The village lane
Matching gateways up the slope.
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Penglipuran is a traditional village in Bangli regency, in eastern Bali's uplands at about 600 metres, where around a thousand residents still live by customary law. Its main stone-paved lane, closed to cars, climbs in shallow steps between matching angkul-angkul gateways. Often called one of the world's cleanest villages, it was named a UN Tourism Best Tourism Village in 2023. Villagers trace their roots to Bayung Gede near Kintamani, whose people served the kings of Bangli and were granted a resting place here. The plan follows the Balinese Tri Mandala: temples at the upper, holiest northern end, homes in the middle, the cemetery and Dalem temple to the south. Tourism is community-run: ticket income goes to the village, and households take turns receiving visitors. Many of the seventy-odd family compounds open their gates, revealing a bamboo kitchen, a pavilion for family rites and a household shrine; some sell crafts and loloh cemcem, a herbal drink. Footpaths cross a sacred bamboo forest of roughly 40 hectares north of the houses. At Galungan, penjor poles arch over the lane. A memorial honours Captain Anak Agung Gede Anom Mudita, killed here fighting Dutch forces on 20 November 1947. The village lies 5 km by road north of Bangli town and about 45 km by road from Denpasar, 1 to 1.5 hours' drive; cars park outside. Allow an hour or two and ask before photographing residents. By road, Tukad Cepung waterfall is about 10 km away and Tirta Empul and Gunung Kawi at Tampaksiring about 15 km, with Kintamani up the road north.
Matching gateways up the slope.
Roughly 40 ha, crossed by footpaths.
Bamboo kitchen and household shrine.
Kubu, Bangli district, north of Bangli town
At Galungan, which returns every 210 days in the Balinese calendar; the next two fall on 13 January 2027 and 11 August 2027, each followed ten days later by Kuningan. The poles often stay up for a couple of weeks after Kuningan, and the village is busier than usual around these days.
A plot set apart at the edge of the village under customary law, which forbids polygamy: a man who takes a second wife must move there and loses his rights in village life, including its temples and ceremonies.