Goa Gajah elephant cave

Gajah means elephant in Indonesian and while there are no live elephants here, we saw the cave that gives the temple complex its name. It is ornate, intricate, surprisingly detailed in what we now recognize as Balinese style. The entrance doorway is straddled by the obligatory pair of protective statues - wearing sarongs no less! Inside the cave are numerous alcoves that were no doubt once filled with shrines to various deities - three remain tended today to give the former sacred site some ambiance: One for Ganesha (who is super popular in Indonesia, or Bali at least); one with three statues that are probably for Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, and one as you enter the cave for daily offerings.

The grounds of Goa Gajah are truly beautiful, peaceful, well-kept. It has one of the higher entry tickets amongst Bali attractions and the investment shows. For instance, there is substantially less litter and it is clear that effort is put in to keep the park areas clean and tidy. For us, visiting from a place with near-zero litter, the attention to detail left us with an almost subliminal feeling of order, safety, and care - made it much more enjoyable for all! Luckily for us it was low season and so we were able to capture a few snaps with no or few other tourists in sight!Read more