Two of the most remarkable are Pura Luhur Batukaru and Pura Ulun Danu Beratan. Though not as widely visited as Uluwatu or Tanah Lot, these sites reward those who seek a more authentic encounter with Balinese culture.

Pura Luhur Batukaru: The Temple of the Western Guardian

Perched on the slopes of Mount Batukaru in Tabanan Regency, Pura Luhur Batukaru is one of Bali’s most sacred temples and serves as the island’s western protector. Built in the 11th century and rebuilt in 1959, it is surrounded by dense tropical rainforest, often cloaked in mist, giving it an atmosphere of deep tranquility.

The temple’s heart is a seven-tiered meru, or shrine tower, dedicated to Mahadewa, the guardian spirit of the mountain. Its courtyards, moss-covered walls, and flowing springs create a serene and spiritual retreat, perfect for reflection and meditation.
Visitors will find that parts of the temple remain off-limits during prayer ceremonies, preserving its sanctity. The temple is also an important pilgrimage site, with villagers traveling here for rituals and purification.

To reach Batukaru, visitors drive through winding mountain roads from Ubud (about 1.5 hours) or Seminyak (roughly 2 hours). There is no public transport, which keeps the area peaceful and less commercialized.

Visiting tips:

• Dress modestly (sarong and sash required).

• Bring insect repellent and a light jacket—it can get cool.

• Early mornings offer the clearest air and the most peaceful experience.

• Avoid interrupting ceremonies and always follow local guidance.

Pura Ulun Danu Beratan: The Floating Temple of the Highlands

Located in the cool highlands of Bedugul, Pura Ulun Danu Beratan appears to float on the serene waters of Lake Beratan. Built in the 17th century, the temple honors Dewi Danu, the goddess of water and fertility, whose blessings nourish Bali’s vast network of rice fields.

The complex consists of several multi-tiered meru shrines, courtyards, and gateways framed by mountains and mist. When the lake’s water rises, the main shrine seems to drift on the surface, creating one of Bali’s most iconic images. The tranquil setting attracts worshipers and photographers alike.

Visitors can explore the surrounding gardens, take short boat rides on the lake, or simply enjoy the cooler air. The site is open daily from around 8 am to 6 pm, and the entrance fee is approximately IDR 75,000 per adult.
Early mornings or late afternoons are ideal for photos, when reflections are most vivid and crowds are thinner.

Respecting Sacred Spaces

These temples are not museums—they are living places of worship. Respect is essential to ensure their preservation and spiritual integrity.

• Dress appropriately: shoulders and knees covered; sarongs and sashes are available at entrances.

• Remain quiet and mindful inside temple grounds.

• Do not climb or touch shrines and sacred statues.

• Photography is welcome in public areas but not during prayer rituals.

• Support sustainability by choosing local guides and contributing to temple maintenance through small donations.

The Future of Bali’s Hidden Temples

As Bali continues to attract global attention, there is a growing effort to protect and sustain its cultural heritage. Local communities, environmental groups, and temple caretakers are working together to manage visitor flow and prevent over-tourism. Initiatives encourage eco-friendly travel, cultural education, and respectful engagement with sacred spaces.

For mindful travelers, exploring these hidden temples offers something beyond sightseeing—it’s an encounter with the island’s living spirit, where faith and nature have been intertwined for centuries.

What are the most famous temples in Bali?

The most famous temples in Bali include Uluwatu Temple, Tanah Lot, and Besakih Temple. Each of these temples offers stunning views and rich history, making them popular among tourists.

Why are the hidden temples significant?

The hidden temples of Bali are significant as they represent the island’s spiritual heritage, reflecting the beliefs and traditions of the local community. They serve as places for worship and cultural practices.

How can visitors respectfully explore Bali’s temples?

Visitors can explore Bali’s temples respectfully by dressing appropriately, adhering to local customs, and following guidelines provided by local guides to ensure the preservation of these sacred sites.

The post Bali’s Hidden Temples and Rich Culture appeared first on 203Challenges.

