A Garden Fit for a King

It is a place best visited very early in the morning or late in the afternoon and it is a place that is well cemented on the tourist track, but nonetheless, a place that is so serene it will take your breath away. Of course I am talking about Tirtagangga, the water complex satiated about five kilometres northwest of Amlapura on the east coast of Bali. Tirtagangga would have to be one of the most beautiful places to visit on the island and a definite must-see on your list of places in your itinerary. Built for the people by the King of Karangasem, Anak Agung Anglurah Agung Ketut in 1946, the Tirtagangga water garden is a stunning collection of statues and fountains with large pools with the most spectacular being the eleven tiered fountain. Tirtagangga literally means ‘water that flows from the Ganges’.

Tirtagangga actually sits on the sloped of Gunung Agung and over time has been damaged on several occasions by earthquakes and eruptions. In fact, the entire site was destroyed in 1963 when Gunung Agung erupted. Renovations followed and today the site is open to the public. Interestingly, the water from Tirtagangga irrigates nearby ricefields which partly accounts for the beauty of the area.

Entering Tirtagangga after you first parked your vehicle, you then pass through an area of snack vendors and a few losmens. Once inside the gardens, you will see the large pools, complete with stepping stones and statues.