Pura Luhur Tamba Waras: Tabanan's Quiet Healing Temple on the Slopes of Batukaru

On the southern slope of Mount Batukaru, at around 725 metres above sea level, stands a temple whose name means “medicine” and “healed”. Pura Luhur Tamba Waras in Sangketan village, Penebel, is believed to be a place to ask for physical and spiritual healing. It is quiet, ringed by forest and rice fields, and almost free of foreign visitors.

Where the Name Comes From

Local tradition tells of a gravely ill Tabanan king who recovered thanks to a remedy his servants found on the slopes of Batukaru under spiritual guidance. The site then became a temple: tamba means medicine, waras means healed.

Purification at Sapta Gangga

• Within the temple grounds is Penglukatan Sapta Gangga, seven water spouts opened to the public from 2016.
• They are named Sanjiwani, Kamandalu, Kundalini, Pawitra, Maha Pawitra, Pasupati and Pangurip.
• The sequence: offer a canang, bathe at each spout in turn, then pray at the main temple.
• Bring a change of clothes and a towel. Weekdays are quietest; full moon and new moon draw crowds.

The Same Road as Batukaru and Jatiluwih

Tamba Waras sits on the same corridor as Pura Luhur Batukaru and the UNESCO-listed Jatiluwih rice terraces. Along the way you pass Penebel's paddies and coffee gardens. The air up here is far cooler than south Bali — bring an extra layer.

Practical Info & Visiting

• Location: Sangketan village, Penebel, Tabanan — about 22 km from Tabanan town. View on Google Maps
• Transport & parking: roughly 45 minutes from Tabanan town, or 1.5–2 hours from Ubud or Canggu. The road is sealed, but the final stretch climbs, twists and narrows — a scooter is nimblest, a small car still manages; avoid it after dark or in heavy rain. There is parking near the temple.
• Hours & cost: generally open from morning to late afternoon. There is no formal ticket, only a voluntary donation in the dana punia box — carry small notes, roughly IDR 10,000–50,000.
• Etiquette & what to bring: a sarong and sash are required (bring your own, rentals are limited). Do not enter while menstruating or in mourning, never stand higher than someone praying, and ask permission before photographing a ceremony.
• Social media: search on Instagram to see current conditions in visitor posts.

Penebel works best as a full day out with Jatiluwih and Pura Luhur Batukaru, especially if you sleep around Tabanan or Bedugul. Browse AccessiaPass hotel vouchers for central Bali — waking up near the mountain means arriving while the mist is still down.