Elephant Cave
Elephant Cave
3.5
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
This 11th-century cave is entered through the carved mouth of a demon.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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  • Jase
    York, United Kingdom42 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Plenty History and beautiful place
    There’s a lot of history here - make sure you take a guide or listen to someone else. There’s ruins near a Buddha temple as well as the elephant cave. The cave is small and hot, and the outside area is very hot - it traps the sun. You must wear a sarong to enter. Worth a visit but you can’t spend too long here.
    Visited October 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written October 8, 2023
  • Johnny
    Hong Kong, China58 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Nice to visit but not a must
    Beautiful temple with a cave (elephant cave). it’s quite nice to visit however there are quite a lot of stairs to climb. There are not many people when I visited in the afternoon. There is an entrance fee of 50k and i get a sarong to cover my knees in order to enter
    Visited October 2023
    Traveled solo
    Written October 17, 2023
  • Sophie D.
    16 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Much larger and more beautiful than expected
    The temple and the cave inside totally lived up to my expectations as it looks gorgeous. I was however not expecting there to be even a purification bath and a lovely waterfall in the back garden. It was very atmospheric and worth a visit, not a sight to miss!
    Visited October 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written October 19, 2023
  • Kvsn Raju
    Visakhapatnam, India121 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Must see place
    When i reached the place it's mid day. It's so hot and humid. U have to go down to reach the place through steps. If u are in shorts u have to wear sarong which is available free. It's a cave temple.
    Visited November 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written November 4, 2023
  • Ashan Gnanasegaram
    Sydney, Australia439 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Interesting cave and temple near Ubud
    A pretty interesting cave close to Ubud which doesn't require too much time to cover. The temple has figures carved directly into the stone. The inside of the temple is small and there is a stone statue of Ganesh. I don't think this is one of the attractions that draws large crowds which means you can spend less than an hour here and still cover it properly
    Visited November 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written December 3, 2023
  • P G
    Perth, Australia64 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Worth a visit
    I’d seen this cave and religious site on a list of temples in Bali, and decided to include it on a day trip itinerary. It is well worth the visit. The site is fairly compact, though with a few flights of stairs to access. The carvings and cave setting is fascinating, and a good contrast to some later religious sites.
    Visited December 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written January 2, 2024
  • Travelling Pixie
    Adelaide, Australia1,002 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing sight
    Beautiful cave with the elephant god caved into it. You need to pay to enter and will be wrapped in a sarong before heading down stairs to the temple area. The elephant cave itself is a very small temples, not much inside, just a couple of small alters. The around surrounding it is very interesting however there is no signage to explain what you are looking at which is a real shame. There is a garden with a a waterfall behind the temple area.
    Visited January 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written January 11, 2024
  • Sirisha
    318 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful area - very energizing
    This temple is located in a very scenic location. The temple gives a sarong to cover up and then you walk down a few steps to reach the elephant cave. At the bottom, you will find some old people waiting and they will volunteer their services as a guide. In fact, they will tell you that it’s okay if you don’t pay them, but they expect you to give them at least 100,000 IDR at the end of the tour. It is not worth employing these guides as they don’t speak good English and you really cannot understand what they are saying. They also don’t really know much about the history. It seems to be a way to make extra money. I really enjoyed the temple though. It has the tri- Murti(Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwar) inside the cave and also Ganesha. And I actually felt very peaceful praying here. They also have holy water that can be sprinkled on your head as a blessing. We then walked around the property which has a small waterfall and a pond. We really loved this place and I highly recommend it.
    Visited January 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written January 14, 2024
  • Openyoureyes12
    Norfolk, United Kingdom195 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Worth a visit
    A very peaceful and beautiful place. When you walk innit eh cave it’s almost like you feel how the energy of the millions who have passed through it. It was very moving to respectfully walk through and visit this sacred place
    Visited January 2024
    Traveled solo
    Written January 27, 2024
  • Mayi Barov
    Los Angeles, California1,386 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful Place
    Exploring the Goa Gajah, or Elephant Cave, in Bali is like stepping back in time. The ancient carvings and structures within the cave offer a glimpse into Bali’s rich history and spirituality. Surrounded by lush vegetation and serene ambiance, it’s a peaceful retreat perfect for both cultural enthusiasts and nature lovers alike. A truly captivating experience worth adding to your Bali itinerary.
    Visited March 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written February 15, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

3.5
3.5 of 5 bubbles5,154 reviews
Excellent
1,216
Very good
1,934
Average
1,517
Poor
362
Terrible
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SteveyMac
Perth, Australia269 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
Small temple with overpriced entrance fee although this does include the loan of a tatty sarong that you must wear before being allowed in. Women are not allowed in if they are menstruating! This is the 21st Century isn’t it? Anyway once you are in you need to be aware of the dodgy guides that follow you like a bad smell until you don’t even realise they are guiding you! Once they have you they then demand $20 for their services – that’s four times as much as the entrance fee. Unfortunately for the guide who latched onto me I only had $2 in cash on me. To say he wasn’t happy is an understatement and put a whole negative vibe on the experience. I just wanted to get out of the place! It may have been a whole lot better experience without the guides but unfortunately I was only left with a sour taste. My advice would be not to bother at all with this place but if you do bother just make sure you tell the guides to where to go when they try to accost you (unless you are happy to pay the $10-$10 fee they demand of course)
Written February 12, 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.

