One of the most rewarding temples to visit on the island, Pura Taman Ayun (30,000Rp), is a beautiful place of enveloping calm. This huge royal water temple, northeast of Tabanan in Mengwi, is surrounded by a wide, elegant moat. It was the main temple of the Mengwi kingdom, which survived until 1891, when it was conquered by neighboring kingdoms. The complex was built in 1634 and extensively renovated in 1937.
The first courtyard is an open, grassy expanse. The jeroan (inner courtyard) is screened by a low wall, which, unusually for Bali, allows easy viewing of the thicket of evocative meru within. The canal-bordered walk around the perimeter of the jeroan is a sublime treat. The temple is part of the subak (complex rice-field irrigation system) sites recognized by UNESCO in 2012. The market area immediately east of the temple has many good warungs for a simple lunch.
