- Address: Jl. Raya Goa Lawah, Pesinggahan, Klunkung, Kabupaten Klungkung, Bali, Indonesia
- Phone: +62 813-3842-6781
- Website: balitravelhub.com
- Admission price: $ 0.75
The ancient temple of Goa Love in Bali is a sacred place for the inhabitants of the island and an interesting tourist attraction. It involves not only the ancient temple complex, but also a cave filled with bats. Hindus esteem this animal as sacred, and in the evenings bring to the cave many offerings.
Temple of Goa Love in Bali
The construction dates back to the 11th century, the first mention of it dates back to 1007. Later in the 15th century, the temple was expanded and expanded, and it became as it is today. Despite its ancient origins and shrouded legends, this cozy temple complex enjoys Bali's love and popularity among tourists.
Many come here to take a walk in the park, enjoy the Balinese architecture, capture statues of dragons in traditional sarongs. It becomes especially interesting at sunset, when bats wake up and fly out of the cave for their food. If you are afraid of these animals, it is better to schedule a visit in the morning and in the afternoon when they are sleeping.
Cave behind the temple of Goa Lavas
This sacred cave in Bali is called the temple of bats. Here they feel at home and live a large colony of several thousand individuals. The entrance to the cave is not limited, and you can walk on it inward, as far as there is enough room and fearlessness. Approximate length of the corridors is about 20 km, but until the end of them so far no one has studied. Many branches make the cave system entangled and unsafe. In addition to bats, snakes and rats have settled down here, who are also eager to enjoy the gifts offered by the Balinese.
Legends associated with the temple of bats in Bali
Due to its ancient origin and unexplored nature, today the Temple of Bats in Bali is enveloped in various legends, some of which are plausible, others are religious and based on local beliefs. One of the legends says that this is not just a cave, but a long tunnel. He allegedly links the temple of Goa Lavas with another Balinese attraction - the temple of Pura Besakih , which is located at the foot of the volcano Agung . Someone suggests that a volcano can be reached along this passage today, while others believe that the tunnel collapsed during an earthquake in the early 20th century. It was not possible to find out for sure until now, as all the expedition's expeditions to the cave disappeared without a trace.
The existence of the underground passage is also mentioned in ancient legends. There, the cave of bats is considered to be the embodiment of the head of the heavenly serpent, and Pura Besakikh is its tail. Presumably the last on this tunnel managed to pass live only to the local prince from the Mengivi clan.
How do I get to the Goa Lava Temple in Bali?
The temple is located on the east coast of the island in the area called Klunkung, to it leads the coastal highway from Denpasar . The most convenient way to get to the complex is on a rented car or motorbike, it takes about an hour.