Bali Surf Guide ~ Tanah Lot

Tanah Lot is a sacred and beautiful spot to visit for both the devout Balinese Hindu as well as travelers. But what some don't realize is that it is a good surf spot as well.

Surf Guide to Bali's Tanah Lot Temple

Surfing at Bali's Stunning Tanah Lot Temple~ Notice the surfers on the left

You can approach the temple in many ways (car, motor bike, taxi, etc.). Simply ask the driver to take you to Pura Tanah Lot. Pay your entry fee at the gate. Note that indonesians go through one gate and pay a greatly reduced fee and Bule (white folk/foreigners) pay a completely different amount. Lets save that debate for another time but Indonesians and especially Balinese deserve to be able to visit their sacred places at a reasonable cost. You will then make your way through a small village that is actually just souvenir stalls. It is seemingly endless but follow the flow of people to the shore.

A lone surfer enjoys the uncrowded sets of Sea Arch at Tanah Lot in Bali

You will see the main temple ahead of you but follow the path along to the right (North) about 250 meters. You will see a natural jetty shaped like an arch (pictured above and below), pointing out to the ocean with another temple at the end of it. Some refer to this as The Bali Sea Arch. Few people know that the Tanah Lot temple was originally connected to the island of Bali with an arch very similar to this but it has been eroded away.

This surfer can't ask for a more beautiful setting for this epic solo session at Bali's Tanah Lot Temple

Just South of the jetty is the surf break. Please remember, this is a holy temple so be respectful as you change your clothes. 

While it is not Uluwatu or perhaps even in the top five surf breaks of Bali, it is still a great fun wave and is usually uncrowded. I have rarely seen more than two surfers out at any one time. Its a great left and you can score solid waves here year round and at all tides but it works best with a south-southwest swell and the wind east-northeast. The most consistent surf is in the dry season from May to September and offers nice warm offshore breezes. Low and mid-tides are best and it starts working at less than 1 meter.  Mind the rocks and the reef but there is some sand as well.

Bali's Sea temple Tanah Lot

Most all surf abilities can catch good waves here and the average ride lenght is 40-100 meters.

Other notable surf breaks in the area include Kedungu Beach, Medewi Front Hotel beach and Nyani beach which is also known as Muara beach.

For more information on the breaks and our surf tours of Bali please contact us directly and for more insider information on surf in Bali, Bali culture and travel tips, be sure to sign up for our award winning newsletter.

See ya in the lineup! 

For the best Bali surf retreats check out Bali Floating Leaf. They know all the best spots, great food, luxurious villas and the price can't be beat.

Related Bali Surf Blog Posts 

Another amazing day of Bali surf at Uluwatu.

Surfing in Bali; Everything you need to know (except a few secrets)

Bali Photo of the Day ~ Bali's Tanah Lot Temple

Today's Bali Photo of the Day takes us to Bali's Tabanan Regency on the West Coast to one of the big three sacred temples of Bali. Pura Tanah Lot is actually an island onto itself. This important pilgramage site is built upon a rock and reef outcropping in the ocean. It is possible to walk or wade to the temple at low tide.

Tanah Lot is one of the important seven sea temples of Bali and certainly one of the most picturesque. These seven temples were built around the island to protect it, and to be used as a signaling device as each temple is built within eyeshot from the last forming a visual chain around the South Western coast of Bali.

Bali's Sacred Tanah Lot Temple

Bali's Tanah Lot History

A revered 15th century Hindu priest named Nirartha is said to have built the sacred temple. He stopped to sleep on the rock and found it to be not only majestic in its beauty, but a sacred and powerful spot. The locals saw him there and began to bring him gifts. He told them to construct a temple there as it was a fitting place to worship the Balinese Sea Gods.

It is claimed that when Niratha moved on from the rock island, he left his scarf behind. The scarf turned into a giant sea snake and has protected the location ever since. To this day, holy men guard the entrances to the many caves that surround the temple and some can even show you the magical snakes inside the caves. Many will ask for a donation to enter the caves, but the payoff is usually not all that exciting.

From the main tourist areas of South Bali such as Kuta, Seminyak and Legian, its about a 40 minute car ride and from Bali's cultural center of Ubud, its perhaps a 40 minute ride depending of course on the traffic.

Tanah Lot is a must do on any traveler's itinerary. Try to go at low tide so a local Hindu Priest can bless you with the springs of holy water that emminate from beneath the temple itself. It's spectacular at sunset and it is also a fairly consistent surf break. More on surfing Tanah Lot to come. Be sure to sign up for our free award winning newsletter to get the inside tips on where and when to go to beat the crowds and to see some of the hidden aspects  of Bali.

