Goa Gajah Temple or Elephant Cave (Goa Gajah) and how to visit

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Description and is it worth a visit

Swimming pool with fountains in Goa Gajah

Goa Gajah Temple or Elephant Cave, although they are not a must-visit place in Bali, but, in our opinion, one of the most interesting temples that we recommend visiting if possible. The interesting thing here is that here you will see not only a temple, but also a cave and a waterfall. The cave is part of the temple, where the shrine is kept. Well, the waterfall on the territory is a nice addition to the visit. Therefore, we recommend stopping here on the way to Besakikh Temple or during a trip to the central part of the island to the observation points on volcanoes and Lake Batur. But to go specifically to such a distance just to visit Goa Gajah from the southern resorts may not be worth it. If you are staying for a holiday in Ubud, then it is simply impossible not to visit this temple, because it is only a few minutes away.

The Goa Gajah Elephant Cave was supposedly founded in the XI century as a place for spiritual meditation. Although, it would be more correct to say, the cave was created, because it is artificial, carved into a rock massif. Now it is a Hindu temple, but there are Hindu and Buddhist elements in the architecture. Thus, the lingam and yoni, symbols of Shiva, and the image of Ganesha are kept in the Elephant Cave, carved images of Buddhist stupas and chattras are located by the river, and a statue of Buddha is exhibited in the main temple. In principle, this is not surprising, because Buddhism and Hinduism have been developing in Bali since at least the VI century.

There is a version that the Elephant Cave was abandoned for a long time, and it was discovered only in 1923 by Dutch archaeologists. But locals say that all this time it was simply protected and hidden from foreigners.

Today, a whole complex of several temples and other interesting objects has grown around the cave. If you start to go into details, then you can spend a few hours walking around the neighborhood, this is just her main interest. In addition to the main temple, the cave itself and the famous pool with fountains along the path along the river you can get to the cave of the giants Goa Raksasa and the cave of the Buddha, the temple of Dedari (Pura Dedari), and Taman (Pura Taman). And 200 meters along the main road there is another large and beautiful waterfall Skscript Waterfalls.

The entrance to the elephant cave

Inside the cave

Inside there are symbols of fertility lingams (phalluses)

And Ganesh

The territory is also interesting

Many different elements

And religious attributes

Be sure to take a walk around the adjacent territory

There is a small waterfall here

And many mysterious ruins

Perhaps it was a place for meditation

The Sacred Tree

Another temple nearby

Panorama of Goa Gajah Temple in Bali

🕐 Working hours

Daily from 08:00 to 18:00, seven days a week. The best time to visit the temple is early in the morning or in the evening before closing, when there are fewer tourists here.

💵Entrance fee / ticket price

The entrance to the temple costs 50,000 rupees for foreigners (rate temporary unavailable/span> rubles). The price includes sarong rental and parking. You can also enter the temple for free through the cafe to the right of the main entrance, and from the river side.

🚶 How to get there

Goa Gajah Temple is located 5 kilometers from Ubud and 40 kilometers from Kuta and other beach resorts in the south (Goa gajah on the map).

If you are staying in Ubud, then you can get here by taxi or rented transport, including even by bicycle.

From Kuta and other beaches it is best to go here by rented transport or with an excursion, but if you really want, you can go here during the day and by bus. Here from Kuta, Legian and Denpasar there is a regular bus Kura Kura, all information about flights and ticket reservations is available on the official website https://kura2bus.com/ubud-shuttles/route-map . The bus comes to the center of Kuta, from there you will have to get to the temple by taxi or rent a bicycle.

Also see Bali excursions with reviews available for online booking on these trusted sites:

🕒 12 March, 2025