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nugly situated in the corner of Southeast Asia, the island of Bali (Indonesia) spans 2,232 square miles. Slightly larger than the state of Delaware, this charming tourist destination is located on the westernmost end of the Lesser Sunda Islands and roughly two miles east of Java. Aside from its notoriety as a popular Far East hotspot, Bali is also known for its many temples scattered throughout, earning it the name "e Island of a ousand Puras." Holding mythological significance, the Pura Taman Saraswati Temple is one of the most popular landmarks in Ubud, a small town within Bali. Officially known as Pura Taman Kemuda Saraswati, this Balinese Hindu temple is one worth seeing. Amid Ubud's striking landscape, the Pura Taman Saraswati Temple quietly invites visitors out from the surrounding farms, rice paddies, and dense forests and into its mesmerizing grounds. Although Ubud is considered the cultural capital of Bali, only seven percent (30,000 people) of Bali's population resides there. Followers of Balinese Hinduism find solace in the temple as they dedicate their time in the divine structures that were built in accordance to the rules, style, guidance and rituals found in Balinese architecture. Designed as an open-air space of worship, the Pura Taman Saraswati Temple is interwoven by a series of intricately decorated gates, each one leading to an undiscovered shrine. VUE ON TRAVEL V U E N J . C O M 131

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