Tirta Empul purification and the melukat ritual
The Tirta Empul purification ritual is called melukat. It is a religious rite and, according to Balinese Hindu belief, a way to cleanse the self with holy water. It is not a health treatment and no medical effect is claimed. Non-Hindus can take part, as the official tourism guide describes it, provided they behave respectfully and follow local instructions.
The ritual takes place in the pools of the middle courtyard. You can also choose to watch from the side. Licensed accompaniment is required at the site, so see the guided packages below or the tours page.
Our take: guided purification rituals
All three come with a guide through the melukat. One meets you at the temple, one includes the ticket and temple clothing, and one is a flexible package, so choose the ticket option for the full set.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Purification ritual at the temple with a guide
- Local English-speaking guide
- Entrance ticket
- Sarong and temple clothing
- Guidance through the purification ritual
Meals and personal expenses are extra. Your guide meets you in traditional dress at the main entrance.
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Temple tour with purification ritual
- Local guide
- Mineral water
- Entrance, sarong, offering with incense and ritual (with ticket option)
- Transfer (with transfer option)
Food, drinks and tips are extra. Choose the ticket option if you want the entrance, sarong and ritual included.
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Private purification ritual and temple tour
- English-speaking local guide
- Temple entrance (All Packages option only)
- Guided walk through the temple
- Step-by-step help with the melukat
- Photo and video help with your own phone
Hotel pickup and tips are extra. Choose the All Packages option if you want the entrance included.
Check availability →Purification ritual visits at Tirta Empul
Ritual tours with a guide, with the entrance ticket and sarong included in some options, with live prices and availability.
Melukat step by step
This is the general order described in the official guide, without spout numbers. Staff or your guide will show you the details.
Dress and prepare
Wrap a kamben (sarong) and a selendang (sash) and bring a change of clothes.
Begin with a prayer
The ritual starts with a prayer and a small offering called canang. The donation is voluntary.
Enter on the left and move right
Enter the pool from the left and follow the open spouts to the right.
Skip two spouts
Two spouts are reserved for funeral ceremonies and are left out. Staff or a guide can point them out. Do not rely on spout numbers you read elsewhere.
Ask the staff or your guide to show you the repetitions and the sequence. Do not swallow the water and do not use soap or shampoo.
What to wear at Tirta Empul
The temple dress code asks for respectful clothing: a sarong and a selendang that cover the legs and waist. Two different sarongs matter. The visitor sarong is lent at the entrance, free or for a small donation, and stays dry. For the pool you need a separate green bathing sarong, roughly 10,000 IDR, and a locker costs roughly 15,000 IDR. Both are approximate, so check at the counter.
Changing areas are shared by gender, with no individual cabins. Bring a towel and dry clothes. Fees are listed on the tickets page.
Temple rules for visitors
Bali's provincial circular 7/2025 sets out how foreign visitors should behave. Wear respectful clothing and treat holy places and ceremonies with respect. The inner and middle sacred areas are in principle closed to foreign visitors, with an exception for prayer in traditional dress and not during menstruation. Do not take inappropriate photos, climb anything sacred or pollute the water. The circular also asks for licensed guidance at tourist attractions.
Joining or watching
Taking part is optional. Some visitors only watch from the side, and that is fine as long as you keep to the dress code and stay out of the way of worshippers. If you do enter the water, bring a dry towel, a change of clothes and a bag for the wet bathing sarong, and put valuables in a locker before you step in. Guides and temple staff can also tell you where it is acceptable to take photos.
Quietest times
The main rush is around 10 am to 2 pm. Opening time or the hours after 4 pm are usually calmer, and full moon days bring more worshippers. Details are on the opening hours page. Wet stones around the pools can be slippery whatever the time of day, so wear footwear you can stand in safely and move slowly.
Purification ritual: frequently asked questions
Can non-Hindus take part in the ritual?
Yes, with respectful behaviour and by following local instructions, as described in the official tourism guide.
Is there a fee for the ritual?
The official guide says there is no special fee for melukat itself. You pay the entrance ticket, and a bathing sarong, locker and offering come on top.
Is melukat a health treatment?
No. It is a religious practice with a spiritual meaning for believers, not a health treatment.
Do I need to book a package?
You can buy a ticket at the entrance. Note the requirement for licensed guidance and check on site how it is organised. See the temple tours.
Is Tirta-Empul.org the official temple website?
No. It is an independent travel guide and not the website of Pura Tirta Empul or its temple community.