Pura Goa Lawah
Pura Goa Lawah
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- Thibault VParis, France172 contributionsBeautiful templeWe went to visit this temple on a Tuesday morning, there weren't too many tourists but there was a ceremony in progress so that added more to the experience! Very beautiful temple, 30k IDR per person including the loan of a sarung At the end, there is a cave filled with bats.Visited May 2024Traveled with friendsWritten May 14, 2024
- DIKA BALI DRIVER TOURKuta, Indonesia747 contributionsVisit to goa lawah templeA unique experience on Sunday was that we visited the Goa Lawah Temple. The temple is very beautiful with a very old Balinese building design. We could see lots of bats in the temple and when we prayed the bats were not noisy at all... parking lot. The area is so spacious, you can find food near the beach too. The price of eating here is very affordable, thank you🙏Visited June 2024Traveled with friendsWritten June 8, 2024
- avarela58Province of A Coruna, Spain172 contributionsSurprisingOne of the most beautiful temples we visited in Bali, when we arrived a family ceremony was starting and we were surprised and we really enjoyed seeing the temple with activity. Funny that it was done right where there is a cave of bats, which impresses to see. It is stuck to the sea and next to a volcanic sand beach.Visited June 2024Traveled with familyWritten August 3, 2024
- Serge YdoKoggenland‎, The Netherlands15,762 contributionsBeautiful entrance doorsThe Hindu Goa Lawah temple (also called: Goa Kelelawar) is located in the coastal village of Pesinggahan, in the vicinity of Klungkun, on the southeast coast of Bali. From the temple you can walk straight onto the beach of the Indian Ocean. Goa Lawah means, loosely translated, the bat cave. This cave is an important part of the relatively small temple complex. The temple dates wsl from the late 10th or early 11th century. Initiative for the construction was taken by the Javanese Hindu priest Mpu Kuturan, who came to Bali in the 10th century to unite the many Hindu currents. The gatehouse that leads to the bat cave is beautiful, especially the three tall richly decorated entrance doors at the end of beautiful stairs. The bat cave itself is not very big. There are nevertheless thousands of bats, at rest during the day, although they also produce a great screech. Bats usually fly out in large groups around sunset to go hunting .. that must be a special sight in this temple environment. In the cave, under the bats hanging from the ceiling, there are altars. These stay clean for a while, with those pooping and pissing upstairs neighbors. Beautiful temple complex, where Hindus have been praying and offering for centuries, also during our visit.Visited October 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten October 25, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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viviamaridi
Milan, Italy1,557 contributions
Feb 2024 • Family
Less touristy, small, but beautiful and I recommend a visit. The bats are concentrated inside the cave, there are thousands of them, small ones, I like them, however when I went, they weren't flying around. Entrance for 2 with sarong €3.50

Written February 10, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
fifi090
Sanur, Indonesia132 contributions
Aug 2023 • Couples
The temple itself was impressive and the fact it’s built around a bat cave is interesting so it’s worth a stop however we were short changed at the ticket kiosk and the women who put your sarongs on were aggressive at the beginning and end giving us a major hard sell for their cheap tourist tat and disrespecting my nationality when I said no.
While I appreciate that they are trying to make a living I would rather pay to rent the sarong.
It totally spoilt my enjoyment of this beautiful place.
While I appreciate that they are trying to make a living I would rather pay to rent the sarong.
It totally spoilt my enjoyment of this beautiful place.
Written August 15, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Liefhebber
Breda, The Netherlands8,604 contributions
May 2019
We rented a car with driver and guide for a whole day for € 65,00 to make a trip to Goa Lawah, Goa Gaja and The Besakih Temple. And to enjoy the view on our way. Tis is a nice little temple known for its bats. There was a ceremonie going on and at the back lots of women where making offers for a festivity. We took a guide at the temple to get more explanation, his English wasn't that good unfortunately. Nice to visit for one hour.
