The Bat Cave of East Bali

Pura Goa Lawah or the Bat cave temple is located in the easte Bali. To travel there you will need to sped two hours from Kuta. This cave usually visited in a package tour to East Bali. But anyway, close your eyes, and imagine that you are in Bali, and lets; go to the Bat Cave temple.

Bats, bats, bats, every where. That's probably what you say in your mind. A lot of them are Ange hanging in the wall of the cave. Some of them flying with while screaming in the air. That's right, this is the place which we call the Bat cave temple.

But before going to the temple, let see some check the surrounding. First you will need to park your vehicle across the street from the temple in a parking area close to the black sandy beaches of Kusamba. You can smell the sea and feel the cool breeze on your face here.

There are many little shops around the beach, and if you are lucky you can still see people making salt in the sea shore. As you walk to cross the street into the temple area , there will be some ladies coming to you talking to you and hand you a neck lace made from kind of beans. "It is a present:" that is what they normally say.

Yep, it is a present. You don't have to buy, only later if you want to buy something; sarong, pencils, you have to buy from the special lady who gave you the neck lace. Ignore them, say no thank you, and walk across the a village hall. Buy if need something, cause that will help the locals.

Pass the village hall, you will see a ticket booth with Balinese person wearing sarong and traditional dress sitting b behind the desk. (He wears sun block)You can get the tickets from him. If you don't have sarong with you, you can rent from him. You need to wear one to be able to enter the temple.

Put your sarong on. They will wear you one if this is the first time in your life you wear a sarong. And remember, you should not be in your "period". They are not going to check it. But if y you are, then you are not allowed to enter the temple.

Enter the temple. It is like any other temple in Bali, it has outer yard and inner yard without any roof. You will see shrines where we worship God or anchestors. But behind the shrines you will see the cave which is damp and dark. On the cave wall, there hundreds, I mean, hundreds of bats hanging. The air is full of bats scent and shrieking noise of those nocturnal beasts.

Photo time...? Now, you can take pictures and show them to your family at home and tell them about this exotic temple in Bali. Don't forget to snap the temple gate, it is another beautiful building that worth a space in your digital camera's memory card.