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Top 10 Remarkable Facts about Petitenget Temple

Petitenget Temple is considered a place of worship for the local community. A small and old temple located in western Bali, Petitenget Temple is close to Petitenget Beach. This temple is not a very popular tourist destination. It is however open to any tourists who would like to walk around the temple grounds.

When translated, the name of the temple means ‘the haunted clique’. Legend is those who went into the forest became sickly. This was attributed to the dark spirits that were said to be in the forest. To keep off the dark spirits, a temple needed to be built. After its construction, the area is no longer said to have evil spirits. Tourists can comfortably visit the temple without the fear of any dark spirits. When you visit the temple you can enjoy the beautiful views of the gardens.

Worship still takes place at Petitenget Temple. When you visit, you will likely find a religious ceremony taking place. These events usually take place at the beach. As you relax on the beach, you will spot the ceremonies taking place. This will give you a glimpse of Balinese culture. The local community can be seen burning incense and offering sacrifices.

Petitenget Temple is made of sandstone and red bricks. This gives the temple a rustic feel and helps it blend into the environment. The staircase inspiration is from a dragon. It winds its way up to the several Balinese shrines found at the top of the temple. If you are interested in learning more about Balinese culture, Petitenget Temple is a must-visit.

To visit the temple, you need to be properly dressed. You are required to wear a sarong that covers your knees and ankles. Your midriffs and shoulders will also need to be covered. The cost is about 50,000 IDR. This is about USD 4 to USD 5.

Below are ten incredible facts about Petitenget Temple.

1. Petitenget Temple is one of the smaller temples in Bali

This is a hindu temple into the rainforest in Ubud, Bali. Photo by alfaneque/

Petitenget Temple is not one of the most popular Balinese temples. The more popular temples include Tanah Lot, Besakih, Ulun Danu, or Uluwatu.

Compared to other temples, Petitenget is one of the smaller Balinese temples. It is a small religious site but is just as fantastic to visit.

2. During your visit to the temple you may be fortunate to witness one of the ceremonies

Petitenget beach at sunset. Photo by I Made Krisna Udiana on

Petitenget Temple still serves as a place of worship. During your visit, you may be fortunate to witness one of the religious ceremonies held on the beach. When there are no ceremonies taking place you can still find people. They will be giving offerings wrapped in elegant banana leaves or burning incense.

3. The inside section of the temple is sometimes closed to the public

Depiction of Acintya as radiating sun god, on the back of an empty throne in Bali. Photo by PHGCOM/

Usually, the inside section of the temple is closed to the public. There are however moments when it is opened to the public. For you to visit the temple, you are required to be properly covered up in clothes that cover your shoulders and knees.

4. The Petitenget Temple has several different shrines in its courtyard

Example of a layout plan of a temple in Bali. Photo by User:(WT-shared) Burmesedays/

The Petitenget Temple is made of sandstone and red brick giving an antique-like feel. There are small pavilions and a dozen different shrines in its courtyard. These shrines and pavilions create a hallowed sight when draped in the usual Balinese chequered cloth.

5. You can visit the temple during the anniversary celebration for a fantastic photo opportunity

Balinese Altar in Ubud. Photo by Arabsalam/

During the 210-day Balinese Pawukon calendar, you can visit the temple every Merakih Wednesday. The temple is usually adorned with parasols and banners and the pilgrims are there for prayers. If you visit the temple at this time, you will get the chance to capture amazing photos of the celebrations.

6. The Petitenget Temple name is a combination of two words

The word Petitenget is a combination of two Balinese words. The word crate means container used as a storage item. The word Tenget means haunted. The temple’s name is said to come from the temple’s origin built by the Balinese people in the past.

7. Women are not allowed to enter the temple when they are in their menses

Residents use the Temple to pray against evil spirits and negative energy. Several rules need to be adhered to at the temple. One such rule is, that women are prohibited from entering the temple during their menses.

8. Petitenget Temple was built in an area thought to have been a jungle

Photo of Bali rain forest taken less than a decade ago. Photo by Francesco Veronesi/

During the 15th century, the area where Petitenget Temple now stands was said to be a jungle. Residents believed that the jungle contained evil spirits. It was said that anyone who went into the jungle ended up becoming ill.

9. Petitenget Temple also has a myth about its creation

Statue of Danghyang Nirartha. Photo by Schweigeblick/

According to the Balinese people, the Petitenget Temple is used to ward off negative energy and evil spirits. It is said that negative energy and evil spirits can be harmful to the environment.

Legend is there was a priest by the name of Dhang Hyang Dwijendra. This priest went to the Petitenget area in the 16^th century. While there, the priest met a scary giant who lived in the area. The giant’s name was Buto Ijo.

After leaving the giant to guard his chest, the priest went to meditate (moksa). The giant made everyone who came to the area ill. It is said that pandemics also started spreading in the area making the inhabitants sick.

One of the residents informed the priests about what happening. The priest advised the residents to build a temple in Petitenget. After its construction, residents no longer became ill.

10. Petitenget Temple was built to imprison one of the evil spirits in the area

To contain the evil spirits in the area, the priest advised the residents to build a temple. One of the spirits said to be imprisoned in the temple was the giant Bhutto Ijo. It is said that there is a coffin inside the temple that still contains the giant’s spirit.