TANAH LOT TEMPLE

Tanah Lot Temple is one of Bali most important landmarks, famed for its unique offshore setting and sunset backdrops. An ancient Hindu shrine perched on top of an outcrop amidst constantly crashing waves, Tanah Lot Temple is simply among Bali not to be missed icons. The onshore site is dotted with smaller shrines alongside visitors leisure facilities that comprise restaurants, shops and a cultural park presenting regular dance performances. The temple is located in the Beraban village of the Tabanan regency, an approximate 20km northwest of Kuta and is included on most tours to Bali western and central regions.

How to Get to Tanah Lot Temple

Tanah Lot Temple is located at Jalan Tanah Lot, Beraban village, Kediri sub district, Tabanan Regency, Bali, Indonesia. The temple sits around 20kms from Denpasar, south of Tabanan city and west of Canggu. It can be reached by taxi or by hiring a scooter, though many visitors do find it more convenient to visit the temple as part of an island tour. To get to the temple its takes around 45 minutes from Kuta, Legian, Seminyak and 30 to 40 minutes from Ubud. Whether you drive by own car and come from Denpasar on the main highway and arrive in the town of Kediri, you will certainly not miss the large sign at the main intersection announcing the southwest turn to Pura Tanah Lot. Once there, visitors must walk along pathways that are dotted with stalls selling souvenirs before arriving at the beach in front of the temple.

Best Time to Visit Tanah Lot Temple

Tanah Lot Temple is a very busy and crowded place, especially on sunny days, there are hundreds even thousands of tourists around trying to get the best views of the temple from various angles. So the best time to visit the temple is during the low seasons (mostly from mid-January to mid-April and mid-September to mid-December) during these periods there are lesser crowds and accommodation/flight costs are fair. The best time of the day to visit the temple is during the evenings at sunset, as the view is absolutely breathtaking, however, expect more crowds during this time.

​Another good thing to note is that a Tanah Lot Temple Tour is best done during low tides, because this makes for the best angle views and you are allowed to walk to the base of the temple and be blessed by the priests there. For those who love photography, this time is the golden hour or magic hour and if the weather is good we can capture an amazing sunset and enjoy unforgettable spectacular and astonishing sundown sights. Various locations offer stunning views of the temple, making this a very photogenic destination. Depending on the position of the sun, the light is perfect for taking beautiful photographs.

Take an immediate right at the entrance of the temple area and walk through the garden to the top of the hill. From this higher vantage point you will have an even better view of the temple – huge waves crash on the rocks, creating that perfect postcard picture. Visitors can stay close and walk beside the temple when low tide but it's not recommended and too dangerous when high tide. Tanah Lot is very suitable to serve as a family holiday and also there are adequate facilities such as hotels, restaurants, sunset terrace, Tanah Lot cultural park, art shops, parking area, emergency facilities, security facilities, toilets, rest area, and information center.

What to Expect at Tanah Lot Temple

​At the entrance lane to Tanah Lot Temple you will find a beautiful architectural Balinese gate and many art shops offering local handicrafts besides other products like T-shirts, Balinese sarongs, hats, sandals, accessories, paintings, woodcarvings, and more. Here you will also find stalls selling food and drinks. The tourist area of Pura Tanah Lot near the rock is very well managed for visitors. It has a parking area, toilets, art shops, restaurants, hotel, open stage, tourist information centre, and security and safety services.​

Your ticket also covers insurance against accidents. There are many restaurants here where you can enjoy a sumptuous breakfast or lunch. Experience the serenity of the tropical sun slowly disappearing beyond the horizon and the wide open ocean, and listen to the sound of the soothing waves crashing on the shore. It will be an incredible memory to treasure all your life. After centuries of large waves persistently crashing at its rock base, Tanah Lot Temple faced the constant threat of erosion, reaching a significant decline in 1980.

The authorities carried out preservation efforts to Tanah Lot and other historical sites island-wide with aid from the Japanese government. Fully restored, a third of the present Tanah Lot is actually artificial rock. At high tide, waves flood the causeways making it impossible to cross. At low tide, you may cross to view the rock base where the legendary "guardian" sea snakes dwell in crevices around the Tirta Pabersihan fountain. This natural spout is the source of holy water for all the temples in the area. Priests at the fountain bless visitors by sprinkling holy water over their heads.

You can cup your palms and take a sip to prove it is amazingly fresh water. Onshore temples include the Penyawang, a spiritual proxy to Tanah Lot Temple that hosts pilgrims when the main offshore temple is inaccessible during high tide. Other smaller temples around the site host prayer sessions for various aspects of the villagers’ agrarian life, from good rice harvests to rites of passage. North of Tanah Lot is Batu Bolong, similarly built on a rock formation with a "hollow" overpass linking to the mainland. Convenient pathways and well-kept tropical gardens line the grounds from Tanah Lot Temple to Batu Bolong, with resting spots offering shades and good viewpoints to both outcrops.

