If you’re looking to get off the beaten path in Bali, you may find that the temple of Pura Luhur Mekori is exactly what you’ve been looking for.
Pura Luhur Mekori is in the forests of Bali and it’s a famous spot for monkey spotting as there’s an active tribe of the creatures roaming the grounds.
Our guide to Pura Luhur Mekori Temple will help you know what to expect and how to get the most out of a day at this fascinating place in Bali.
Where Is Pura Luhur Mekori?
Pura Luhur Mekori is near Pujungan Village in the Pupuan District of Tabanan Regency.
Address: J27P+239, Jl. Antosari Pupuan, Belimbing, Kec. Pupuan, Kabupaten Tabanan, Bali 82163, Indonesia
How To Get To Pura Luhur Mekori?
The best way to visit Pura Luhur Mekori is to rent a private car with a driver. This isn’t expensive at around 500,000 IDR for a day including driver, car and petrol (that’s about $35 USD or $50 AUD).
They can then help you see other places in the area after your visit to Pura Luhur Mekori.
We would not recommend taking a Grab or Gojek out to Pura Luhur Mekori because this area of Bali is quite remote and you will struggle to get home afterwards.
When Is The Best Time To Visit Pura Luhur Mekori?
There’s no bad time of year to visit Pura Luhur Mekori Temple and you will find that even if it rains, the rain should clear fairly quickly – even on Bali’s rainiest days, we get an average of 8 hours of sunshine each day!
At the moment Pura Luhur Mekori is not on the main tourist trail and that means you don’t have to get to Pura Luhur Mekori at the crack of dawn t o enjoy the temple and the grounds.
However, photographers might want to get there early anyway to get the best light at Pura Luhur Mekori.
Is There An Entrance Fee At Pura Luhur Mekori?
While many places are loading fees onto visitors in Bali, there is currently no entrance fee for Pura Luhur Mekori.
However, if you don’t have a sarong and shawl, you will need to rent these before entering the grounds of Pura Luhur Mekori Temple..
About Pura Luhur Mekori Temple
The name “Mekori” comes from the word “kori” which means “gate” in Balinese. Thus, the temple is named after the impressive gates that guards the temple which are flanked by a pair of impressive bunut trees.
There is a Balinese legend that says those who are truly spiritual who make a journey to pray at this temple can see the gates as though they were made of “gold” which would be “mas kori” (corrupted to “Mekori”).
Naga Rarik & Ayu Mas Sari
The folk history of Pura Luhur Mekori says that before the temple was built,a family lived in the forest here.
A woman of the family stepped into the forest one day to search for wood, but she lost her tools and then became physically lost in the forest herself.
To return to her family, she swore an oath, that if someone would help here she would help them in return.
If it was a woman, she vowed to become their sister. If it was a man, she vowed to be his wife and bear him two children.
She was approached in her pain by Naga Gombang a snake pretending to be human, but she kept her promise and became a mother to his children and his wife.
Her son found an egg in their rice barn and thinking it was a chicken egg, he fried it up and ate it. Sadly, it was the product of the union between his mother and Naga Gombang.
Eating the egg caused him to grow scales and become a snake called Naga Rarik.
Naga Rarik then fought a war with Naga Gombang and drove him away for good.
He was so angry at his mother, that he took his younger sister, Ayu Mas Sari and left home.
They met up with the holy figure Puser Jagad and Naga Rarik was told to leave Ayu Mas Sari and go forth into the forest to meditate.
His sister did not give up on him, and Ayu Mas Sari also meditated on her brother’s journey until she believed she knew the location of his earthly body.
She found him in the middle of a grove and their reunion was blessed by the one true god, Ida Sang Hyang Widi and an orange soka flower tree sprang up on the spot. It’s still there today.
The Pura Luhur Mekori was founded nearby as a tribute to Ida Ratu Bagus, the spiritual leader that Naga Rarik became once he’d discarded his scales.
What To Expect At Pura Luhur Mekori Temple
Pura Luhur Mekori Temple is a very peaceful place in the middle of nowhere and most of the time, you’re unlikely to see another soul at this temple and if you do, they will almost certainly be a local person who has come to pray.
There are, however, a fairly active tribe of monkeys that wander the grounds and you should try to keep away from them as they, like many of the monkeys, in Bali can steal from you.
The monkeys are pretty cute though, so as long as you keep them at a reasonable distance from your body, you can certainly take some great phtos here.
It’s a very large site, one of the biggest temple grounds on the island, and you will need about 30-60 minutes to explore the place properly.
The local environment is very pleasant and Pura Luhur Mekori is shaded on all sides by large and attractive trees.
Where To Eat Near Pura Luhur Mekori
There’s not a lot in the immediate vicinity of Pura Luhur Mekori and you will need to drive (sometimes a fairly substantial distance) to the nearest eateries which include:
Warung Tepi Sawah – a very popular Balinese restaurant a short drive from Pura Luhur Mekori and the views of Bali here are amazing.
Dapur Yoan – this Indonesian restaurant is the closest eatery to Pura Luhur Mekori and it’s a great place for coffee and noodles.
Warung Nasi Be Celeng -this basic nasi goreng stall is temporarily closed as we go to press but does excellent fried rice when it’s open.
Farm Brew & Co Pupuan Bali Coffee Farm – this nice coffee farm has a pleasant onsite cafe with snacks.
Rice View Picture Stop – this is a lovely rice restaurant with some of the best views in Bali.
Where To Stay Near Pura Luhur Mekori
Again, there are not a lot of places to stay near Pura Luhur Mekori but these places are all within reasonable driving distance:
KUBU Tepi Sawah – clean, comfy rooms, amazing views and very reasonable prices. We like KUBU Tepi Sawah very much.
Vista Hotel Sanda – a very basic and cheap guesthouse where you can get a clean room for peanuts.
Sanda Plantation Hideaway – a wonderful upmarket resort with a glamping emphasis. Try the safari tents for the best views over the region.
Sava Eco Retreat – if you want to stay in the Balinese countryside with no distractions, this is a lovely eco-retreat to enjoy some yoga in.
Bali Jungle Camping – dome-style glamping in a very affordable fashion, this campsite is a great experience.
Things To Do Near Pura Luhur Mekori
As with places to eat and stay near Pura Luhur Mekori, the other attractions in the Tabanan Regency are quite some distance from the temple and you will need a car or your own transport to visit them:
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Belimbing Rice Terraces – one of the most attractive and least visited rice terraces on the island.
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Sade Waterfall – a wonderful waterfall in a cavern that feels like a cave, amazing for photographers in the early part of the day.
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Vihara Dharma Giri – Bali’s only Buddhist monastery and a great place for quiet meditative contemplation.
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Air Terjun Blemantung – Blemantang Waterfall is a seriously impressive fall that gets nowhere near as many visitors as it deserves.
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Gemuh Coffee Farm – this is one of the few coffee plantations in Bali that is open to visitors without any kind of shop or cafe trying to sell you stuff.
FAQs
Is Pura Luhur Mekori Worth It?
Yes, Pura Luhur Mekori is very much worth visiting. The temple is a very attractive spot in Bali and it’s one of the less visited temples which means you can enjoy it in peace and solitude.
Final Thoughts On Pura Luhur Mekori
If you’re ready to get in touch with some of the cultural highlights of Bali, then you should visit Pura Luhur Mekori.
Pura Luhur Mekori is a very attractive temple in the forest and the monkeys that roam the grounds make it even more appealing.
Why not discover it before the tour groups inevitably arrive in this part of Bali?
Find nearby: Pura Luhur Tamba Waras: The Batukaru Forest Temple
