Spiritual Tours in Bali: Authentic & Beautiful Balinese Culture
Spiritual Tours in Bali are some of the best ways to dive into this incredible and magical island’s unique and intricate spiritual heritage.
Often overlooked as a beautiful holiday destination, Balinese spirituality is one of the most vibrant cultures I have encountered. I have been travelling to and living in Bali since 2016 and know the best, authentic ways to experience the spiritual side of Bali.
As guests on this island, I feel it is our responsibility to get off the beaches a little more and explore the local life and the culture by delving into the traditions that have preserved Bali’s uniqueness for countless years.
This island offers many opportunities for travellers seeking a deeper connection with their inner selves. From ancient temples to secluded meditation spots, Bali is a haven for those on a spiritual journey.
In this guide, we’ll explore the best spiritual tours Bali offers. These experiences provide a chance to witness the island’s natural beauty, reflect on, and grow personally.
Check out my guides: 3-week Bali Itinerary & Spiritual Things to do in Bali and 5-Day Bali Itinerary!
Whether you’re a seasoned spiritual traveller or simply looking to embark on a new path, these tours offer a unique perspective on the spiritual traditions that have thrived on this island for centuries.
Indonesia Essentials
Indonesian VISA Info
Cheap Flights (SKYSCANNER)
Best Tours & Experiences
Best Hotels (Booking.com) / Hostels (Hostelworld)
Indonesian Pre-Paid SIM CARD
Best Nomad Travel Insurance! (Saftey Wing)
Table of Contents
1-Day Spiritual Tours in Bali
Bali: Full-Day Spiritual Cleansing and Shamanic Healing Tour
Experience Highlights:
- Connect with a Balinese shaman for shamanic counselling and profound healing.
- Explore the 11th-century Hindu water temple, Pura Tirta Empul.
- Engage in a transformative spiritual cleansing at the revered Bali Holy Spring Temple.
- Unwind with an optional experience, choosing between a Luwak coffee tasting or a soothing massage.
- Personalize and enrich your journey with a range of available add-ons.
Full Description:
Embark on a comprehensive program encompassing spiritual healing and cleansing at the sacred Tirta Empul temple. The day commences at your hotel in the morning, where you’ll be picked up and transported to the temple to meet one of the finest Balinese Shamans from Puri Negari.
The Healing by Balinese Shaman merges Yagna, Yatra, and Mantra practices. Yagna healing eliminates negative influences, guiding you towards inner peace and happiness.
Through the recitation of mantras, Mantra healing dispels lower frequencies from your being, elevating your energy. A mantra is a precise amalgamation of sacred sounds, acting as a nucleus of spiritual energy that draws in elevated spiritual vibrations, leading to awakening and empowerment.
Yatra healing focuses on removing obstacles that may hinder achieving a specific outcome. This can involve clearing career impediments, dispelling adversaries’ ill intentions, shielding one from negative energies, and restoring equilibrium to one’s aura and chakras.
Locally known as “melukat,” this holistic process spiritually cleanses the mind and soul. It can be conducted in any place considered sacred by the Balinese. However, Tirta Empul (the Holy Spring Temple) is revered as the most sanctified site for this purification.
In addition, you can relish a tasting of Luwak coffee or partake in a traditional massage for an added layer of relaxation and rejuvenation.
- Duration: 8 hours
- Pickup: From your hotel
- Around £76
Bali Shaman & Palm Reading Experience
On this tour, you’ll immerse yourself in Bali’s spiritual essence through a unique encounter with a traditional healer or shaman. Draped in a sarong, you’ll partake in a purifying ceremony using sacred waters and engage in a personalized consultation with a traditional healer or palm reader.
This exclusive experience ensures privacy for your party, complete with complimentary sarongs for the ceremonies and convenient hotel transportation. Plus, a palm reading is included in the tour cost.