We hadden een auto met chauffeur en gids gehuurd voor 1 dag voor € 65,00. We hadden zelf een route gepland naar Goa Gaja, Goa Lawah en de Besakih tempel. Deze grot staat bekend om de vleermuizen. We huurden ook een gids hier maar die sprak helaas niet al te best Engels. Er was een ceremonie bezig, wat altijd leuk om te zien is. Achter de tempel waren veel vrouwen bezig om offertjes te maken voor een religieus feest. \ Leuk om even te bezoeken, trek een uurtje uit.
We hadden een auto met chauffeur en gids gehuurd voor 1 dag voor € 65,00. We hadden zelf een route gepland naar Goa Gaja, Goa Lawah en de Besakih tempel. Deze grot staat bekend om de vleermuizen. We huurden ook een gids hier maar die sprak helaas niet al te best Engels. Er was een ceremonie bezig, wat altijd leuk om te zien is. Achter de tempel waren veel vrouwen bezig om offertjes te maken voor een religieus feest. \ Leuk om even te bezoeken, trek een uurtje uit.
Written January 13, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reisemaus6271
Crailsheim, Germany1,751 contributions
Sep 2023 • Couples
Of course we visited many temples in Bali. Our tour guide also recommended and showed us this very beautiful temple. This is the bat temple. We were here in the afternoon, so there were very few visitors and it was pleasantly quiet. There are countless bats in this cave. You can see them well from outside, but you don't go into the cave. They are sacred as long as they are in the cave. As a visitor to the temple you have to wear a sarong and your shoulders should be covered. We can definitely recommend visiting the temple.

Written September 29, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
You Only Live Once
High Wycombe, UK620 contributions
Jan 2023
Known as the Bat Cave Temple because, big surprise, the cave at the rear of the temple area is absolutely crammed full of bats - not the little ones but the big old scary ones! We were lucky enough to be able to sit in on a ceremony - a kind of funeral/remembrance service, which was both emotive and interesting and during the ceremony the bats busied themselves flying in and out of the cave - fascinating. The welcome at the temple was the warmest we received anywhere in Bali. I would recommend this temple is definitely on your shortlist.
Written March 5, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
alexcarreras
Granada30 contributions
Dec 2012 • Couples
My wife and I visited this temple on the way to the East Bali from Ubud. We were very lucky, since during our visit there was a ceremony ongoing on the temple. A full balinese family (around 200 people!) were celebrating a religious ceremony and allowed us to take pictures and videos of all the moment.
One of the elders sat next to us and answered any questions that we made. We felt like getting one of those moments of really welcoming and charming balinese people character.
The main shrine of the temple is built in the entrance to a natural cave full with hundreds of bats, which is the only thing that makes this temple different from others.
One of the elders sat next to us and answered any questions that we made. We felt like getting one of those moments of really welcoming and charming balinese people character.
The main shrine of the temple is built in the entrance to a natural cave full with hundreds of bats, which is the only thing that makes this temple different from others.
Written December 5, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bernie K
Los Angeles, CA122 contributions
Jul 2018 • Friends
It’s been several decades and finally I’ve returned to Bali. After spending several days with friends in Ahmed snorkeling, Seminyak for partying, Nusa Dua for a reunion, I wanted a day for myself to visit my favorite places.
I hired Nyoman Wila (he’s in Facebook) Balinese driver. $60 bucks for the whole day. At 8am-815 am he met me at the lobby of my hotel. He can obviously speak English. We planned the day trip- The monkey forest, the Goa cave and the palace.
It was so nice and relaxing. Ventured for about an hour at the caves, then he drove me to the Monkey forest where I spent several hours exploring the ruins, sculptures and observing the monkeys.
We had time so we drove to the palace and the museum in Ubud. There’s a quaint restaurant at the museum where you have the typical Indo lunch - nasi goreng, gado gado etc.
The museum offers paintings and artwork from the 1600 to the present. For art aficionados - this museum is a must.
On the way home, we stopped at a local coffee place where they serve different concoctions of herbal teas and coffee.
Then back to the hotel.
This was an uber leisurely day. I strongly recommend getting a private driver. I’d hire NyomAn Wila again. He will take you wherever you want - he has a van which can for about 8 passengers. Enjoy Bali!