Tanah Lot Temple History

The myths and sagas of this sacred place are almost as beautiful as the temple itself. After the holy priest Danghyang Nirarta spent the night here, the people of Bali decided to build the Tanah Lot temple at this location. The story goes that there used to be a bridge from the mainland to the temple but it was destroyed by the powerful sea. Another interesting detail is that there is a cave with a magical spring underneath Tanah Lot. Oddly enough the water in the spring is fresh, whereas the temple is surrounded by salt ocean water.

The history of Tanah Lot Temple is closely related to the sacred journey from Blambangan (Java island) to Bali island of a holy monk called Dang Hyang Nirartha to spread the teachings of Hinduism. The people also call him Dang Hyang Dwijendra or Pedanda Sakti Wawu Rauh. The ruler of the island of Bali at that time was Raja Dalem Waturenggong around the 16th century. In the Dwijendra Tattwa explained that at one time Dang Hyang Nirartha come back to Rambut Siwi temple in his trip around the island of Bali, where the first when he had just arrived in Bali from Blambangan (Java island) on Çaka 1411 or 1489 AD, he stopped at this place.​

​After being in Rambut Siwi temple for a while, he went on his journey that leads toward East (Purwa). Before leaving, DangHyang Niratha performed prayers "Surya Cewana" with people who were there. After sprinkling holy water (tirtha) against the people involved in doing worship, he walked out of the temple and walked toward the East. The journey traces the South coast of the island accompanied by some of the followers. In this journey, Dang Hyang Nirartha really enjoyed and was impressed with the beauty of the southern coast of the island of Bali with a natural beauty that is very exciting.

He imagined the greatness of Sanghyang Widhi Wasa (God Almighty) who has created the universe and everything in it that can give life to mankind. In his heart whispered the duty of every creature in this world, especially human beings to express gratitude to God for everything he has been pleased to create. After a long walk and eventually he arrived and stopped at a beach, the beach consists of rocks and there are also spring, that rocks were called Gili Beo, "Gili" means small island and "Beo" means bird, so Gili Beo means small island of rocks that resembles a bird.

In this area had been led by Bendesa Beraban Sakti who is ruler in Beraban village, then that's where Dang Hyang Nirartha stops and rest, after a few moments of rest and then came the fishermen who wanted to meet with him and bring a variety of offerings for him. Then after the afternoon, the fishermen begged him to spend the night at their house. However, all the petition was refused by him and he preferred to spend the night in Gili Beo because from there he can enjoy the fresh air, beautiful scenery and release the views freely in all directions.

On the evening before he went to rest, he gave teachings on religion, morals, and teachings of other virtues to the people who came to there, but Dang Hyang Nirartha presence was not favored by Bendesa Beraban Sakti because its teachings are not in accordance with the teachings propagated by Dang Hyang Nirartha, and this led Bendesa Beraban Sakti to become angry and invites his followers to expel Dang Hyang Nirartha of the region. Then, to protect himself from the aggression of Bendesa Beraban Sakti, DangHyang Nirartha moves Gili Beo to the sea and he created the snake from his shawl to always keep Gili Beo safe from malicious attacks.

And after that moment Gili Beo changed its name to Tanah Lot (land in the sea). After seeing the miracle of Dang Hyang Nirartha, Bendesa Beraban Sakti finally succumbed and became a faithful follower of Him to teach Hinduism to the population and for his services Dang Hyang Nirartha provide a Kris to Bendesa Beraban Sakti before continuing his journey (The Kris or Keris is a distinctive, asymmetrical dagger from Indonesia. Both a weapon and spiritual object, krises are often considered to possess magical powers. The earliest krisis known were made around 1360 AD and most probably spread from the island throughout Southeast Asia).

​The Kris given to Bendesa Beraban Sakti is called Jaramenara or Kris Ki Baru Gajah, until now The Keris Ki Baru Gajah still exists and is also sanctified in Puri Kediri, Tabanan. At the time DangHyang Nirartha advised the people to build a temple (parahyangan) on Tanah Lot Temple because according to his sacred inner vibrations and supernatural guidance that this place is a good place for a worship to the God, from this place then people can adore greatness of God in manifestation as the God of the sea to invoke the safety and welfare of the world.

Tanah Lot Temple Entrance Ticket

Adult : IDR 60,000
Children : IDR 30,000
Opening Hours : 07.00 AM - 07.00 PM