Another nice temple by the river with a small forest garden with lots of shade which makes it easier to walk around since its 30 degrees and very sunny
A moat separates the temple from the flow of tourists, probably helping to preserve the beauty and details of the various parts of the visually stunning temple dedicated for the use of the royal family. This was the most extensive of the temples that we visited in terms of number of architectural components. This, I guess, is befitting of a temple built for the royal family.
That's the problem with expectations. You keep getting excited until you end up disappointed... This is obviously my fault and not the temple's: Taman Ayun features different level meru and you can have a relaxing walk through the temple's garden in the back. However, I had seen everything in about 20 minutes, and after staying in Bali for about 2 weeks, maybe I had just seen too many other temples and could not stop myself from comparing this one to other ones like Pura Saraswati in Ubud, for instance. Anyway, do go there without expecting too much, and you will probably get more of Taman Ayun than I did!
The temperature is hot and humidity is bad when we stop by. However the open space of the temple and a large area lawn in the middle let us feel cool. There is a small shop showing lots of high quality paints in the corner. It is worthy to visit.
We arrived early before the crowd arrived so we totally enjoyed the tranquility of this place. Make sure you have a local guide or a good guide book to explain to you the architecture, rituals and stories that go with this place.