From £62
See Our favourite Spiritual Retreats in Bali this year! HERE
Private Bali Temple Tour
A spiritual tour of Bali wouldn’t be complete without a visit to one of the thousands of magnificent holy temples on this island. When I first came to Bali, the black-stone sacred sites captured my heart and are truly unique to Bali.
On this tour, you can explore Bali’s renowned temples, where Hindu symbolism meets ancient architecture. Our full-day guided tour effortlessly takes you to these scattered religious sites.
Enjoy the perks of a private tour – personalized attention from your guide and the flexibility to customize your itinerary. Immerse yourself in Bali’s stunning scenery without worrying about driving. Let our expert guide lead the way. Plus, enjoy the convenience of hotel pickup and drop-off so you can focus on the experience, not the logistics.
8 to 10 hours Pickup offered from Hotel
Uluwatu Temple Sunset & Traditional Kecak Fire Dance & Dinner
For those seeking a remarkable spiritual experience in Bali, the Kecak dance at Uluwatu Temple is a must-see. This traditional performance, featuring a shirtless male voice choir and a captivating narrative involving a deer, a demon king, and a heroic prince, promises to leave a lasting impression.
As the sun sets in the horizon, guests can immerse themselves in the enchanting world of the Kecak dance. The rhythmic chants and mesmerizing choreography create a truly spiritual experience. Following the performance, you’ll be whisked to Jimbaran Beach for a delicious meal in the sand, sampling today’s freshly caught fish.
Ubud: Wellness Retreat with Massage, Yoga Class, and Lunch
Indulge in a day of complete wellness and renewal in Ubud. Begin with a water cleansing ceremony guided by a local priest, savour a satisfying lunch at Bebek Tepi Sawah, and immerse yourself in a yoga class followed by a one-hour Balinese massage.
Experience Highlights:
- Engage in a self-cleansing ritual at the revered Holy Water Temple.
- Rejuvenate with a one-hour Balinese massage, relaxing both body and mind.
- Participate in a yoga session set amidst the tranquil sounds of the surrounding jungle.
- Delight in delectable local Ubud cuisine at the renowned Bebek Tepi Sawah restaurant.
Full Description:
After being picked up from your Bali accommodation, journey to the Ubud Mengening Holy Water Temple for a Melukat ceremony, a self-cleansing ritual guided by a local expert, and follow the steps of prayer and meditation to purify your body, mind, and soul.
Next, proceed to Bebek Tepi Sawah, an iconic Ubud eatery, for an organic lunch with a revitalizing healthy juice. Following lunch, sink into relaxation with a one-hour Balinese massage, easing away tension in both body and mind.
Conclude your day of rejuvenation with a soothing yoga session. Embrace the serene ambience of the surrounding jungle as you partake in a calming yoga class tailored for all skill levels.
Duration: 10 hours
Pickup: Your driver will be at your hotel 10 minutes before the pickup time, holding a sign with your name.
Full-Day Private Water Temple Ritual & Yoga Class
On this tour, you will visit the Water Temple of Pura Mengening early in the morning, then relax in a secluded villa with lunch before your guided yoga and meditation class.
Experience Highlights:
- Visit the hidden Bali Water Temple of Pura Mengening early in the morning
- Relax in the secluded villa of Tepi Sawah with its rice paddy fields and maze-like garden
- Take a dip in the swimming pools surrounded by a tropical landscape
- Experience the healing magic of Balinese meditation and yoga, guided by certified instructors
- Enjoy a delicious Balinese lunch with vegan and vegetarian options
Join a full-day yoga retreat in the beautiful landscapes northeast of Ubud. With guidance, visit a holy water temple and choose to take part in a traditional cleansing ritual with holy water. Take a guided healing yoga and meditation practice at a secluded villa. Enjoy free time at the villa to lounge, relax, and eat lunch.
After an early pickup, head to Mengening Holy Water Temple, Pura Mengening, in Saraseda, Gianyar Regency. The temple is sacred as a place of melukat, a ritual where locals perform self-cleaning or ablution with holy water. It’s also a site where the Balinese request tirtha – the sacred water used for Hindu ceremonies.
