Pura Goa Lawah, the Bat Cave Temple, is built around a cave mouth on the coast of Klungkung where thousands of nectar bats roost. It is the directional temple of the southeast and is often counted among the Sad Kahyangan, the six holiest sanctuaries in Bali. Balinese believe the bats help guard the temple against evil spirits.
The temple dates to the 11th century and is attributed to Mpu Kuturan, one of the early priests who shaped Hinduism on Bali. It may have begun as a place of meditation for priests. According to the scripture Siddhimantra Tatwa, the sacred serpent Naga Basuki, who keeps the cosmos in balance, lives deep inside the cave, and naga motifs decorate the temple's pavilions.
From the courtyard you look into the dark cave, where small shrines sit beneath ceilings crowded with bats, their chatter filling the air. Worshippers kneel in rows with offerings and incense. Across the road lies a black-sand beach, adding to the sense of a temple balanced between the mountains and the sea. The temple is especially busy during ceremonies, when the courtyard fills with families.
Highlights
- Cave filled with roosting bats
- Temple of the southeast
- Legend of the naga Basuki
- Black-sand beach across the road
Good to know
- Do not enter the cave or step onto the shrines, which are reserved for worship.
- Avoid flash photography toward the bats and the worshippers.
- Combine it with Klungkung's Kerta Gosa or a drive up to Sidemen.
On the map
Bali: Culture, Religion & Traditions
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