Location
The name "Tirta Gangga" reminds about a sacred river in India, the river Gangga, yet Tirta Gangga is not a river, it is a spring water in the midst of dry and barren land of Kabupaten Karangasem, east Bali. The location of Tirta Gangga is around 10 km north of Amlapura city, 95 km from Denpasar city, 110 km from Kuta, 128 km from Nusa Dua. While on the eastern tip of the island is totally barren, stony area and totally lack of water. Today with the opening of the road along the beach of south east Bali leading from Denpasar to Klukung city, makes the coverage of the area far much shorter, which is around 1 hour shorter.

Tirta Gangga Garden Bathing
Starting at the turn of 19th century Karangasem was one of the 8 small kingdoms of Bali which extended its influence up to the island of Lombok and Sumbawa. The weakening of Bali kingdom under Gelgel rule was the main reason of those kingdoms such as freeing themselves from the control of the main kingdom. The situation had actually started from the year of 1651. Each of those 8 kingdoms extended their influence and control over each other. In 1677 the kingdom of Karangasem succeeded inserted control on Lombok and Sumbawa. The king is known as one of the princes that was so inspired by garden with bathing place. In Bali he built Tirta Gangga and Taman Ujung, and in Lombok he built Taman Narmada. Tirta Gangga is the sacred name of water which for Balinese is only used to refer the water in relation to religious ritual. Beside the word "tirta" there are words " toya" and "yeh". Toya is used to refer the water among royal family and the religious functionaries family, and yeh is for common people. The respect of the people to the spring water by referring it as "tirta" due to the fact that it is the only big water spring in the scarcity of water. Local people uses the for drinking, religious rituals, and source for other daily life. It is mentioned that Tirta Gangga got extension with more beautiful garden in 1948, where a swimming pool was also added, and the public can enjoy bathing at the swimming pool. During 1990s the place suffering the same case such as other major tourists objects in Bali. Bungalows, art shops and other business oriented activities appeared around the object.