These springs have been derived from natural sources since the 11th century, and the pools’ bathing waters are calm and clear. Before going in, receive guidance on how to act in the ritual, especially how to present the canang sari flower offering with incense. The bathing rite is said to be both physically and spiritually rejuvenating yet meditative.
After, travel to Tepi Sawah Villa. Enjoy your delicious lunch, which includes vegan and vegetarian options, and some free time to lounge, swim in the pool, or explore the beautiful grounds.
Later, participate in a Bali healing yoga and meditation practice with Jero Priestess Luh Manis, who will guide you through a spiritual experience that reconnects with nature and universal energy.
- Duration 9 hours
- Pickup included
- Free pick up from Ubud, Nusa Dua, Kuta, Seminyak, Kerobokan, Canggu, Sanur. The exact pickup time depends on the participant’s respective locations.
2-Day Spiritual Tours in Bali
2-Day Spiritual Bali Tour and Local Ceremonies
Embark on an extraordinary spiritual journey in Bali, delving into its ancient traditions and profound culture. Over two days, you’ll engage in sacred ceremonies to purify mind, speech, and spirit, offer reverence to the gods, and seek guidance from a local Balian healer for spiritual growth.
Explore the revered Besakih Temple, experience the sanctity of Tirta Empul’s holy waters, and find serenity at the tranquil Manuaba waterfall—a hidden gem. A visit to a Royal palace is also included. This transformative experience promises more than a mere vacation; it offers a profound renewal and a deeper connection to the divine.
Pickup Information: Pick up at Coco Supermarket’s parking lot in the centre of Ubud at 8:30 AM.
Day 1: Spiritual Healing and Cleansing:
- Tegalalang:
- Participate in the Ngulapin ceremony, led by a temple priest, to return the spirit to the body and cleanse from past negativity.
- Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Tirta Empul Temple:
- Experience purification rituals at this sacred temple, still actively used since its discovery in 926 AD.
- Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Warung Sambal Locok:
- Enjoy a peaceful lunch in a beautiful garden surrounded by rice paddies.
- Duration: 1 hour
- Banjar Bona Kebon:
- Explore the tradition of the ‘Balian’ or traditional healers in Bali, using spiritual knowledge for healing.
- Duration: 1 hour 40 minutes
Day 2: Mind, Body and Spirit Purification:
- Tegalalang:
- Begin with the Byakaon Upacara ceremony, which involves cleansing mind, speech, and spirit and is guided by a Hindu holy man.
- Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Pura Griya Sakti Manuaba:
- Visit this important Balinese Hindu temple, a forerunner to the history of Manuaba Brahmans in Bali.
- Duration: 15 minutes
- Manuaba Waterfall:
- Bathe in the holy waters and soak in the serene atmosphere of this charming, rarely-touched waterfall.
- Duration: 40 minutes
- Batur Sari Restaurant:
- Enjoy lunch with a spectacular view of Mount Batur in Kintamani.
- Duration: 1 hour
- Besakih Temple:
- Explore the largest temple in Bali, known as The Mother of Temples, offering breathtaking views.
- Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Puri Agung Blahbatuh:
- Visit one of Gianyar’s largest castles, a residence to the royal family, showcasing Balinese architectural art.
- Duration: 45 minutes
Note: Accommodation & meals are not included in this tour.
From £141
Best Spiritual Retreats in Bali:
4 Day Inner Awakening Watukaru Yoga, Culture & Spa Retreat
Balitrees Yoga Center extends an invitation to explore one of the world’s oldest spiritual ashrams, Pasraman Seruling Dewata, dedicated to preserving and teaching Traditional Balinese Watukaru Yoga.
Operated solely by local individuals within a tranquil Balinese village, this sanctuary offers a respite from the bustling tourist hubs of Bali, providing an opportunity to unwind, find solace, and rejuvenate the body, mind, and soul.
