There is a charge for adults to enter Kehen Temple, which includes the rental of a sarong for modesty. While you don’t need a guide to explore—take care to avoid the sacred sanctuaries—touring Pura Kehen with a guide offers a deeper understanding of the various statues and shrines. A few private tours visit Pura Kehen, typically alongside other Ubud and Central Bali temples, such as Tirta Empul Temple or the Mother Temple of Besakih (Pura Besakih).
Kehen Temple has much to offer history buffs and temple fans.
Although sarongs are available to rent, take care to dress respectfully, covering your shoulders.
Due to the steps, Kehen Temple is not wheelchair accessible.
Pura Kehen sits in the district of Cempaga, about one mile (two kilometers) north of Bangli town center. The best way to arrive is via private vehicle. Many travelers prefer to hire a private driver, join a tour, or book a private tour rather than navigate the steep, winding, unsigned, and often potholed roads around this part of Bali.
Few travelers visit Kehen Temple, which is open from morning to afternoon, seven days a week. Like other Balinese temples, Pura Kehen hosts ceremonies around the full moon and new moon. It is at its most attractive during the festivals of Kuningan and Galungan when it’s decked in ornamental bamboo decorations called penjor.
The banyan tree, a type of fig, is sacred in Balinese belief, and you often see these giant plants decked out in traditional black-and-white checked cloths. The banyan tree at Kehen Temple is reportedly at least 400 years old, and there’s a little treehouse used as a monk’s cell high up in its branches.
