Bali - Tanah Lot

High on everyone's must see list for Bali is the coastal temple of Tanah Lot. It sits on an island just off the coast, to the west of Kuta. At low tide, you can walk over to the temple and get a blessing from a monk (for the appropriate fee). There is, however, more to the area than just the main temple itself.


There are actually a series of temples along the coast next to Tanah Lot. They are designed to protect the main temple. They are nowhere near as big or glorious as the main temple, but there's a lot less tourists there! They also give great views of the main temple.



The best time to visit the temple is towards sunset or at sunrise. I wouldn't recommend going at sunrise, because who can really be bothered getting up that early! The temple is on the west coast of the island, so at sunset, the sun sets majestically into the sea, just behind the temple.


As with most tourist attractions in Bali, there's a huge number of shops between the entrance to the temple area and the temple itself. The sellers are generally good natured, so you don't get hassled too badly on the way through.

Tourists and non Balinese are actually forbidden from going into the temple, so you have to settle for getting close to the ground level. This is easy enough to do at low tide - you just walk across. It did seem a bit like a scam to line up and pay to receive a blessing. I suppose the monks have to eat like everyone else.


Despite all the tourists, the temple was actually quite serene. Everyone was chilled out, relaxed and waiting for the sun to go down. It was the perfect way to end a busy day.