Explore 4 famous temples in Bali

Indonesia - Bali is famous for its many ancient temples, each with its own beauty and interesting experiences in the eyes of Vietnamese tourists.

Bali, in addition to its beautiful beaches, is also famous for its sacred temples with a strong Hindu-Buddhist style. Nguyen Tran Hieu and Tai Pham, from Ho Chi Minh City, had a trip to experience the temples on the island in March.

Tanah Lot Temple in the photo is one of the cultural and tourist icons of Bali, located on a rocky island on the Pacific coast. When the tide is high, this place is isolated in the middle of the ocean.

According to local legend, around the 15th century, the Indian monk Danghyang Nirartha came to Bali and convinced the people to build a temple to spread Hinduism. To protect Tanah Lot, he turned his head scarf into a giant snake and wrapped it around the temple. Today, people believe that this place is still protected by the snake god, and they flock here to pray on major holidays every year. This is also a popular spot every day because it has an ideal location to watch the sunset.

From Kuta City, visitors can get here by bus or taxi, about 20 km away, Hieu said.

Printed on the 50,000 rupiah note (about 80,000 VND), Pura Ulun Danu Bratan Temple was built in 1633, is a temple to the water goddess Dewi Danu. The temple is located next to Lake Bratan, the second largest lake in Bali, formed from the crater of an old volcano at an altitude of 1,200 m above sea level.

The 12-storey tower in the temple was built by King Mengwi of Bali. When the water level in the lake rises, the temple appears to float on the water. This place has therefore become a famous check-in spot, every tourist is recommended to come here when coming to Bali.

The moss-covered walls add to the ancient and sacred look of the temple. Hieu found the temple quite cool because it is located on high ground, next to a lake. Visitors can visit the temple for 75,000 rupiah (about 120,000 VND) from 7am to 7pm daily.

Visitors can stop by to buy local handicrafts as souvenirs such as Buddha statues, bronze and wooden statues of monkeys, snakes and cats on the way back.

Tirta Empul Temple is about 20 km from the center of Bali Island, and is said to have been built in the 10th century. The temple is unique because it is surrounded by a stream flowing from a high mountain peak, which never dries up all year round. Locals often come here to participate in the holy bathing ritual, also known as Melukat. They bow before one of the 12 holy water fountains to wash away bad luck and hope to be healed.

Residents and visitors are required to wear a sarong (a type of skirt consisting of a large piece of cloth, wrapped around the body and tied at the waist), the traditional Indonesian costume when entering the temple. Hieu rented a sarong at a shop outside the temple gate. The rental price ranges from 30,000 to 50,000 rupiah depending on the type.

The temple is located right at the foot of the Tampaksiring Presidential Palace, one of Bali's important palaces. Hieu suggests that visitors should combine sightseeing and experience.

Pura Luhur Uluwatu Temple is located in the southwest of Bukit in Bali, and is one of the six main and sacred temples dedicated to Acintya, the supreme deity of Hinduism. As the name "Temple on the Cliff" suggests, Pura Luhur Uluwatu is located on a cliff about 70 meters above sea level. The temple grounds are spacious, offering a panoramic view of the vast Indian Ocean and emerald green water. This place allows visitors to experience both nature and culture, especially when witnessing the Kecak Dance performance.

Kecak Dance is performed regularly in many places on Bali, but only Pura Uluwatu has the impressive setting at sunset. The dance is a combination of the ancient Balinese Sanghyang ritual to ward off evil spirits and scenes from the Ramayana Saga, the famous Sanskrit epic in India. The epic tells the story of the white monkey Hanoman (pictured) searching for and rescuing Prince Rama's wife Shinta from a giant.

Kecak Dance is in the top 100 interesting tourist experiences in Southeast Asia (according to the website of Vietkings Organization) and attracts a large number of tourists to Pura Uluwatu temple to admire.

Towards the end of the show, as the sun set, the torches were the only source of light left. The sight of the golden fire bursting forth right in front of him, the sudden release of light and heat made Tai both scared and excited, while the white monkey character rushed into the middle and "played" with the fire with dances.

Every day, at Pura Uluwatu Temple, there are two performance times: 5:45 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Tai recommends that visitors choose the first show to watch the sunset. The cost for one person to enter the temple is 50,000 rupiah (about 80,000 VND). A Kecak Dance show costs 150,000 rupiah (about 240,000 VND) when purchased directly, and about 139,000 rupiah (about 220,000 VND) when purchased online.

(According to 24h)

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