A Visit to a Balinese Healer

A Visit to a Balinese Healer or Balian~ Photos and Video

A recommended experience on all of our tours and a staple of our Wellness Tours is a visit to a local Balinese healer or Balian (sometimes referred to as a dukun). There are many types and styles of Bali Usada or healing in Bali and it takes some time to find the right method and practitioner.  There are essentially four types of traditional healers in Bali. Very briefly, a Pica or Paica works with objects, The Balian Usada studies the Lontars (ancient sacred texts), The Ketakson who serves as a medium or link between the living and the deceased, and the last group is a combination of some or all of the above.

Some healers use hands on techniques like massage or applied kinesiology to move energy, remove blockages, realign meridians and such. While others employ a less invasive approach to energy work similar to Reiki. And others use offerings, tinctures, holy water, astrology, herbal medicines called Jamu, and other traditional homemade remedies. In most cases it is a mixture of several approaches.

A Balinese Healer uses her breath to dissipate to illness

I won't comment here on the efficacy of the treatments or the healers themselves, but I will say that I have witnessed some surprising outcomes over the years. Certainly some healers are more gifted than others, so your milage may vary, but it is always an interesting and worthwhile experience. I have seen some people experience near miraculous results, and some receive no tangible proceeds. It has, however, resulted closer to the former rather than latter.

Using Holy Water, a Balinese Balian blesses our tour participants for a safe and rewarding journey

On a recent Balifornian Culture Tour, two participants wanted to seek the help of a Balinese healer. We didn't have much lead time so our "go-to" healers were not available, but we were able to find one with a good reputation that was willing to see them. She is primarily a Ketakson so she acts as a channel to the other world. Occasionally, when a person dies an offering or ceremony is missing or incomplete. A Ketakson can help in these matters and provide the family with the missing piece to allow the dead to travel safely to the next world. 

Shafts of light illuminate the healing area where The Balian provides closure for a grieving family

We arrived at her compound and waited in the courtyard with a couple dozen others. She was with a family in the open air "treatment area". There was a grieving family around her listening intently as she channeled a recently deceased loved one. I am a bit more skeptical of the telekinesis style of healing versus a more hands on approach, but she was able to sense details clairvoyantly that surprised us and hit home with the family.

A Tour Participant peers into the courtyard where a healing session is taking place

Here is a very brief video of the prayer used in the healing session.

When it was time for our tour participants to receive counsel, they took turns sitting in front of the healer while she recited prayers and blessed them with holy water and flowers. Their palms were read as we translated the healers messages. We were told the reading was accurate and the suggestions were valid.

Others look on as The Healer works with other community members

I have not mentioned the healers name or village as occasionally a healer will gain fame and appointments for the villagers may become more scarce as well as expensive.  If this healer or a practitioner of other forms of traditional Balinese healing is of interest to you, please just contact us.

This is a far from exhaustive recap of the visit and certainly only touches the surface when it comes to Balinese Healing. For more information please contact us directly and we can arrange more specific sessions for you during your visit.

Related Blog Posts...

The Sacred Rituals of Besakih ~ And the Gods came down to Bali… A photo/video essay.

Bali Photo of the Day ~ Hindu Priest Blesses Holy Daggers

Ngaben ~ The Traditional Balinese Cremation Ceremony

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Bali Photo of the Day ~ Monkey Forest Bridge

Balifornian Photography Tour at Ubud's Sacred Monket Forest

Today I wanted to follow up with a couple additional shots of the Dragon Bridge in Ubud's Sacred Monkey Forest to give you a bit more perspective.

In previous Bali Photo of the Day blog posts, I featured the bridge itself and the Komodo Dragons that protect the Sacred Bathing Temple that the bridge leads to.

Today I wanted to show the Komodo Dragon carvings from the bridge. Here is a wide shot from the bridge overlooking the gorge...

The Dragon Bridge of Bali's Sacred Monkey ForestAnd here is a closer view...

A pair of Komodo Dragons keep watch over the Sacred Bathing Temple of The Monkey ForestAnd here is another shot of the elaborate carving of the Dragon on the bridge...

A detail view of the dragon carving on the bridge in Ubud's Monkey ForestI hope that helps complete the experience for you and come see it for yourself!

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Bali Photo of the Day ~ Komodo Dragon Sculptures Protects The Holy Bathing Temple

Balifornian's Art and Culture Eco-Tour

Todays Bali Photo of the Day comes to us from a recent Art and Culture Eco-Tour. We stopped into Ubud's Sacred Monkey Forest, crossed the Dragon Bridge over the The Holy Bathing Temples where these two fellas have kept watch over the natural springs that pour from the side of the Monkey Forest Gorge.

Bali's Sacred Monkey Forest features two Komodo Dragon Carvings that protect the Holy Bathing SpringsSome say these beautifully carved Komodo Dragons have been overlooking these sacred Bathing Springs for hundreds of years. The Balinese still use these springs to cleans themselves and don't be surprised if you see naked or nearly naked locals taking part in the ritual.

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