Tour Guide, Jakarta, Indonesia
| 4 mins read
Pura Tanah Lot -- The Beautiful Sea Temple of Bali
Tanah Lot Temple is one of Bali's most famous attractions, known for its spectacular sunset backgrounds and distinctive offshore setting. Tanah Lot Temple is an old Hindu sanctuary built on top of a rocky outcrop amidst constantly crashing waves, and it is one of Bali's must-see attractions.
The Tanah Lot temple complex's onshore site is dotted with smaller shrines as well as visitor amenities such as restaurants, shops, and a cultural park where dance performances are held on a regular basis. The temple is located in Beraban village, Tabanan regency, about 20 kilometres north of Kuta. It is frequently visited as part of tourism and cultural tours in Bali's western and central areas.
The Tanah Lot legend
In 1489, Dang Hyang Nirartha, a high priest from East Java's the Majapahit Kingdom, travelled to Bali to propagate Hinduism. He came to the beautiful location and built a shrine to Baruna, the sea god. Here, he taught Beraban locals his teachings, only to be met with opposition by the village head, who quickly gathered his faithful adherents to expel Nirartha.
The priest fought back, miraculously transferring a massive rock he was meditating on out to sea and changing his sashes into sea snakes to guard the base. Tengah Lod, the rock's original name, means 'In the sea'. The humbled chief pledged loyalty to Nirartha, acknowledging his might.
Nirartha gave him a holy kris dagger before they left, and it is now one of the Kediri royal palace's hallowed heirlooms. Every Kuningan day, pilgrims walk 11 kilometres to the Luhur Pakendungan temple to bring these treasures to the priest's former meditational site.
Highlights and features of Tanah Lot
Tanah Lot was constantly threatened by erosion after generations of enormous waves pounding at its rock base, reaching a critical point in 1980. With the help of the Japanese government, local authorities worked to preserve Tanah Lot and other historical monuments across the island. A third of the current rock is manufactured once fully repaired.
At high tide, the causeways are flooded, making crossing impossible. At low tide, you can cross to see the base of the Tirta Pabersihan fountain, where the famous 'guardian' sea snakes live in fissures. All the temples in the region get their holy water from this natural fountain, and visitors are sprayed with water by priests at the fountain who bless them. To see that it is amazingly fresh water, cup your palms and take a sip.
The Penyawang, a spiritual proxy for Tanah Lot that hosts pilgrims when the main offshore temple is unavailable due to high tide, is one of the onshore temples. Other nearby temples hold prayer sessions for various parts of the people's rural lives, from favourable rice harvests to rites of passage. Batu Bolong, north of Tanah Lot, is also built on a rock formation and has a 'hollow' flyover connecting it to the mainland.
From Tanah Lot to Batu Bolong, the grounds are lined with convenient pathways and well-kept tropical plants, with resting spaces providing shade and good views of both outcrops. The walk from the parking lot to the temple is lined with art shops offering all kinds of gifts and peddlers selling local foods like Jaja Kelepon – must-try palm sugar-filled gelatinous balls rolled in grated coconut.
What you should know about Tanah Lot
The panoramic vistas and cultural offerings around Tanah Lot are attractions to savour, even if the main temple grounds are only for praying pilgrims and are closed to outsiders. The pilgrimages are joyous parades worth watching on Kuningan's holy day, 5 days before the temple's anniversary.
On Bali's 210-day Pawukon calendar, Tanah Lot's piodalan anniversary falls on the Wednesday following each Kuningan. As with every temple visit in Bali, you must dress and act politely.
Large waves near the cliffs might be dangerous. Always exercise extreme caution and heed any warning indicators. Members of the Balawista lifeguards work shifts to keep an eye on numerous critical places along the shore for additional safety.
On combined day tours, arrive early afternoon to explore Tanah Lot. Then, proceed to the Surya Mandala Cultural Park's grand open stage near Batu Bolong to see the sunset Kecak' fire dance' performances (held daily from 6.30 pm). Stay for dinner at one of the restaurants on Sunset Terrace.
There are Western and Asian options, but fiery sauced grills and seafood, as well as ice-cold beers and views of the temple, are must-tries.