Goa Gajah Gianyar Guide: An Encounter With Bali’s Mesmerizing Cave Temple!

Indonesia is a nation that tops the list of everyone’s idea of foreign trips. Bali is quite famous because of its nature as well as the spirituality attached to it. The spiritual legacy goes back several centuries and those spots are important tourist destinations in the current age. If you are in Bali, then it is evident that you will go on a temple hopping tour to view the amazing architecture that came out of people’s mind in such an age.


The island is spotted with places that you need to see to make it a complete trip. One of them has to be Alamat Goa Gajah Gianyar in Bali which is a renowned temple complex. It is situated near Ubud, a place which is known for its rainforests and its paddy fields. The 9th-century temple looks beautiful amidst of nature. Goa Gajah Gianyar is also known as the Elephant Cave Temple of Bali.

Best Time To Visit Goa Gajah Gianyar

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One can visit Goa Gajah Gianyar when they are on a trip to Ubud. The town is already known for its beautiful nature and the different elephant safaris that you may find at the place. So, you can definitely see a link between the elephant cave and the real Sumatran elephants that you find. The best time to visit the town is during the months of July through October because of the sunny weather. This is the time when you find a clear sky and the day isn’t ruined by constant rains.

One can also visit the place during the month of November to catch the local festivals. But tourists should definitely skip the months of January to March as they are wet and uncomfortable most of the time. If someone wants to visit the place at a less crowded time, then they may do so in the months of May and June.

The Goa Gajah Gianyar in Bali remains open every day from 8:00 AM to 16:00 PM. There are entry tickets for both children and adult. Women should note that they are forbidden to enter the temple when they are menstruating. Along with that people also need to wear a sarong and a waist sash to enter the temple. They are available for rent in front of the entrance.

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Things To Do In The Temple

The cave temple is quite old and dates back to the 9th or 11th century. The main purpose of building it was to provide a place for meditation. The architecture has an influence of both Hinduism and Buddhism. You will need to roam the surroundings of the temple and the inside of it to actually get to know more about it. So, let us see the things that you can do in the Goa Gajah Gianyar temple.

1. Architecture

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One needs to enter the cave temple via an entrance that has been intricately carved. This is quite crucial as a part of the architecture of the temple. The entrance is actually the open mouth of a demon. The purpose of this can be to ward off evil spirits and evil eye of people. You will see elephant like shapes carved on the entrance as well.

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2. Lord Shiva Lingam & Ganesha’s Darshan

The inside of the temple is intricately adorned with symbols of Hinduism. One will find remains of the Lingam which is a symbol for the Hindu God Shiva. Along with that one may also find the Hindu God Ganesha who is the elephant God. The interior of the cave is T-shaped. There are indentations on the floor suggesting that it was a hub of meditation of several priests.

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3. Bathing Pools

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You cannot just go away after seeing the cave. One also needs to pay attention to the bathing pools which has several sculptures of beautiful women holding waterspouts. The bathing pools weren’t discovered until 1954 and later they became quite popular.

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4. Walk Around

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People can definitely roam the temple complex to its entirety and also the nearby places because all of them are natural enclaves. They wouldn’t really need much time to explore the cave. One can take a bicycle trip through the beautiful paddy fields of Ubud. One may follow the small streams in the south to the Petanu river and the river junction of two small streams. They were a hotspot for meditation in the past.

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How To Reach Goa Gajah Gianyar ?

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When you are a tourist it is very important to know the right way to reach a specific destination. So, it would be nothing different for the Goa Gajah Gianyar temple. It is quite renowned among the people so tourists do not really have any problem discovering it.

• The first thing that one will need to do is travel to Indonesia from one’s country. The nation is well-connected via flights to almost all parts of the world. All that one will need to do is apply for a visa so that they get permission to reach the country.
• The next step would be to head to visit Bali. The place is quite popular among tourists. One can either take a bus from Jakarta to Bali or directly land via flight in Bali. A ship is yet another good option when someone wants to visit Bali.
• The next stop will be to reach Ubud as it is the place where the elephant cave temple is located. The town is in the heart of Bali, so tourists wouldn’t need to do much after reaching Bali. If they come via flight they can easily take a taxi to Ubud. Otherwise, they can avail any transport to reach the place.
• The main location of the temple is in the Bedulu village in the Blahbatuh district of the Gianyar regency. This is about 3 Km to the East of Ubud town. If someone wants to visit from Denpasar city, then it is about 26 Km. The temple is situated on a cliff. Taxi is the best and often the only way to reach the temple complex. People who are paying for the taxi may club some other destinations for the day to add to their exploration. Adventurous people can take the tour through paddy fields via their bicycle.
• We will always recommend people to use Google Maps as it has genuine locations and it is a saviour when someone forgets their way.

Tips For Goa Gajah Gianyar

• If you are visiting during the sunny days do not forget to take your cap and water bottle along with you.
• Always remember that this is a place of religious importance. So, respect the temple and its complex and also the heritage present inside it.
• Definitely pay attention to the nature of the architecture and the mixture of it when you are looking at the caves.
• Do not litter inside the temple as it is a sacred site for people.

Further Read: Pura Ulun Danu Bratan: A Guide To The Most Majestic Temple Located In The Lap Of Bali

So, these are all the pieces of information that are necessary about the Goa Gajah Gianyar in Bali. We hope that these will help you in exploring the cave as well as the nearby places. Definitely, indulge in elephant safari Ubud if you are staying in the town. Follow the tips to get the best experience out of the place. This is one of the key places in Bali that you must see to actually finish your tour of exploring the spirituality of Bali. So, don’t wait anymore, get packed and book your trip to Bali right away!

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