Saraswati Temple
Bali, Indonesia
Goa Lawah Temple, Bali
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Photo: Arabsalam, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia CommonsThe essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- ≈ IDR 30,000
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Opening hours
- Daily, roughly 8:00–18:00; open to worshippers around the clock
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Time on site
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A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes. - 45 min
- With kids
- Fine with kids
- Entrance fee
- ≈ IDR 30,000; sarong provided
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Inside
- You don't enter the cave — you view it from the courtyard shrines
- Smell
- Expect a whiff of bat droppings near the cave
- Location
- Pesinggahan, Klungkung; ≈ 29 km from Ubud, ≈ 45 km from Kuta
Key facts
'Bat cave'the meaning of Goa Lawah
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English Wikipedia11th centurythe priest Mpu Kuturan founded the temple
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English Wikipedia1 of 6Sad Kahyangan, Bali's six sanctuaries of the world, on many lists
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English WikipediaThousandsof bats roost in the cave behind the shrines
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English WikipediaPorcelainplates decorated the shrines in the early 20th century
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English WikipediaBeachthe temple faces the shore across the road, used for ceremonies
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English Wikipedia≈ 15 kmto the Sidemen Valley
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OSRM route≈ 29 kmto Ubud
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OSRM routeGoa Lawah entrance fee and hours
There's no official price list online. According to guides, visitors pay about IDR 30,000, with a sarong provided, plus a couple of thousand for parking. It's cash only. Visiting hours are roughly 8:00–18:00; worshippers come around the clock, and access may be limited during big ceremonies.
What is Pura Goa Lawah?
Pura Goa Lawah — the 'bat cave temple' — stands in the village of Pesinggahan in east Bali. It was founded in the 11th century by Mpu Kuturan, one of the priests credited with bringing Hinduism to Bali, probably first as a place of meditation. Many lists count it among the Sad Kahyangan, Bali's six sanctuaries of the world that keep the island in spiritual balance.
The star is the cave itself: thousands of bats hang and shuffle on its ceiling, while shrines under yellow and white parasols stand at its mouth. Local legend says the cave runs deep underground and that a sacred snake lives in its depths.
What you'll see
Through the split gate, the courtyard leads to the cave mouth — a dark grotto in vine-covered rock with altars in front. Look closely and the ceiling moves: those are the bats. Visitors don't go into the cave; you watch from beside the shrines, where ceremonies with offerings and gamelan music are frequent.
Dark stone meru shrines stand in the courtyard. Across the road is a black-sand beach where Balinese take offerings to the sea after ceremonies. Unofficially, traditional sea-salt making still goes on along the nearby Kusamba coast.
Things to see at Goa Lawah
- The cave mouth with shrines under parasols.
- The bats clustered on the grotto ceiling.
- Dark stone meru shrines in the courtyard.
- Ceremonies — they happen often here.
- The beach across the road, where offerings go to the sea.
How to get to Goa Lawah
Step-by-step directions are below; the map shows where you arrive.
Where are you starting from?
We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.
More tips
- From Ubud — about 29 km east, 25 minutes on paper, usually 45.
- From Sanur — about 34 km; from Kuta or Seminyak — about 45 km, 1–1.5 hours on the coast road.
- From Ngurah Rai Airport (DPS) — about 49 km.
- The temple is right on the main Jl. Raya Goa Lawah road east, with parking at the gate. No public transport: taxi, Grab, Gojek or a hired driver.
- The Sidemen Valley is 15 km away and Besakih 31 km.
When to go and what to combine
Goa Lawah is a stop on the way rather than a destination: to Sidemen, Besakih, Padang Bai, Amed or Tirta Gangga. 30–45 minutes is enough.
Mornings and festival days bring Balinese families with offerings — the liveliest time to visit. At midday the courtyard bakes and there's little shade.
Is Goa Lawah worth visiting?
Yes, as a short stop: a living cave with thousands of bats above the altars is an unusual sight, and the temple matters to the Balinese.
