Goa Lawah is one of Bali’s tourist attraction located in Klungkung approximately 1 hour drive from the city of Denpasar or 4 km from downtown Semarapura which is the district capital of Klungkung. Goa Lawah Temple situated in the Pesinggahan village, Dawan sub district, district Klungkung. Goa Lawah consists of two syllables, goa which means cave and Lawah which means bat. Goa Lawah inhabited by thousands of bats. In Bali Pura Pura Goa Lawah is to worship the God of the Sea.

Goa Lawah is very interesting to visit because of strategic location off the coast with sea view and island of Nusa Penida in the distance and the arrangement of beautiful beaches. Sometimes tourists can witness traditional ceremonies and activities on the beach, and also see the bats hanging from the edge of the cave.

Pura Goa Lawah existence is expressed in several manuscripts as Lontar Usana Bali and Pasek Lontar Chronicle. In the Lontar, Pura Goa Lawah was built at the initiative of MPU Kuturan on the XI century before masehi and again restored to be expanded in the XV century.

Beach at Front of The Temple

Hindus in Bali generally do Nyegara Gunung as the closing Atma Wedana ceremony or called Nyekah, Memukur or Maligia. This ceremony serves as a sacred ritual proclamation that the atman has reached Dewa Pitara. Nyegara Gunung ceremony was generally performed at Pura Goa Lawah and Pura Besakih.

Pujawali or piodalan (ceremony) at Pura Goa Lawah is for worship of Lord Tengahing Segara and Sang Hyang Basuki done every Anggara Kasih Medangsia. In the viscera (the inside) Temple, precisely at the mouth of the cave there are pelinggih Sanggar Agung as the worship of Sang Hyang Tunggal.

Goa Lawah Temple