If you have toured Sardinia at all, you should have noticed there are many remains from its ancient past; the prolific Nuraghic civilization left towers literally every mile or two. There are, however, even more mysterious places on the island, leaving scientists wondering how to connect facts that don’t seem to have anything in common.

Monte D’Accoddi Hill is one of these places – a seemingly random hodgepodge of ancient cultures that should have never met each other. The megalithic altar is made of huge stones arranged in neat layers. It’s the perfect place to imagine for a moment that you are an ancient high priest – straighten your back and walk solemnly up the 40 m (130 ft) ramp to the top of the hill, where you can confess your deepest desires to the gods. Although the altar is only 9 m (30 ft) high, the view from the top is spectacular and sweeps over the surrounding fields, which were perhaps once filled with worshipers.

Monte D’Accoddi in Sardinia, Italy | © Maria Angelova/www.203challenges.com

What happened at the sacred site of Monte D’Accoddi?

Around 6,500 years ago the area was dotted with round huts organized in a settlement, most probably belonging to the people of the ancient Ozieri culture. Although at that time there was no altar here, the settlement was centered around a few other important stones. A menhir (a 4,7 m/16 ft tall upright stone to the left of the altar today) was used to utter prayers and perform rituals and sacrifices, together with other peculiar stones. You’ll see these strange shapes – including a trapezoid, an egg-shaped stone, a circular stone and several stones that form a table-like structure – around the area.

These stones were originally painted red. The ramp was erected later.

Monte D’Accoddi in Sardinia, Italy | © Maria Angelova/www.203challenges.com

Why is Monte D’Accoddi so unusual, and where does Mesopotamia fit into the whole story?

The answer is simple: nowhere else in Italy or the whole Mediterranean has a similar altar been discovered. In terms of architecture, its closest relatives are ancient Sumerian temples called ziggurats (dating back to around 3000 BC). To date, 32 ziggurats have been discovered in Iran and Iraq, revealing with them some of the world’s oldest known scripts.

Archaeologists are perplexed at how such a similarity can be observed in two cultures that have never been connected in any way (at least as far historians know), especially in their cults and temple-building.

Useful information

Monte D’Accodi is 20 km (13 mi) from Sassari and 45 km (28 mi) from Alghero. You will need a car to reach the site, as there are no public buses that go there. The opening hours change according to the season; in summer, the site is open from 9 am to 7 pm. Tickets cost 3 euros. You can find more information about the site’s working hours, prices and other details here.

Pin it for later:

Monte D’Accoddi, Sardinia | © Maria Angelova/www.203challenges.com

The post Monte D’Accoddi: where in Italy you’ll feel like you’re in Mesopotamia appeared first on 203Challenges.

To help decide which one to choose – sunrise or sunset – consider the following pros and cons based on my personal experience:

Sunrise at Angkor Wat 

Pros:

1. The sun shows up right behind the ruins of Angkor Wat and the sight is magical.

2. Waking up early will give you more time to explore the ruins before the heat sets in.

Cons:

1. In photos the sunrise usually looks like this:

Angkor Wat, Cambodia © Maria Angelova/www.203challenges.com

But what you can’t imagine from the photos is that the reflection is seen in a rather small pond (not in a huge lake as it looks like) and if you turn back, you will see this:

Sunrise at Angkor Wat | ©Maria Angelova/www.203challenges.com

Hundreds of people flock around the shores of the pond (there are two ponds but the one on the right if you face the temple doesn’t reflect the buildings well) and fight with elbows and tripods for good shooting spots. Some latecomers even venture into the mud:

Sunrise at Angkor Wat | ©Maria Angelova/www.203challenges.com

But that’s what we do for art! If you don’t like crowds, you might feel overwhelmed. But that’s the overall vibe of Angkor Wat, so it won’t surprise you so much after a few hours.

2. Balloon flight – flying over the temples at sunrise is definitely the most spectacular way to feel the magic, but I have some ethical qualms about it. When we were in Siem Reap (spring 2017), we found only one company offering flights and they all ended with throwing candy to kids in a nearby village. I found this practice humiliating for the locals and skipped the balloon flight (that’s a personal opinion: if you are okay with it, go ahead!).

