Alas Kedaton is far from the crowds in the beautiful Tabanan Regency. It is set within 12 hectares of forest and surrounding countryside. The journey from Denpasar heading west to Tabanan winds through an endless carpet of rice fields and typifies the peaceful agricultural ideal that so many seek in Bali.
The Alas Kedaton Temple is set within the forest and is home to the many monkeys that live within the temple complex. The monkeys are tame, a little bit cheeky and very curious to meet visitors; they are the custodians of the forest temple and run freely around the forest and temple precinct, bathing in the moat and exploring through the trees. Many varieties of plants and trees are planted around the temple complex and support the calm and holy atmosphere.
The temple has three specific areas within the complex – the external yard which is open, the middle section and most unusually, the inner (most sacred) temple which is set down lower than the middle. There are four separate entrances, which is another unique aspect of the Alsa Kedaton temple complex. The temple ceremony at Alas Kedaton is performed every 210 days for the safety and prosperity of the community and is performed without fire or penjor, and must conclude before sunset.
In managing the growth of tourism to this unique environment, Alas Kedaton has become a highly respected training facility for nature conservation, environmental and agricultural studies.
