutes to the holy Pura Tirta Empul, which can be easily combined into a half-day trip. If you have time, be sure to check out the many cafes and eateries nearby, such as Babi Gulung Gung Cung, Seniman Coffee, Bebek Tepi Sawah and Naughty’s Nuri.

Renting a scooter is a wonderful way to see the Ubud. We rented a scooter for two days through our hotel for RP 100,000. A one-day rental will set you back for RP 70,000. If you can’t ride a motorbike or travelling in a large group, hiring a driver is another popular way of going around Bali. Price varies between RP500,000 to 600,000 per day, including petrol and parking fees.

We hired a driver for RP 500,000 on the last day of our trip to cover the area of Bedugul. Do contact our driver, Joe for more information - Facebook:  Bali Driver & Tour Organizer | Whatsapp / Wechat: +62 813-3741-2185

Best Time to Visit

Any time of the day. However, although the place is known for its lotus lakes, there’s only one of them in bloom when we visited in August. From the review on Tripadvisor, it seems like the lotuses bloom in the beginning of the year, somewhere between January to April.

Opening hours: 8am to 6pm (Note that the interior of the temple is not accessible)

Epilogue

Having got sold for the iconic lotus pond, I was fully expected a pond filled with full bloom lotuses, only to be disappointed by the sight of only one lonely lotus. Without the beautiful shade of pinks, the entire place felt a little dull and seemed to have lost its sparkle. We didn’t stay long since we couldn’t see what we came for, but if the season is right, you may be fed with one of the loveliest sight in Ubud. Hopefully, you are luckier than me. *wink*