Bali Archeological Tour (Temple Tours)

  12 May 2010, 06:38:33 (1108 hits)

This tour will take you to visit many archeological treasures in Bali, they are Goa Gajah Temple (Elephant Cave temple), an 11th century cave for monks and hermits, Museum Purbakala (archeological Museum) with its wide collection of ancient artifacts and the Gunung Kawi Temple, Royal Tombs of King Udayana and hermitage of Gunung Kawi on the gorge of Pakerisan River. The last destination is Tirta Empul Temple (holy Water Spring Temple) dedicated to the God Indra.

ITINERARY :

ELEPHANT CAVE
The cave was rediscovered by Dutch archaeologist in 1923. The fountains and bathing pool were unearthed in 1954. The cave is carved into a rock face and you enter through cavernous mouth of a demon. Inside the T-shaped cave you can see fragmentary remains of lingam, the phallic symbol of the Hindu god Siva, and its female counterpart the yoni, plus a statue of the elephant-headed god Ganesha. To the south of the cave complex there are crumbling rock carvings of stupas (domes for housing Buddhist relics) on a cliff face, and a small cave.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM
Includes a collection of pre-Hindu artifacts, including stone sarcophagus from the time before cremations were practiced on Bali. Here you’ll find a lot of sarcophagi. The burial system suggests the existence of a stratified society, people buried in sarcophagi probably being of higher status. This museum devoted to Balinese antiquities is on the right hand side of the main road about a mile north of Bedulu.

TIRTA EMPUL
The name Tirta Empul is derives from the large spring in the centre of the temple. “ Tirta “ means holy water and “ Empul “ means spring so Tirta Empul is holy water spring. The temple was built around 960 AD during the rule of Candra bayasinga king from the Warmadewa dynasty. It is divided into three main courtyards those are : the front yard, the middle yard and the inner sanctum.

GUNUNG KAWI TEMPLE
Consists of 10 rock-cut candi, cut into the rock face. Each candi is believed to be a memorial to a member of the 11 century Balinese royalty. There are four on the west side of the river and five on the east side. Each of the sets of memorials has a group of monks’ cells associated with it. Legend relates that the group of memorials was carved out of the rock face in one hard working night by the mighty fingernails of Kebo Iwa.

Price Include :
• All entrance fee at tourist object
• Parking fee
• English speaking guide
• Lunch at local restaurant
• 21 % tax and service charge

Child : Half Price
Child age : 06 - 11 years