TIRTA GANGGA WATER PALACE

Tirta Gangga Water Palace were designed and constructed in 1948 by Anak Agung Anglurah Ketut Karangasem (1887 - 1966), who was the last king of Karangasem. He was a remarkable man to say the least, not only because he was the architect of the water gardens but also because he helped with the construction of the gardens. A lot of people were astonished to find the Raja amidst his lower class laborers, working knee deep in the mud digging out the pools and ponds. Owned and maintained by the royal Karangasem family, the lavish water gardens feature 1.2 hectares of pools, ponds and fountains surrounded by neatly cut lawns that are adorned with stepping stones, ornate statues and tropical gardens.

How to Get to Tirta Gangga Water Palace

Tirta Gangga Water Palace located at Ababi Village, Abang Sub-district, Karangasem Regency in east part of Bali, about 83 km from Denpasar and 6 km from Amlapura to the north. If you travel from Denpasar city it will take about 2 hours by car to reach this place. But on the way to Tirta Gangga, you can see the surrounding scenery leading to the countryside and see the activities of the local people in the countryside. The location of Tirta Gangga is very strategic, located on the main road to Lempuyang and Amed, where many tourists who have finished diving in Amed stopped for a moment here to see the beauty of this Tirta Gangga.

What to Expect at Tirta Gangga Water Palace

Entering the site, the first thing that comes into view is a pond where rows of guardian figures holding cudgels are neatly arranged. Also, polygonal stepping stones which enable visitors to tour the pond are set out in order. This allows viewing the old and large golden carp from up close in the clear and shallow ponds. Behind the first pond is the central towering fountain, again featuring guardian statues at its base. This 10-metre-high fountain has 11 tiers with a shape of a lotus at its tip. The spouting water splashes down the tiers creating a cool and soothing sight. The springs are located at a higher ground to the right of the entrance of the site, under a large banyan tree. The water is considered holy by the locals and is used during religious ceremonies, while also being a source of potable water for daily use.

Tirta Gangga Water Palace History

​A visit to Tirta Gangga is incomplete without knowing the history of this garden, where based on the sources we read, we can describe that the history of Tirta Gangga began during the Karangasem Kingdom. Tirta gangga was built in 1948 by King of karangasem, Anak Agung Anglurah Ketut Karangasem. This water park is constructed in a very unique architectural style of Bali and China. This garden has been shaped in the form of a beautiful water garden and it is located near a natural spring.

This spring wells up under a huge banyan tree which stands at the foot of a hill. At the top of this hill stands a village temple. The scenery of the area is fantastic with great views and the climate is relatively cool. These facts, together with the religious rites of the spring, inspired the King to build himself a private country house nearby this spring set amidst a beautiful recreational garden. He called it Tirta gangga - derived from the words 'Tirta' (blessed water) and 'Gangga' from 'Ganges', the holy river in India.

Holy Water at Tirta Gangga Water Palace

In Tirta Gangga there is a spring which is very purified by the local community, where every religious ceremony takes place, they always go to this spring to take holy water for ceremonial purposes because it is believed to be holy water. The water of Tirta Gangga Park has always been regarded as holy and is regularly used for religious temple ceremonies.

With important celebration days Tirta gangga Park is the destination of colourful processions with offerings, umbrellas, flags and other tributes. Led by the local temple priests, ceremonies are held in the spring, accompanied by chanting and the music of the 'Beleganjur', a gamelan gong group of small gongs with each musician striking a specific, different note on the musical scale, all blending in harmony. You can see this ceremony on certain days only, where many villagers here will gather and pray to ask for safety and health.​

Tirta Gangga Water Garden Entrance Ticket

Adult : IDR 50,000
Children : IDR 25,000
Opening Hours : 08.00 AM - 06.00 PM