What to Expect:
Balitrees promises an experience marked by profound beauty, genuine authenticity, nurturing care, and unwavering respect for those who embark on this shared journey. Over four days, guests will immerse themselves in the blissful practice of Traditional Watukaru Yoga and meditation.
They will also indulge in heavenly spa treatments, delve into the intricacies of chakra opening, and partake in culturally enriching excursions like the Beach BBQ, Rice Farming, Waterfall Purification, Rice Paddies Trekking, and Coconut Oil Making, ensuring a blend of joy, peace, and merriment.
This voyage offers personal transformation and an opportunity to advocate for the timeless art of Traditional Balinese Watukaru Yoga, share the wisdom of ancient Balinese traditions, and contribute to the local community’s well-being.
Craving a soulful retreat? See These Spiritual Retreats in Bali Here!
FAQs: Spiritual Tours in Bali
Getting To & Around Bali:
Bali is well-connected internationally, with Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS) in Denpasar as the main gateway. Many major airlines operate direct flights to Bali from various countries, and domestic flights from other parts of Indonesia are also convenient for travellers.
Once in Bali, transportation options include taxis, ride-sharing services, and rental cars for getting around the island.
Insurance and Health Precautions:
It’s highly recommended to have comprehensive travel insurance when visiting Bali. This should cover potential medical emergencies, trip cancellations, and other unforeseen events.
Ensure your policy includes coverage for activities like water sports and trekking, as these are popular in Bali.
Additionally, consider vaccinations or health precautions your healthcare provider advises, such as Hepatitis A and B vaccinations, typhoid and tetanus.
Visas and Entry Requirements:
Most visitors to Bali do not require a visa for short stays (typically up to 30 days for tourists, but it’s advisable to check current regulations as they can change).
Make sure your passport is valid for at least six months beyond your departure date. If you plan to stay longer or engage in activities not covered by standard tourist visas, consult with the Indonesian embassy or consulate in your home country for specific visa requirements.
Essential Items and Preparations:
Before heading to Bali, pack essentials such as lightweight clothing, comfortable walking shoes, swimwear, sunscreen, insect repellent (although I recommend buying the local Soffell brand here; it works well!) and any prescription medications you may need.
It’s also wise to carry a universal adapter for electrical outlets; get the ones with multiple sockets for devices, as sometimes there’s only one socket in each room.
Familiarize yourself with local customs aand the culture here. Maybe consider learning a few basic Indonesian phrases to enhance your interactions with locals.
Remember, this is a general guide, and you should verify specific requirements and recommendations closer to your travel date, as regulations and advice may change.
Conclusion of the Best Spiritual Tours in Bali:
Embarking on a spiritual tour in Bali or sinking your teeth into a soulful retreat offers more than just a vacation; it provides a profound journey within.
Engaging in guided meditations, exploring sacred sites, and immersing oneself in transformative practices can lead to a heightened sense of mindfulness and a deeper connection with one’s inner self.
The benefits of embarking on such a journey are manifold. They include not only a respite from the demands of daily life but also an opportunity for holistic rejuvenation.
Bali has the perfect environment that encourages a sense of tranquillity, enabling participants to disconnect from the outside world’s noise and find solace in the present moment. Moreover, interactions with the warm-hearted locals and exposure to their spiritual traditions offer valuable insights into different ways of perceiving and living life.
Additionally, spiritual tours in Bali can foster personal growth and introspection. It provides a nurturing space for self-reflection, allowing individuals to gain clarity, purpose, and a deeper understanding of their spiritual path.
Whether through yoga, meditation, or participation in ancient rituals, the transformative power of these experiences resonates long after leaving the island.
In conclusion, a spiritual tour or retreat in Bali is an investment in one’s well-being, a chance to reconnect with the often lost inner self, and an opportunity for profound growth. It offers a taste of the island’s natural beauty and a gateway to the rich spiritual tapestry woven into its essence.