YesGo's take: don't make a special trip — the temple is small, you can't enter the cave, and it smells of guano at the entrance. If you're driving east anyway, half an hour here is worth it. If bats make you nervous, stay back in the courtyard.
Bali temples compared
Temples on Bali rated by YesGo. Click a column header to sort.
| Saraswati Temple | 45 | 30 min | free; dance ≈ IDR 100,000 | 23.4 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ubud Monkey Forest | 36 | 1 h 15 min | IDR 130,000 | 23.4 km |
| Goa Gajah (Elephant Cave) | 35 | 1 h | ≈ IDR 50,000 | 20.3 km |
| Batuan Temple | 29 | 45 min | donation or ≈ IDR 30,000–50,000 | 21.5 km |
| Tanah Lot Temple | 26 | 1 h 30 min | IDR 75,000 | 42.7 km |
| Taman Ayun Temple | 26 | 1 h | ≈ IDR 30,000–50,000 | 32.6 km |
| Gunung Kawi | 25 | 1 h 15 min | ≈ IDR 50,000 | 22.4 km |
| Goa Lawah Templeyou are here | 24 | 45 min | ≈ IDR 30,000 | — |
| Tirta Empul Temple | 24 | 1 h 15 min | ≈ IDR 50,000–75,000 | 22.6 km |
| Ulun Danu Batur Temple | 24 | 1 h | ≈ IDR 35,000 | 36.1 km |
| Uluwatu Temple | 23 | 1 h 30 min | ≈ IDR 50,000–60,000 | 52.3 km |
| Ulun Danu Beratan Temple | 23 | 1 h 15 min | IDR 100,000 | 45.6 km |
| Besakih Temple | 22 | 2 h | IDR 150,000 | 19.8 km |
| Lempuyang Temple (Gates of Heaven) | 20 | 2 h 30 min | ≈ IDR 100,000 + shuttle | 25.2 km |
| Geger Beach | 20 | 2 h 30 min | free or ≈ IDR 5,000–10,000 | 40.1 km |
East Bali in a day
Besakih in the morning, the Sidemen Valley rice fields at midday, and Goa Lawah on the way back. Add it to your trip — YesGo will set the timings and transfers.
- Besakih Temple2 h · IDR 150,000
- 213 min walk from the previous stopSidemen Valley3 h · free
- 137 min walk from the previous stopGoa Lawah Templeyou are here45 min · ≈ IDR 30,000
3 places · about 11 h 35 min with walks · 350 min on foot in total
How to do it right
- Stop on the drive east — no need for a separate trip.
- Bring rupiah cash: cards aren't accepted.
- No flash near the cave.
- Walk across to the beach to see offerings to the sea.
- Next: the rice fields of Sidemen, 15 km away.
Questions
How much is the Goa Lawah entrance fee?
About IDR 30,000 according to guides, sarong provided; cash only.
Why is Goa Lawah called the bat cave temple?
Its shrines stand at the mouth of a cave where thousands of bats roost.
Can you go inside the Goa Lawah cave?
No, visitors view the cave from the courtyard shrines.
What are Goa Lawah's opening hours?
Roughly 8:00–18:00 for visitors; worshippers come around the clock.
Where is Goa Lawah Temple?
In east Bali, in Pesinggahan village, Klungkung, on the main road east.
How far is Goa Lawah from Ubud?
About 29 km — around 45 minutes by car, taxi or scooter.
How long do you need at Goa Lawah?
30–45 minutes.
Is Goa Lawah worth visiting?
As a short stop on the way east, yes; not worth a special trip on its own.
Have you been? Was it worth your time?
1 — no, 5 — absolutely
Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.
Sources and fact-check
- English Wikipedia — Pura Goa Lawah: name, Mpu Kuturan, 11th century, Sad Kahyangan, bats, porcelain decoration, beach
- baliholidaysecrets.com, nashaplaneta.net — fee, parking, cash payment (unofficial)
- Wikidata Q4845403 — coordinates; OSRM routing — distances
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