Tips:

1. To get to Angkor Wat for the sunrise, you can get a tuk-tuk or rent a bicycle or a motorbike. The price for a sunrise tuk-tuk tour (and then a whole day around the temples) is more or less the same all over Siem Reap ($20 per person) and there’s not much space to haggle. Renting a bike will cost you around $2 a day, and scooters can be as cheap as $7 a day.

2. Arrive long before sunrise (at least 40 minutes) to find a good viewing spot and to witness the amazing play of light in the sky behind the temple before the sun peeks above the horizon.

3. If it’s your first day at Angkor Wat, don’t forget that you have to go to the ticket office and buy a ticket to gain access to the temples. The ticket office has been moved to a new location, 10 km away from the official entrance of the temple area.

Sunset at Angkor Wat – pros and cons

Sunset at Angkor Wat, Cambodia © Maria Angelova/www.203challenges.com

Pros:

1. Fewer people make a special effort to visit Angkor Wat for the sunset, so it’s much less crowded.

2. The sun sets facing the facade of Angkor Wat and there is a special magic here. With the last minutes of daylight you will see the walls changing color several times – from orange to pinkish and then brown. It’s the perfect way to end the day at Angkor Wat.

Cons:

1. It’s not as spectacular as the sunrise.

Tips:

1. The Angkor complex closes at sunset, so make sure you are there early enough to find a good spot and take photos. As soon as the sun gets below the horizon, you will be asked to leave the temple.

2. If there are clouds in the sky, you should definitely go for the sunset as it’s even more beautiful.

The verdict: craft your route so that you can see both sunrise and sunset. 

Read more: How to beat the crowds at Angkor Wat

The post Angkor Wat – sunrise or sunset (+ useful tips) appeared first on 203Challenges.

Demir Baba Тeke has been considered a holy place in Bulgaria for 3,000 years – since the time of the ancient Thracians. The peculiar shrine nestled in greenery welcomes everyone, regardless of their religion, to be enchanted by a number of local legends.

Who was Demir Baba?

Demir Baba was an Alevi saint, a wise man and healer. The Alevis are followers of an isolated branch of Islam, famous for its tolerance towards all other religions. For example, these spiritual people describe the difference between their religion and Christianity as no thicker than “onion skin”.

Demir Baba Teke, Bulgaria | © Maria Angelova/203challenges.com

What you will see (+ some terminology)

Turbe – a heptagonal tomb

Teke (or khanqah, riban) – a holy place featuring a turbe of an Alevi saint

The turbe is Demir Baba’s tomb. It is built between two rocks, which once served as a Thracian sanctuary. Check out the house next to the tomb, where a small museum offers information about the Alevis and the life of Demir Baba.

If you are searching for God, go, look for him in man – Demir Baba

Demir Baba Teke, Bulgaria | © Maria Angelova/203challenges.com

The rituals

You can participate in the many rituals that still take place here. Legend has it that in one dry year, Demir Baba touched a rock with his palm. Water started flowing from the rock, creating the spring that now bubbles in the teke`s yard. Wash yourself three times and drink from the water (it is clean). Then, on the way to the teke, tie a cloth to a tree branch for good health. Look for the rock to the left of the turbe; people believe that if they lie here with their head down, then stand up without using their hands, they will be healthy. To the left of the building there is a wall with two holes. Stand a few steps away from the holes and, with your eyes closed, point to them with your index fingers. This tradition is known as “stabbing the witch’s eyes out”. According to the legend, only the righteous succeed.

Stabbing the witch;s eyes at Demir Baba Teke, Bulgaria | © Maria Angelova/203challenges.com

See also…

Demir Baba teke is part of Sboryanovo Archeological Reserve, which also includes a UNESCO world heritage site – the Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari. Also of interest in the region are the remains of Helis, an ancient Thracian town from the 4th or 3rd century BC, believed to have been the capital of the Getae tribe. Make sure you go to the plateau above the teke to appreciate splendid panoramic views. If you want to see everything, it’s a good idea to spend a whole day in the area. It’s not too far between sights, but it’s best to have a car or a bike.

