A first-time guide to Bali cultural-visit etiquette

Visiting Bali respectfully comes down to a few habits: dress to cover shoulders and knees, move quietly, ask before you photograph, and let ceremonies pass. You can skip memorising a rulebook. Watching what local people do, and asking your guide, covers the situations a first-timer meets.

This page belongs to our food, culture and daily travel hub. It focuses on the moments you will meet on a cultural day.

What should you wear for temples?

Visitors to Hindu and Buddhist temples in Bali wear a sarong that covers the legs below the knee, and keep shoulders and back covered ^[1]. Some temples lend a sarong, but bringing a light one saves time at the gate. Our glossary entry on kebaya and sarong rules explains the dress, and our guide to dress codes for temples and mosques beyond the sarong adds detail.

Choose clothes that breathe, because temple visits mean standing in the sun. Ask staff for the specific requirement at each site.

What do the offerings on the ground mean?

You will see small woven trays of flowers and incense on pavements, shop doorways and at shrines. Offerings of flowers and incense are scattered in the streets as part of daily life. Our canang sari glossary entry explains what they are.

Walk around them where you can, and never kick or move one. If you step on one by accident, a quiet apology to the person nearby is enough.

How should you behave around ceremonies?

Ceremonies, processions and village gatherings are part of daily life, and each has an organising community called a banjar. If you meet a procession on the road, step aside and let it pass. Keep your voice low, and wait until you are told where to stand.

Do not walk between people who are praying or between a worshipper and the altar. Do not sit higher than priests or put your feet up near an altar. Feet are seen as unclean in Balinese culture, so pointing them at an altar is poor form ^[2].

May you take photos?

Yes, with care. Ask before photographing people, especially during prayer, and keep the flash off. Our guide to photographing people, ceremonies and offerings covers the situations in more depth.

When in doubt, put the phone down and watch. A moment you remember is worth more than a photo that intrudes.

A quick table of habits

Situation	A respectful habit	Why it helps
Entering a temple	Wear the sarong and cover shoulders	Matches the dress expected
Seeing an offering	Walk around it	It is placed with care
Meeting a procession	Step aside and wait	The path belongs to the group first
Taking photos	Ask, no flash, keep distance	Protects people at prayer
Sitting near an altar	Keep feet low and still	Feet are seen as unclean
Quiet days such as Nyepi	Follow local rules on movement	The island observes the day

Who is this guide for, and what else helps?

This guide suits first-timers, families with children and anyone visiting with elders. If your itinerary is heavy with temples, our guide to planning Indonesian cultural visits respectfully helps you pace the days. The Bali page shows how the areas connect.

Better options exist for children who tire quickly: choose one or two temple stops a day, and keep a snack and water in the car.

What should you ask your guide or driver?

• Which temples are open to visitors today, and what must we wear?
• Is a sarong provided, or should we bring our own?
• Is there a ceremony on today, and where should we stand?
• Is photography allowed at this site?
• Where can we pray or rest nearby?

Ask early in the day. A guide who knows the site will turn these answers into a calm plan.