Tirta Gangga just North of Karangasem on the slopes leading up to Mount Agung is Tirta Gangga, a water playground designed by a prince in the Royal Family of Karangasem as a resting place. The exotic pools and water fountains sustained some damage during the eruptions of Mt. Agung but the water gardens remain as serene and tempting as ever to the travel weary.

The cool, spring-fed pools at Tirtagangga which literally means “Ganges Water” and refers to the sacred river of the Hindus are located some 15 km northwest of Amlapura along the main road toward Singaraja. A dip in the poois is deliciously refreshing after a long drive, and they are surrounded by a captivating landscape of terraced ricefields. The village itself is small and quiet, and is a good place to pause and rest for several hours or even several days to take advantage of the many delightful walks from here.

One can stay overnight inside the pool complex itself, known officially as Tirta Ayu (“lovely waters’), where a son of the last king of Karangasem operates a small homestay. Another exciting possibility is to stay in a small lodging on a nearby hill with a view over the famous Tirtagangga rice terraces.

Spending your holiday at Tirtagangga is not just a matter of enjoying the beauty of this water garden you can also take a bath in the pools at Tirta Gangga and take some beautiful photos of this water garden. Another good activity you can do to maximize the ‘Tirtagangga experience” is trekking.

Tirtagangga and its surrounding villages are a great trekking area with some of the best walks in Bali to suit all levels of fitness. The villages such as Selat and Sideman (off the main Karangasem to Rendang road) are especially good. Trekking through the maze of rice terraces around Tirtagangga can be a rewarding experience as well as a great opportunity to take some beautiful photos. You can take photos almost in every spot in this area.

If you want to wander a little further you can visit Lempuyang Temple (Pura Lempuyang Luhur, it is about 10 km east of Tirtagangga on the top of Belibis Hill Lempuyang is one of the six major Temple in Bali. Compare to other six major temple of Bali, Lempuyang Luhur is quite small and has only few shrines which are a padmasana or the shrine of God, two shrines which are similar to padmasana and share single foundation, dedicated to Hyang Gnijaya, the founder of Lempuyang Luhur temple and his sons. Climbing the Belibis Hill to reach the temple is worth to be called an exercise, considering the number of the steps, it gives also a picturesque view of the surrounding forest and mountains and there are magnificent sunset views at dusk on the top of the hill.