A temple in the sea
A rock ringed by waves at high tide.
Jakub Hałun — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Anandajoti Anandajoti Bhikkhu — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Anandajoti — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Anandajoti — CC BY-SA 4.0
Bali's most famous image worldwide: a small Hindu temple on a sea rock cut off from the shore, ringed by waves at high tide and reached on foot at low tide. Its name means land in the sea, and it is one of the sea temples built along the island's coast to guard it, according to local belief. The temple itself is for worship and closed to non-Hindus, but the visit is all about the view: the rock, the waves and the green cliffs around it, with the nearby Batu Bolong temple on a natural rock arch. The best time, without question, is sunset, when the sun sinks behind the rock and turns it into a silhouette against an orange sky, which is why the site fills up just before dusk. Entry is about seventy-five thousand rupiah for foreign adults, with under-fives free, and it is open from morning to evening. A long market of souvenirs and snacks lines the way in. Remember that Bali's tourist levy, one hundred and fifty thousand rupiah per foreign visitor, is paid separately on arrival. Arrive an hour and a half before sunset to find a good spot, and check the tide if you want to get close to the rock. It is about an hour by car from Kuta or Seminyak, depending on traffic.
A rock ringed by waves at high tide.
The rock silhouetted on an orange sky.
A temple on a nearby rock arch.
Beraban, Tabanan, south-west coast of Bali
No, it is reserved for Hindu worship. You can approach the rock at low tide and enjoy and photograph the scene, which is what most visitors come for.