Istana Tampaksiring: The Presidential Palace near Ubud Bali

Taking the most easterly route north from Ubud you will past through the villages of Pejeng, Tarukan, Sanding and Tampaksiring. My buddy Mike has a house on that main road a couple of kilometers south of Tampaksiring. The road is heavily trafficked and Mike is planning to sell the house.

I have visited and on occasion have seen a noisy motorcade of police motorbikes and cars with their sirens wailing. The reason for this amount of action is the former Presidential Palace, Istana Tampaksiring, that is in the area. Located on top of a hill that overlooks the holy springs at Tirta Empul, the palace was built in the 1950s by former President Sukarno, whos mother was Balinese. Istana Tampaksiring is actually 2 buildings connected by a bridge and it is rumored that Sukarno had a telescope set up to look at local women bathing in the pools below and would command the most attractive ones to visit the palace.

In 1967 Sukarno was ousted from power and the palace became a retreat for government members. Currently the palace is off limits to the general public and only the President and Vice President are allowed to stay there.