So you’re heading to Bali with your person (honeymoon or not—love’s love, right?) and wondering if you should do one of those Balinese blessing ceremonies you keep seeing on Insta.
Short answer: yes. Long answer: yessss, because it ain’t just a photo op it’s stepping into the island’s heartbeat together.
I’ve been living in Bali for seven years now, and lemme tell you, I’ve watched couples walk into these ceremonies kinda shy, not sure what to do… and walk out glowing, like they unlocked a secret level of love. And sometimes, yeah, I get teary just watching them. Happens.
Here are the seven ceremonies I think every couple should try at least once.
1. Melukat Purification at Tirta Empul
This is the big one. Melukat means “to cleanse,” and it’s a water purification ritual at Tirta Empul, a holy spring temple near Ubud.
You wear a sarong, step into icy spring water, and bow under a line of spouts as holy water rushes over you. Locals believe it washes away past burdens, clears out the gunk (emotional, energetic you know), and opens space for fresh beginnings. For couples, it feels symbolic like leaving old baggage behind and stepping into a clean future together.
I once took my cousin and her new husband here on their honeymoon. Watching them hold hands under the water, faces lit up with half-laughter, half-tears… man, my heart just cracked open. And honestly, seeing two people do so much for each other, emotions was on peak. Tears falling, giggles in between—it’s the kinda love that makes you believe again.
2. Sunset Blessing at Uluwatu Temple
Picture this: cliffside temple, waves smashing 70 meters below, sun melting into the horizon. A priest chanting softly while the sky catches fire behind you.
That’s a Uluwatu sunset blessing. It feels cinematic, even if there’s a crowd. Stay for the Kecak fire dance after like the island itself is clapping for your love. Cheesy? Maybe. But also… it do hit different.
3. Private Villa Blessing Ceremony
Shy? Crowd-averse? Same sometimes. Lots of villas and resorts can arrange a private blessing right where you’re staying.
A priest sets up simple offerings, chants, sprinkles holy water, and blesses you two as a pair. No tourists with GoPros, no hustle. Just you, your person, incense smoke curling up like prayers, and the soft hush of Bali being Bali. It’s like renewing vows… but with petals and temple bells.
4. Waterfall Blessing (Tegenungan or Tukad Cepung)
Now this one? Next-level romantic. Some priests perform blessings by waterfalls, where the energy of rushing water turns everything up a notch.
Barefoot on smooth stones, palms together, a white thread tied around your wrists to symbolize unity while the water thunders behind you—you won’t forget it. Promise. Feels like nature itself got invited to your love story and said, “Yup, I’m in.”
5. Beachfront Blessing (Sanur or Jimbaran)
If the ocean is your happy place, a beachfront blessing is pure magic. Offerings set right on the sand, breeze in your hair, toes in the shorebreak, priest murmuring blessings as waves roll in.
Sunrise in Sanur is calm and honey-gold. Sunset in Jimbaran is fiery and bold. Both feel like the sea is carrying your prayers a little further than you ever could. And after? Seafood on the beach, candlelight wobbling, just you two and the tide. Simple, soft, perfect.
6. Rice Terrace Blessing in Ubud
Underrated but wow. Imagine endless emerald terraces, dragonflies floating over water, palms swaying like they’re keeping time—then a quiet blessing among the paddies.
Rice is life in Bali abundance, growth, nourishment. Getting blessed in the middle of the fields feels like asking the earth itself to watch over your marriage: grow steady, grow kind, grow full. Not flashy. But sometimes the softest things land the deepest.
7. Full Temple Blessing in Traditional Attire
Wanna go all in? Dress in traditional Balinese attire sarong, sash, kebaya—and join a full temple ceremony with locals.
You kneel side by side, hands pressed in prayer, incense swimming around you. The priest sprinkles holy water, places grains of rice at your forehead, and for a second the whole island goes quiet like it’s listening.
When you step back through the temple gates, you don’t feel like tourists anymore. You feel… included. Seen. Part of something big-big.
Tips for Couples (learned the easy way so you don’t do it the hard way)
- Dress respectfully: Sarong + sash required. Most spots provide them, but bring your own if you like.
- Stay open-hearted: You might not understand every chant. It’s okay. Feel first, think later.
- Arrange properly: Ask your villa/host/guide. Not every ceremony is open to visitors—go through the right channels.
- Bring a small offering: Flowers or incense simple is fine. It’s about respect.
- Don’t make it only a photoshoot: Click your pics, yes, but be present. Sacred before aesthetic, always.
Why These Ceremonies Matter?
A blessing ceremony in Bali isn’t just about superstition or crafting the perfect reel. It’s a shared memory with gravity. It’s looking at your partner mid-ritual and thinking, “Wow, we’re in this. For real.”
I’ve watched couples burst into laughter when the water splashes cold, go silent-soft when the priest ties the unity thread, squeeze hands a little tighter when the bells chime. Those are the moments that hitch a ride home with you. The ones that still glow years later when life gets noisy. And that? That’s the blessing I think. Not lightning from the sky just love, made steadier.
Final Thoughts
Even after years here, I still stop and stare when a couple steps into a blessing. Maybe it’s the water dripping from their faces, maybe the way they bow heads together at the exact same time—there’s always a beat where love gets loud. Goosebumps, every time.
So if you’re wondering whether to add a blessing to your Bali trip, here’s me nudging you gently: do it. Let Bali bless you. Let the island’s quiet magic hold your story for a minute—under holy water, sunsets, rice fields, or waves.
Because sometimes the most romantic thing ain’t the infinity pool—it’s the small prayer whispered over two people who chose each other.
Which ceremony you wanna try first—should I help you pick and plan it?