Jakub S
Prague, Czech Republic21 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Couples
1st scam, directly on parking. Woman sad, that everyone needs a sarong. I had my own and my wife haf skirt long to the ground. Its enough.
2nd scam:Guys with bone or wood items. Its not from bones and they are mistificating you about price.
3th scam: Guid told us, that everyone must have a guide inside. Dont believe him, just ignore him, if you are not interested in.
4th scam: There is a exchange with higher rate then usual in Ubud. So I change 200 Eur, which was 2 940 000 IDR. Guy first give me 2M in 50 000IDR notes and 4x 10 000 notes. I note him, that he is wrong - dont pick up the money, just count it - and he put to table missing 900k, again in 50k bank notes. And take back that 40k in 10k notes and put there 2x 2000k notes. He tried to cheat me twice in one minute! I dont touch that 2000k bank notes and ask him to give me right amount. He give me back that 4x 10k notes and was really pissed off...
The temple is almost about nothing and all there is turist trap at all. Waste of time, all locals there are really anoying.
Written February 20, 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.

CKF
CT2,163 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
The Elephant Cave is on every list of "must sees" in Ubud. For us, a complete let down.

Your 50 IRB entry fee will come with a sarong, which must be worn by both men and women at Balinese Hindu temples. We approached the cave and admired the truly wonderful and intricately carved stone entrance. Definitely a highlight, even though I could not see any resemblance to an elephant.

We entered the cave and inside. You'll see a narrow room, maybe 12 feet to the left and 12 feet to the right, with a small shrine at each end. That's it. I can't imagine what this must be like in high season.

We wandered the grounds for a while, thinking we must have missed it. We crossed a lovely stream with a waterfall and came upon a tour guide. We asked him were the temple was. He pointed to where we had been!

For us, this was a complete miss and totally skippable. Spend your extra time at the Setia Darma House of Mask and Puppets nearby.
Written March 28, 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.

Radu B
Cluj-Napoca, Romania467 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
A great stop from DPS to Ubud trip. It contains both Hindu and Buddhist sculptures, lingam & yoni,symbol of Shiva, and image of Ganesha, while by the river there are carved images of stupas and chattra imagery of Buddhism. Rediscovered by Dutch archaeologists in 1923, but fountains & bathing pool in 1954. Access fee 50k IDR with Free sarong included!
Written January 30, 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.

It’s Kats
Brisbane, Australia43 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2023 • Family
Family travelling with 3 and 6 year old: look would we come back - probably not. It was interesting. There are lots of steps, our girls were fine. BEWARE: there are people inside the temple who approach you to take you on a tour, these people will charge you for the tour. We paid to get inside the temple and therefore thought they worked there and were telling us about the history (which we thought was part of admission). We were not told up front about this would cost additional and only told at the end when the guy asked us for payment for the tour!
Written March 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.

llshan
14 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2022 • Solo
There is a Hindu and Buddhist temple inside. It is quite a small temple and there is nothing much of the info on what I had visited. The price of IDR50,000 is also a bit pricy consider the size of the temple.

There is some guide who offer to tour around at a fee. Be aware of some people here who offered to help you take a picture and followed you during your visit. I was skeptical at the first place and thought that I might be over cautious. However, the person actually followed us and passionly explained some of the history of the temple and in the end ask for money of IDR150,000 for me and my parents which is ridiculous. I paid him but I feel it is not really ethical as he should have mentioned that and asked if we need his service.
Written June 14, 2022
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.

Niklas Weiss
Kedewatan, Indonesia88 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
Maybe we were lucky, but when we visited the Goa Gajah there was a lot of offering going on. We couldn't barely see the hands in front of our eyes. There is not much ventilation, but a lot on inscence – still a must see for Ubud and just around the corner. Quite a good half day trip if you combine it with Kanto Lampo waterfalls. Behind the Goa Gajah you can take a path to the Buddhist temple which is further down the valley in the woods. Behind it you will find a small paths that leads to some more holy water wells and with a little climbing involved to the river. Do not forget the moskito spray.
Written March 5, 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.

quinni_224
Cowra, Australia2,441 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2019
This was the second stop for us on a private day tour with a Bali Res Centre driver.

Goa Gajah, also known as the Elephant Cave Temple, was formed in the 9th century. The exact origins of the cave are uncertain, however, it is believed to have been built as a sanctuary for spiritual meditation.

Both my brother and I were taken aback by the site, not only by the intricacies of the carvings, but the wonder at how the site was carved by hand, and how serene the environment was.
Written October 30, 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.

Tommi Contursi
Jyväskylä, Finland321 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Couples
This place was a real surprise and had a fascinating history. The cave has been founded in the 20's and the other surroundings in the '50s. The cave was probably carved in the 9th century, so it's fascinated how long it has been hidden in the Jungle. The cave itself isn't that deep (it's a T-shaped chamber), but there are other things to see, so don't turn back when you have seen the cave. There are a couple of fountains and waterfalls in the jungle, and there's a massive tree in the middle of the area.
Written January 15, 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.

michellebX5161FG
14 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
This was the first 'tourist trap' I encountered that was blatantly obvious. You purchase a ticket to walk down stairs, you see a holy water spring/font (very lovely), but the cave itself is an incense smoke filled room with an elephant relic. There Is a waterfall, great for pictures. Plenty of gift shop vendors. I think there were better places to spend some time.
Written March 16, 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.

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