Tanah Lot is a rock formation formed outside the island of Bali. On this rock stands the Tanah Lot temple, popular with tourists and sacred to the Balinese, which is considered a pilgrimage centre. Pura Tanah Lot is located in the district of Tabanan, 20 kilometres from Denpasar.
From afar, the rock on which the temple is located, resembles a ship, such shape of the rock gave the ocean waves that washed it for many years. The date of foundation of the temple is considered to be XVI century. It is believed that the temple was founded by Hindu Nirartha. He was a travelling priest, during one of his journeys along the southern coast of Bali he noticed a beautiful rock in the sea and decided to make a stop there. Nirartha was welcomed there by fishermen and lodged there for the night. In the morning, he called the fishermen and told them that they should build a shrine on this rock to worship the Balinese sea gods. There is another legend that Nirartha was led to this rock by a ray of divine light that came from a spring on this rock.
Tanah Lot Temple was built and has been part of Balinese mythology for centuries. The temple is only accessible to true believers, they climb up steps that are carved into the rock, while others stand at the foot of the rock. At low tide you can drink water from the spring, which is considered holy.
Tanah Lot Temple is one of the seven sea temples that are built around the coast of Bali. Each of the sea temples is erected within sight of the next, and they form a chain along the south-west coast of the island.
In translation, the name of the temple sounds like "land in the sea", which is true. It is worth noting that you can only get there through a small isthmus that connects the island of Bali to the rock and only during low tide. At high tide, the island is surrounded by water and is reached by a special gangway.
