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Taman Ujung Water Palace and its pools in Karangasem, Bali.
Land Tour

Taman Ujung & Virgin Beach

A king's water palace, then a beach with nobody selling anything

Duration
10 hours door to door
Group
Private car, up to 5 guests
Walking
Easy · flat paths and steps
Swimming
Yes, and usually to yourself

The trip

What You're Signing Up For

Taman Ujung was built in 1909 by the last raja of Karangasem, half Balinese and half European, three linked pools with pavilions standing in the middle of them and Agung filling the sky behind. It was flattened by the 1963 eruption and again by an earthquake in 1979, and what stands now was rebuilt from photographs.

Then twenty minutes up the coast to Pantai Perasi, which everyone calls Virgin Beach: white sand, a headland at each end, four warungs and no hawkers.

Highlights

Why People Pick This One

  • A 1909 water palace that most day trips drive straight past
  • Mount Agung behind the pools on any clear morning
  • White sand and clear water at Virgin Beach, with no hawkers
  • Grilled fish at a warung under the trees for a few dollars
  • Entrances included for everyone in the car, so nothing to pay at the gate

Full description

The Whole Thing

This is the quieter half of Karangasem. Lempuyang has the queue and Besakih has the coaches; Taman Ujung has neither, and on a weekday morning you will share it with a wedding photographer and almost nobody else.

Itinerary

The Trip, Stop By Stop

Timings are typical, not fixed. Your guide reshapes the day around your pace and the conditions.

  1. Hotel pickup

    Canggu, Seminyak, Kuta, Jimbaran, Sanur, Ubud

    An early start; the palace is at its best and emptiest before ten.

    Included

  2. Drive east

    Two hours along the coast through Klungkung and Candidasa.

  3. Taman Ujung

    The three pools, the pavilions and the terrace with Agung behind it. About an hour.

  4. Up the coast

    Twenty minutes north past Candidasa to the Perasi headland.

  5. Virgin Beach

    White sand, clear water and four warungs. Swim, eat, and stay as long as you like.

  6. Optional Tirta Gangga

    Twenty minutes inland if you want a second water palace. No extra charge for the car.

  7. Drive home

    Back along the coast, usually asleep by Klungkung.

    Included
Trip stop Pickup area Pickup is from your own accommodation inside these areas. Route is indicative, not the exact road taken.

The price covers

What's Included, And What Isn't

Included

  • Hotel pickup and drop-off across South Bali, Ubud and Canggu
  • Private air-conditioned car with English-speaking driver
  • Fuel, parking, tolls and the driver's day
  • Taman Ujung entrance for everyone in the car
  • Virgin Beach access and parking
  • A detour to Tirta Gangga if you want one, with no extra charge for the car
  • Bottled water in the car

Not included

  • Lunch at the beach warungs, which is a few dollars for grilled fish
  • Sunbed hire at Virgin Beach, if you want one
  • Tirta Gangga entrance, if you add that stop
  • Travel insurance, which we strongly recommend you carry

Before you book

Who This Trip Isn’t For

We would rather talk you out of the wrong trip than take your money for it. If any of these apply, message us and we’ll suggest something that fits better.

Anyone who wants the famous shots

The Gates of Heaven and Besakih are the postcards. This day is deliberately the quieter alternative to both.

Anyone travelling in a big swell

Virgin Beach faces the Lombok Strait and it can be rough. Your driver will tell you the morning of.

Anyone in a hurry

Two hours each way for a palace and a beach. It is a slow day by design.

Come prepared

What To Bring

A sarong, or borrow one at the gate

Taman Ujung is a former royal residence rather than a temple, but the dress code is still shoulders and knees covered.

Swimwear under your clothes

Virgin Beach has one warung toilet to change in and a long queue for it at lunchtime.

A hat and sunscreen

The palace has almost no shade between the pools, and the beach has only what the coconut trees give you.

Cash in small notes

The warungs, the sunbeds and the parking attendant are all cash, and none of them have change for a big note.

On the trip

What It Looks Like

Tap a photo to enlarge

Before you book

Questions About This Trip

Anything not covered here? Message us. We'd rather answer first than have you book the wrong trip.

How does it compare to Tirta Gangga?

Taman Ujung is bigger, emptier and closer to the sea; Tirta Gangga has the stepping stones and the carp. They are twenty minutes apart and we can do both.

Can we swim at Virgin Beach?

Yes, and it is one of the better swimming beaches on this coast. It shelves gently and the water is usually clear.

Is there really nobody selling things?

There are four warungs and occasionally somebody with sarongs. Compared with Kuta or Sanur it is very quiet, and that is the reason to come.

Are the entrances included?

Yes, Taman Ujung is covered for everyone in the car. Tirta Gangga is not, because it is an optional stop and we would only be guessing whether you take it.

What is the best time of year?

April to October for the sea. In the wet season the palace is at its greenest but the beach can be churned up.

Pairs well with

Other Trips Guests Interested In

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Ready When You Are

Tell us your dates and how many of you there are. We'll confirm availability, pickup time and the total, usually within the hour.