Wander between pretty ponds dotted with stone statues and home to hundreds of koi fish at Tirta Gangga (instagram.com/tirtagangga.bali; adult/child 90,000/45,000Rp), an exquisite and very popular water garden north of Amlapura. Built in 1946 for the last raja of Karangasem, it was almost fully destroyed by the eruption of nearby Gunung Agung in 1963, but has subsequently been rebuilt and serves as a fascinating reminder of the old Bali. The garden has fountains, flowers, bridges, stepping stones and even a small pool that you can bathe in, and its ponds, fed by a natural spring, are considered to be holy, hence the garden's name "Sacred Water of the Ganges."
A small museum in the southeast corner of the property displays a collection of the royal family’s heirloom keris, and in the upstairs pavilion, a statue of the king and lovely views of the garden and neighboring rice paddies. Tirta Gangga gets incredibly busy – arrive early (gates open at 6am) to enjoy the peace here.
