Pura Besi Kalung or Batukaru: Which Tabanan Temple to Visit?

Pura Luhur Besi Kalung in Babahan village, Penebel, has no published ticket counter. It sits about 6 km east of Pura Luhur Batukaru and only around 1.5 km (straight line on OpenStreetMap) from the edge of the Jatiluwih rice terraces. The choice is simple: if you want an old temple on the Batukaru slopes without tour buses, go to Besi Kalung. If this is your first temple visit in Tabanan and you want clear parking, sarong rental and toilets, Pura Luhur Batukaru makes more sense.

Why Besi Kalung is worth the detour

Besi Kalung is one of the Catur Angga Batukaru, the four supporting temples of Pura Luhur Batukaru, alongside Pura Muncak Sari and Tamba Waras. According to IDN Times Bali (July 2024), it is mentioned in the Babahan I inscription dated Saka 839, or 917 CE; the original inscription is kept at Pura Puseh Jambelangu in Bolangan. The complex has three temples (Pura Besi Kalung, Pura Puseh Besi Kalung and Pura Batur Besi Kalung) surrounded by protected forest.

History lovers come for the punden berundak, a stepped stone terrace from the megalithic tradition that is now a protected heritage structure. There is also a lingga said to ring like metal when tapped, wrapped in a band that looks like a necklace (kalung). The name has several origin stories; one traces it to "Cala Silunglun", later shortened to "Sikalung". Bali Express reports that people come here to pray for protection and taksu, a kind of spiritual charisma. In April 2026 the site was re-documented by NusaHeritage with a virtual tour, a good sign that it is cared for and active.

Besi Kalung vs Batukaru on the ground

• Cost: Batukaru has a ticket counter; Travelspromo (August 2026) lists Rp15,000, other sources describe a donation plus sarong rental. Besi Kalung has no published fee; bring a voluntary donation in small notes.
• Facilities: Batukaru has a parking area and loan sarongs. Do not count on that at Besi Kalung; bring your own sarong and sash.
• Crowds: Batukaru is on many tour itineraries. Besi Kalung almost never is.
• Pairing: Besi Kalung fits best with Jatiluwih in one morning; Batukaru pairs well with the Penatahan hot springs.

The downsides

Visitor information for Besi Kalung barely exists online: no documented English signage, no official guide, no posted opening hours. You depend on the temple priest or villagers who happen to be around. The inner area may be closed to visitors during ceremonies, and as at other Balinese temples, women who are menstruating may not enter. Families with small children, or anyone who wants the history explained on site, will be more comfortable at Batukaru.

The temple anniversary (piodalan) falls on Pagerwesi (Buda Kliwon Sinta); the next one is 4 November 2026. That day the temple is packed with worshippers, so visit on another day or watch from outside. To arrive before the mist rolls in, it helps to sleep a night in Tabanan, and hotel vouchers for the area are on AccessiaPass.

Before you head to Babahan

• Location: View on Google Maps. OSM places the pin on the border of Pitra and Babahan villages, so follow the pin, not the village name.
• Distance: about 22 km from Tabanan town (roughly 45 minutes), around 25 minutes' drive from Batukaru.
• Cost: voluntary donation, no ticket (checked October 2026).
• Dress: sarong, sash, covered shoulders.
• Booking: not needed. If you want the history explained, ask your hotel to connect you with a local Penebel guide before you go.
• Recent photos: search on Instagram.

The best window is 7 to 10 a.m., before clouds drop off Batukaru and before tour buses fill the road to Jatiluwih.