What I liked about Bali temples are even if there are crowds of people, it is still quiet and there is always that calmness vibe around it. Taman Ayun is a beautiful temple with scenic location and a must to do list.

Part of a day tour, Mustika, our knowledgeable friendly tour guide, and Surya, our wonderful driver, of Destination Asia helped us visit this World Heritage listed mandir.

We went early in the morning and found the mandir to be peaceful and serene. The landscape was very well kept and had an air of calmness.

The shrines and temple had a sense of religious magnificence about them. You could sense there was a history about them.

Mustika gave a brilliant tour providing a history of the complex. In doing so, he touched on the history of Hinduism in Bali.

Do visit Taman Ayun mandir but visit with someone who can talk to you about its history.

This temple is well worth the visit as it is somewhat quieter than other major Balinese temples. The vistas around the temple are really beautiful too.

This temple was built in the 17th Century and still carries the peaceful energy of the temple worshippers of yore. The temple is surrounded by a wide moat and well-manicured gardens, which gives it a very beautiful ambiance. There is a long pathway leading up to the temple, but visitors cannot enter the main temple, which occupies the top of a plateau, but they can walk around its perimeter to watch any ceremonies being conducted within the temple.

There are many paths within the complex, and if you follow these down towards the moat, you will find yourself inside a shady glade which offers a cool retreat from the temple proper. Here, you can rest within any of the many gazebos that dot the gardens, or follow the paths to explore the gardens further. These are peaceful places by the flowing waters where you can meditate and retreat.

There are eleven spires in the main temple, each of which rises higher than the one before it. Attached to these spires are thatched roofs, beginning with one roof, on the shortest spire, until the tallest spire had eleven spires attached to it, and these represent your journey through life and the spiritual world.

We truly enjoyed our time in this temple