Tanah Lot at Sunset Guide: Is It Worth Visiting?

If you’re thinking of visiting Tanah Lot at sunset, then I have good news for you.

The sun sets over the sea, to the west of the ancient Hindu temple (also called Pura Tanah Lot) – and is quickly followed by nightly kecak performances (at 6pm and 7pm), showcasing a traditional Balinese Hindu music dance drama.

I’ll never forget visiting Tanah Lot at sunset. Set on a rocky outcrop in the ocean, the temple was circled by swirling water and seaweed, approaching high tide. Golden hour was a great time to take photographs, although you won’t be the only person visiting.

In this post, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know to visit Tanah Lot for sunset, including how to get there (on your own or by tour), how to watch the kecak performance, and whether it’s worth it.

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Why is the Tanah Lot Temple Famous?

Tanah Lot Temple (Pura Tanah Lot) is one of seven sea temples located on the southwest coast of Bali. However, it’s by far the most famous, primarily due to its dramatic location on a rocky outcrop surrounded by the sea.

‘Tanah Lot’ roughly translates to ‘Land in the Sea’ in Balinese, which makes a lot of sense. At high tide, the temple is completely cut off from the beach and lapped by crashing waves.

At low tide, the ocean retreats, revealing a series of green rockpools and granting entry to the temple on foot.

The temple is dedicated to Dewa Baruna (also known as Bhatara Segara), the Balinese sea god.

According to legend, the temple is protected by mythical sea snakes and was founded in the 16th century by the priest Dang Hyang Nirartha.

Visiting Tanah Lot at sunset is a bucket-list Bali experience for many tourists, as it’s known as one of the best sunset locations on the island. However, for Balinese people, it’s an important pilgrimage location.

Where is Tanah Lot Temple?

Tanah Lot Temple is located on the southwest coast of Bali in a regency called Tabanan, at the southern end of Tabanan Beach.

The temple is part of a tourist complex, only accessible after you’ve paid the entry fee. A smaller sea temple, Batu Bolong Temple, is located in the complex. This one sits at the end of a rock arch.

Popular places to stay near Tanah Lot Temple include Canggu (20-minute drive), Seminyak (40 minutes), Kuta (50 minutes) and Ubud (an hour).

How to Get to Tanah Lot at Sunset

Visiting Tanah Lot at sunset is easily done. Most people stay overnight in Canggu, which as I previously mentioned, is only a 20-minute drive from the temple.

From Canggu, I ordered a taxi on the Grab app (similar to Uber). A motorbike taxi costs around 31,000 IDR, whereas a Grab Car costs 125,000+ IDR each way.

To order a return taxi using Grab, you will need to have an internet connection; an Indonesia eSIM will help with this.

Where to Stay in Canggu

Is It Worth Taking a Tour to Tanah Lot at Sunset?

The alternative is to take a tour to Tanah Lot at sunset. The main benefit of taking a half-day sunset Tanah Lot tour is that you don’t need to think about arranging your transport to and from Canggu.

You will also be accompanied by a knowledgeable guide, who can tell you more about the history of the temple.

Taking a tour can also be beneficial if you’re short on time and want to tick off multiple Bali tourist attractions in one day:

• The full-day Bali UNESCO World Heritage Sites tour visits Tanah Lot (at sunset), but also Pura Taman Ayun (the royal water temple), the Jatiluwih rice terraces and the water temple at the Lake Bratan crater.
• The Ubud and Tanah Lot tour spends a full day touring Ubud (including the monkey forest, temples and rice terraces) before visiting Tanah Lot for sunset.

Entrance Fees for Tanah Lot

• Foreign adult: 75,000 IDR.
• Foreign child: 40,000 IDR.
• Indonesian adult: 30,000 IDR.
• Indonesian child: 20,000 IDR.
• Parking: 5,000 IDR (car); 30,000 IDR (motorbike).

Should You Visit Tanah Lot at Sunset or in the Daytime?

Visiting Tanah Lot Temple during the daytime is great if you only want to get a feel for the temple’s scenery and take a walk over the cliffs to Batu Bolong Temple.

However, experiencing Tanah Lot at sunset has plenty of additional perks:

• Golden-hour lighting is great for photography.
• The kecak performance takes place daily at 6pm and 7pm.
• You can use the day to explore other parts of Bali, such as Canggu, Uluwatu, or West Bali.
• There are clifftop restaurants and warungs around Tanah Lot Temple for dinner.

How to See the Kecak Performance at Tanah Lot

The kecak performances at Tanah Lot take place at 6pm and 7pm daily, in a small arena alongside Batu Bolong Temple.

The traditional Balinese Hindu dance drama features costumed characters, fire, and dancing, all based around the Ramayana epic.

While you can book your performance ticket at the doors, it’s better to book your kecak ticket in advance. The performance is very popular and often sells out.

The Best Photography Spots For Sunset – Plus Tips on Avoiding the Crowds

At Tanah Lot Temple, a crowd naturally forms around the crown of the boulder at low tide.

People typically descend down the steps and congregate right in front of the temple. They are also drawn to the rocks on the right-hand side of the temple, where the waves crash against the rock bed in a dramatic fashion.

At high tide, however, a crowd forms on the steps above the temple, or as far down on the rocks as possible depending upon the water level.

I suggest trying these instead:

Scramble over the rocks on the right side of the temple, being mindful of the danger of crashing waves. They are only accessible at low to mid tide, so you need to time your visit accordingly.

The view from the rocks to the right of the temple

Take pictures from the beach on the left-hand side of the temple. The southern end of Tabanan beach is mysteriously crowd-free.

I guess it’s because no one wants to get their feet wet. The beach is rocky and covered in seaweed, but if you tread carefully, you can get a shot of Tanah Lot with the sunset in the background.

Take photos from the clifftops. A walking path stretches over the clifftop between Tanah Lot Temple and Batu Bolong Temple.

There are several points along the path where you can stop to take photographs, but the best spot is at the top of the hill, where there’s a platform jutting out over the ocean.

From this lookout, there’s a panoramic shot of the temple and the beach. A small waterfall is also visible.

There’s also a nice outlook for Batu Bolong Temple.

If you continue along the clifftops, past Batu Bolong Temple, you will come to some spectacular clifftop restaurants.

They don’t have a view of the temple, but they look out over the ocean and are less busy than the restaurants above the main temple.

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I hope you found my guide to Tanah Lot temple at sunset useful – leave a comment below to let me know what you think of the temple.

Looking for more guides to Bali? Check out my guides to the shipwreck at Nunggalan Beach in Uluwatu and the underrated Bias Tugel Beach in Padangbai.