Puncak Manik Mas Temple

A Temple of Blessings and Shadows

Pura Puncak Manik Mas sits isolated within the fertile Pakerisan River basin, surrounded by flourishing rice fields and dense tropical vegetation. Its name reflects its spiritual significance. “Pucak” means high place, “Manik” denotes blessing and “Mas” signifies importance or nobility, together suggesting a sacred high place for receiving supreme blessings. The natural beauty of the landscape creates a deeply tranquil atmosphere, making the temple feel set apart from everyday life. Its location reflects both the agricultural significance of the region and its long standing spiritual resonance for local villagers.

While no exact founding date is documented, local oral history, architectural style and regional context suggest the temple was established between the 8th and 13th centuries. Puncak Manik Mas follows the traditional Balinese temple layout, with outer, middle and main mandalas, alongside shrines and ritual bathing areas. Numerous sacred waters flow from springs within the temple grounds and each serves a specific ritual purpose. Tirta Sudamala is traditionally used for cleansing and protection from negative forces, Tirta Susu is associated with fertility and blessings for children and Tirta Saraswati is often used for spiritual purification and honouring knowledge or learning. These waters play essential roles in purification ceremonies and communal rituals. The temple was likely rebuilt and expanded over the centuries to accommodate ongoing ritual use and community needs.

Local tradition ties the temple’s surrounding landscape to the legend of King Mayadenawa, one of Bali’s most enduring mythic figures. According to Balinese oral history, Mayadenawa was a powerful and sakti king, a descendant of the Daitya (a race of giants) through Dewi Danu, who once ruled from the highlands near Lake Batur and whose influence extended across Bali and neighboring islands. His supernatural powers allowed him to shape shift and dominate vast areas but this strength bred arrogance. In the legend, he forbade his subjects from worshipping the gods, destroyed shrines and temples and demanded that he alone be revered, bringing suffering, famine, disease and imbalance to the land.

This story forms a foundational myth for the Balinese Galungan festival, which celebrates the triumph of cosmic order (dharma) over chaos and wrongful conduct (adharma). Unable to endure the king’s oppression, the gods sent Bhatara Indra to restore balance. In battle, Mayadenawa used his magical powers to elude capture and even created a poisonous spring that felled Indra’s troops. In response, Indra thrust his staff into the earth, miraculously producing a sacred spring, later associated with Tirta Empul. Mayadenawa’s flight left behind place names such as Tampaksiring (“slanted footsteps”) and other villages linked to his shape-shifting forms. Eventually, Indra struck him down and in some versions, his blood formed the Tukad Petanu river, a mythical reminder of the struggle between cosmic order and disorder.

Located right beside the entry of Pura Puncak Manik Mas, Setra Ganda Mayu casts a profound aura of solemnity over the temple grounds. This Balinese setra, or sacred burial site, is dedicated to Hindu rites of death, purification and the soul’s transition to the afterlife. Its name reflects its layered significance. Setra denotes a cemetery where temporary burials and preparation for cremation occur. Ganda means fragrant, invoking the presence of the gods and Mayu signifies return or transformation. Here, bodies are typically interred for a limited period before cremation and the site can hold several individuals at a time, with the exact number guided by the needs of the local adat community. More than a place to lay the dead to rest, Setra Ganda Mayu is a sacred space where the body’s elemental forces are ritually dissolved and reunited with the cosmos, allowing the soul to journey toward the divine.

The presence of Setra Ganda Mayu profoundly shapes the emotional atmosphere at the temple entry. Its solemnity, quiet surroundings and infrequent visible activity evoke a palpable sense of sadness, eeriness and reflection, even for foreign visitors. This is amplified by the knowledge that these grounds are spiritually potent, deeply respected and continuously active through ritual observances, where purification and transformation are performed rather than merely burial. The layered meaning of the site, combining death, sanctification and cosmic return, imbues the area with a weighty, almost tangible energy, reinforcing the temple’s role as a threshold between the earthly and spiritual realms. For many, the experience of entering Pura Puncak Manik Mas is inseparable from the haunting yet reverent presence of Setra Ganda Mayu, making the temple a place of both awe and solemn contemplation.

The temple continues to serve as an active site of meditation, prayer and ritual purification. Devotees from both the local area and beyond come to seek blessings for fertility, healing, emotional renewal or sacred water for ceremonial purposes. Its anniversary festival is celebrated every 210 days according to the Balinese Pawukon calendar, with offerings, prayers and community rites sustaining its role as a living centre of Hindu ceremonial life. Together with Setra Ganda Mayu, Pura Puncak Manik Mas represents a deeply layered spiritual landscape where Bali’s myths, rituals and ancestral reverence continue to coexist.

🗺️ Location

Banjar Umakuta, Pejeng Kangin, Tampaksiring District, Gianyar Regency, Bali, Indonesia

🚆 How to get there

Pura Puncak Manik Mas is located roughly 5 km's northeast of downtown Ubud, typically a 10 - 15 minute away. While the temple itself is quiet and less visited, the surrounding area offers several well-known cultural attractions like the ancient Goa Garba cave, the historic Yeh Pulu rock carved reliefs and the famous Goa Gajah Elephant Cave. Together, these sites make Pura Puncak Manik Mas a compelling stop for visitors interested in Bali’s sacred history, spiritual landscapes, and quieter cultural experiences, complementing a broader Ubud area itinerary. A rider will cost approximately 500,000 IDR or a driver will cost nbetween 800,000 - 1,000,000 IRD for a full day.

⭐ Attraction Info

Pura Puncak Manik Mas is accessible to visitors daily, though as a small, quiet temple, there are no fixed opening hours. It is best visited during daylight, typically between 8am - 5pm, to safely explore the grounds and observe rituals. Entry is generally free, though donations to support temple upkeep are appreciated. Visitors should dress respectfully, covering shoulders and knees and follow local customs, especially near Setra Ganda Mayu, the sacred burial ground beside the temple entrance, to maintain the solemnity of the site. There are a steep set of stairs from the road, so take it easy on the way back up. Within the temple grounds, locals have opened "Gatep Waterfall" however there was no water at the falls during my visit in December 2025. The whole area is barely known about and is tricky to find on google maps. I would not go out of your way to come here but would drop in for a look if you're passing by.

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