Useful information

You can visit the teke at any time. It is 12 km from the town of Isperih, passing through the villages of Dragomazh and Malak Porovets. The road through the village of Sveshtari is the same length – 1.5 km from Isperih you will see a sign at the turn-off from the Isperih-Ruse road. Park your car by the grass area, where you’ll see summer houses and Thracian excavations, then take the stairs down to the teke. For more information: Historical Museum of Isperih – +359 8431/4783, www.museumisperih.com (in Bulgarian only, you will have to use Google Translate), www.getika.com.

Pin it:

The post Demir Baba Teke – a holy place in Bulgaria for 3,000 years appeared first on 203Challenges.

That said, there are still a few ways to enjoy the Angkor Temples without every other man and his dog. Here are a few hacks and tricks to help you beat the crowds and skip the lines.

Buy your tickets the day before

If you arrive in Siem Reap in the afternoon, buy your tickets valid from the next day. Make sure you know the correct location of the office – it was changed in 2016 and is now quite far from the Angkor Complex itself. The office is open from 5 am to 5:30 pm, but the lines in the morning are chaotic from as early as 4:30, as all the last-minute tourists try to make it in time for sunrise. Tickets can be valid for one, three or seven days, so plan your sunrise and sunset tours carefully.

Sunrise at Angkor Wat, Siem Reap | © Maria Angelova/www.203challenges.com

Don’t see too many temples in one day

On the first day, you are incredibly excited to see as much as possible, but then the sightseeing fatigue sets in and just a few hours later you realize you don’t want to see another temple for the rest of your life. This is a common mistake many visitors make. To avoid it, get a three-day or seven-day ticket and explore the Angkor Archaeological Park in small portions. Thus, if you’d planned to see Angkor Thom today but then realize that it’s full of people, you can leave it for tomorrow and move on to your next destination. It’s a good idea to mark the temples you’ve already visited in some way (on your map or your app) because, at some point, it’s impossible to keep track.

Religious blessing at Angkor Wat | © Maria Angelova/www.203challenges.com

Waking up early won’t help

Everyone arrives before sunrise at Angkor, and while this would usually be a wise tip, waking up early is of no help here. The best times to explore the archaeological site are early morning and late afternoon, because the heat is unbearable at noon.

Ta Prohm (the filming location from Tomb Raider) | © Maria Angelova/www.203challenges.com

Enter from the East Gate istead of the main West Gate

Assuming you have already seen the sunrise at Angkor Wat, begin the rest of your days by entering from the small East Gate instead of the main West Gate. This will give you the chance to enjoy the temples on this side of the archaeological park without being surrounded by hordes of tourists. No selfie sticks, no elbow-pushing, no vendors.

Angkor Temples | © Maria Angelova/www.203challenges.com

Go counter-intuitive

The three main attractions at Angkor are Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom (featuring the huge Bayon Temple), and Ta Prohm (the filming location from Tomb Raider). This is where the biggest crowds concentrate. If someone has just one day at Angkor, they will visit these three locations. The logical order of visiting these areas is: 1. Angkor Wat 2. Angkor Thom and 3. Ta Prohm. You can outsmart the crowds and avoid big groups by acting counter-intuitively and starting from the bottom of the list. For example Ta Keo – between Angkor Thom and Ta Prohm – is a ghost temple in the early morning.

Sunrise at Angkor Wat | ©Maria Angelova/www.203challenges.com

Accept that some crowds are inevitable

Everyone wants to see the sunrise at Angkor Wat, but the sight of the hundreds of visitors competing for the best photo spot in the mud by the bank of the pond in front of the temple may be heartbreaking. Accept it. Just like you, everyone wants to experience something they have seen in all those amazing photos. Be patient and tolerant. The same goes for the sunset at Phnom Bakheng and for climbing the Central Angkor Wat Tower, where only 100 people a day are granted access.

Read more: How to eat tarantula in Cambodia (a full guide)

3 simple ways to make friends with Cambodians

Where to see Rafflesia in Thailand – the biggest flower in the world

Pin these tips for later:

The post Angkor Wat: How to avoid the crowds and skip the lines appeared first on 203Challenges.