BALINEWSID.COM, DENPASAR — Pura Segara Giri Wisesa, located on Sidakarya Beach in the traditional village of Sidakarya, South Denpasar District, is poised to become a new spiritual tourism destination for Denpasar and Bali in general.

The temple, situated within the Taman Hutan Raya Ngurah Rai (Ngurah Rai Grand Forest Park), was officially consecrated on Monday (February 16, 2026). On this auspicious day according to the Balinese calendar, a sacred Mendem Pedagingan procession was held as part of the Karya Melaspas lan Mendem Pedagingan Pelinggih ceremony at the temple. The ceremony coincided with Rahina Tilem Kawolu, a significant holy day in the Balinese Hindu calendar.

The inauguration marked the end of a long wait for the customary community (krama adat) in Denpasar, particularly in Sidakarya Village, who had long hoped for easier access to worship at the temple. The event was also accompanied by the opening of a new access road to the coastal place of worship located along Muntig Siokan Beach in Sidakarya Traditional Village.

Bendesa Adat (Customary Village Head) of Sidakarya, Ketut Suka, said on the sidelines of the event that the occasion also coincided with the granting of land-use rights from the Denpasar City Government to the Sidakarya Traditional Village.

“For now, we are permitted to utilize the land. The formal handover, or grant, will take place after one year. Only then can it possibly be used for other purposes, including whether it will be opened to the public,” Ketut Suka told reporters.

He added that the Sidakarya Traditional Village is preparing the Pura Segara Giri Wisesa area as a religious tourism site, particularly for Hindus in Denpasar. However, he emphasized that plans for broader tourism development are still uncertain due to pending permits.

Meanwhile, Chairman of Commission III of the Denpasar City Regional House of Representatives (DPRD), Wayan Suadi Putra, a native of Sidakarya, said the new access road significantly eases the journey for worshippers visiting the temple. Previously, temple caretakers and visitors had to cross via Muntig Siokan Beach in Sanur Kauh Traditional Village.

“They had to enter through Taman Inspirasi or take a boat from Mertasari Beach,” said the politician from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan).

At present, Pura Segara Giri Wisesa accommodates three major religious rituals: melasti (purification ceremony), ngayud or penghayutan, and penglukatan (self-cleansing ritual).

“For now, our focus remains on religious activities. The temple’s establishment is also a form of our religious collaboration with Ngurah Rai Grand Forest Park,” Suadi Putra explained.

He further noted that the temple holds strong potential as a religious tourism destination. Surrounded by lush mangrove forests and offering scenic coastal views, the site is strategically located near prominent destinations such as Sanur, Serangan, Bandar Udara Internasional Ngurah Rai, and Denpasar city center.

Looking ahead, he suggested that any future tourism development would likely lean toward ecotourism. “If there is an opportunity to develop tourism in the future, it will be more focused on eco-tourism,” he concluded. (FF)