Tanah Lot: the temple on the rock at sunset
A small temple on a rock in the sea, cut off at high tide, silhouetted against the setting sun.
- Area
- West
- Start from
- Canggu or Seminyak
- Distance
- about 30–45 minutes from Canggu
- Time needed
- half a day
- Best season
- All year
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Transport
- Taxi or scooter
- Tickets & rules
- Entry ticket; inner temple for worshippers only
Why go
Tanah Lot is one of the most photographed places in Bali: a small temple built on a rocky outcrop just off the coast. At low tide you can walk across to the base of the rock; at high tide it becomes an island surrounded by surf.
It's busy, with a large complex of shops at the entrance, but the setting is genuinely dramatic, especially at sunset when the temple becomes a black silhouette against an orange sky.
Along the coast there are other shrines, including Pura Batu Bolong on a rock arch, which many people find just as beautiful.
The story
Tanah Lot is traditionally attributed to the sixteenth-century priest Dang Hyang Nirartha, who travelled along this coast and, according to legend, rested on the rock and told fishermen to build a temple there to honour the sea gods.
Legend also says that sea snakes living in the crevices of the rock guard the temple from evil spirits, and visitors are sometimes shown a 'holy snake' in a cave at the base.
Tanah Lot is part of a chain of sea temples built along the south-west coast, each, it is said, within sight of the next.
Getting there
From the south, drive along the coast road via Canggu. Traffic towards sunset can be heavy, so leave early.
A suggested plan
- 16:00Arrive, walk through the market to the coast.
- 16:30If the tide is low, walk to the base of the rock and visit the holy spring.
- 17:30Find a spot on the cliffs for sunset; Batu Bolong is a good alternative.
- 19:00Dinner on the way back to Canggu.
Where to stay
Canggu, Seminyak or a resort nearby.
Good to know
- Check tide times if you want to cross to the rock.
- Arrive well before sunset for a good viewpoint.
- Waves on this coast are powerful; don't climb on wet rocks.
- Only worshippers may enter the temple itself.