PuRa TaNaH LoT

Enjoy the view, but keep your change. Prior to my departure, I managed to find a friend who had been to Bali a year before. I tried to glean any information I could from them. Among the gems of information they shared were two must-see places: Ahmed and Pura Tanah Lot. Sadly, time didn't allow for Ahmed [add that to Phi Phi island list of huge regret] but we made it to Tanah Lot with not much time to spare!

Tanah Lot is a Hindu temple built on the southern coast of Bali; as such it is only accessible at low tide. When you arrive in the area, you have to walk approximately half a mile to get to the temple--and it's totally worth it! You see other small temples along the way, you're surrounded by frangipani trees (no touching), people selling fresh goodies and snake charmers that try to get you to pay them for a peak at their holy snake (um, does that sound suspect to anyone else besides me?)

Once you arrive at the beach, it's time to wade your way across the tide. First, you have to stop and role up your trousers or hike up your dress so you don't look like a drown cat when you cross over. Then, you wade your way across while trying not to drop your sandals--at least this was my experience--no gracefully way about it. You feel quite accomplished when you make it across! However, once you do cross, you're now prey to what I dub one of the biggest scams in Bali. I say that, reminding myself I'm very glad I gave them the equivalent of five cents!

Let me tell you the story:

You see the pretty temple.
you make your way down to the pretty temple.

You wait until the tide is low, find a shallow area and hurry
across to see the temple.

When you try to go up to the temple, they stop you.
You first must wash yourself and offer alms (i.e. money.)
Fair enough, you try to be respectful.

So, first you wash your face three times in the holy spring:

Then you give alms.
Then they put a flower in your hair...


...and rice on your forehead.

Finally, you're allowed to climb the stairs
and around the corner to the temple...

Where you find not a temple entrance, but a hunk of rock!

and a semi-better view of the ocean.
So you take photos so all this work was not in vain.


Then you think, all around it was a beautiful temple,
beautiful area... but a lousy way to make a rupiah!