How Bali’s customary villages connect banjar and temple life
Bali’s customary villages form a parallel community structure tied to banjar and temple life. Official data shows their scale, while later provincial figures indicate the dataset was updated in 2026.
By Mukmin John
Editor: Mursyid Sonsang
· 2 min read
Bali’s customary villages, or desa adat, are community institutions that organise customary life alongside the formal administrative system. Official provincial data lists 1,493 desa adat, 4,871 banjar adat and 4,375 banjar dinas in Bali in 2025, showing why village structures remain central to temple and ceremonial life.
How many customary villages does Bali have?
The provincial Department for the Advancement of Customary Communities records 1,493 desa adat in Bali in 2025, according to its 2025 data recap. The same table records 4,871 banjar adat and 4,375 banjar dinas, with the figures separated by regency and municipality.
What is the difference between desa adat and banjar?
Desa adat is the customary-village unit, while banjar adat is the smaller customary community unit listed within it. Banjar dinas is recorded separately in the provincial table, reflecting the distinction between customary and administrative structures.
How are customary villages connected with temple life?
The Ministry of Religious Affairs’ Bali religious-house database lists temples identified as Kayangan Tiga and Dang Kayangan across Bali. These entries include Pura Puseh Desa Adat Tuwed in Jembrana and Pura Buk Jambe in Ubud, illustrating that temple records are linked to named customary communities and local areas.
Why does the number matter for ceremonies?
The scale of the customary-village network helps explain why temple observances, communal obligations and local ceremonies are organised at community level rather than through a single island-wide institution. The provincial government’s 2025 performance report also measures customary-village development using an index for desa adat.
A later provincial policy brief published in September 2026 says the sectoral dataset had been updated from 1,493 to 1,500 desa adat. Because the detailed 2025 recap and the later policy brief state different totals, the year and source should be checked whenever the figure is used.
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