I hired Nyoman Wila (he’s in Facebook) Balinese driver. $60 bucks for the whole day. At 8am-815 am he met me at the lobby of my hotel. He can obviously speak English. We planned the day trip- The monkey forest, the Goa cave and the palace.
It was so nice and relaxing. Ventured for about an hour at the caves, then he drove me to the Monkey forest where I spent several hours exploring the ruins, sculptures and observing the monkeys.
We had time so we drove to the palace and the museum in Ubud. There’s a quaint restaurant at the museum where you have the typical Indo lunch - nasi goreng, gado gado etc.
The museum offers paintings and artwork from the 1600 to the present. For art aficionados - this museum is a must.
On the way home, we stopped at a local coffee place where they serve different concoctions of herbal teas and coffee.
Then back to the hotel.
This was an uber leisurely day. I strongly recommend getting a private driver. I’d hire NyomAn Wila again. He will take you wherever you want - he has a van which can for about 8 passengers. Enjoy Bali!
Written June 16, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jolyon67
Melbourne, Australia5,666 contributions
Dec 2013 • Friends
This is a Bali must see. From the outside an unassuming temple but on the inside, that's a different story. Initially hard to see behind all the architecture of the temple is the cave. When you look closer into the dark depths of it - you realise that the entire ceiling is made up of bats. You can get close to a few of them. There is a funny golden bat statue high up on one of the temple pillars. When I was here there were a lot of people in white waiting to get blessed and splashed with a bit of water. This is one of nine directional temples around the entire Bali coast. If you cross the road there is a small shrine just next to the water. This has something to do with cremations. It costs 6000rp to go in the temple and you have to wear a sarong. The sarong sellers are a bit rude, I was asked if any of the women I were with were currently menstruating - which I thought was a bit personal. You aren't allowed in if it's your time of the month.
Written May 7, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BundyRed
Duncraig, Australia3,388 contributions
Sep 2013 • Couples
This was far more interesting than I thought...payed the nominal fee and payed a little extra [30k] for a guide who proved well worth it as he told us all about the facts of the temple and the culture around it all.
As stated there is a ridiculous amount of bats here and many other creatures as well - Our guide told us its worth coming here around 6pm to watch as the bats head off to feed for the evening...and with over a million bats it would be quite a sight plus the many pythons that wait in the cave trying to get their next meal also !
Worth visiting , will try and go in the evening next time.
Beware of the very aggressive street sellers as you enter and exit , the only thing that spoilt our visit.
As stated there is a ridiculous amount of bats here and many other creatures as well - Our guide told us its worth coming here around 6pm to watch as the bats head off to feed for the evening...and with over a million bats it would be quite a sight plus the many pythons that wait in the cave trying to get their next meal also !
Worth visiting , will try and go in the evening next time.
Beware of the very aggressive street sellers as you enter and exit , the only thing that spoilt our visit.
Written September 16, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
faozanrizal
Berlin, Germany3,416 contributions
I dont talk about the Goa Lawah it self , yes many know this is a bat cave so i want to make a review about the local cuisine in the surrounding of this cave. since this area is near from the fisherman village of kusamba so the food is of course sea food. this area known for tuna satay atau satay lilit is a tuna mixed with chili and grated coconut with lemon grass. many small restaurant or food street seller offer this menu here but the best is the Baruna warung, its just in the side of Goa Lawah. the place is more favorite for local people but if you want to taste real Bali food well this is the place.
Written January 19, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Why is it that you permit such horribly aggressive hawkers, and try to charge 2000 rupiah to use a toilet that does not flush?
Aren't you worried about the bad spirits you create and the bad karma that results?
Written July 9, 2015
What in heavens name are you talking about? First off,I do not run the establishment. I am merely a visitor.Hence I have no bad karma in this regard.Therefore it is extremely bad karma to berate me for something I am in no way responsible for. You need to stop this bad behavior so you do not continue your insulting remarks. If you do this you will create no more bad karma regarding this situation.
Written August 17, 2017
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