Tirta Gangga literally means water from the Ganges and it is a site of some reverance for the Hindu Balinese. Strictly, the name refers to the water palace built here in 1946 by the King of Karangasem.
It is though widely used to refer to the general area which includes the water palace and some particularly stunning rural areas around. Tirta Gangga is a popular side trip from the nearby coastal resort towns of Amed and Candidasa. Organised tours are widely offered.
Public buses run from nearby Karangasem town and Perama buses can be chartered from Candidasa. If you are driving yourself, Tirta Gangga is on the main east coast road just north of the town of Karangasem (Amlapura) and is fairly well signposted.
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| Tirta Gangga |
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| Tirta Gangga |
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| Tirta Gangga |
The primary draw in this area for visitors is the Tirta Gangga water palace, a lovely maze of pools and fountains surround by a lush garden and stone carvings and statues. The one hectare complex was built in 1946 by the late King of Karangsem but was destroyed almost entirely by the eruption of nearby Mount Agung in 1963. It has been lovingly re-built and restored and has an air of authentic royal magnificence. The centrepiece of the palace is an eleven tiered fountain, and there are many beautiful carvings and statues adorning the gardens. This is a great spot to unwind and it has a real atmosphere of old Bali. The area around Tirta Gangga holds some stunning rice paddy terraces. Those postcard pictures of Bali rice terraces which you have all seen are usually from photographs taken here.
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| Rice paddies north of Tirta Gangga |
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