WELCOME back to the final edition of Monday Miles for the year. My name is Dillon Pillay, journalist for the Southlands Sun, and throughout the year we have recounted some of my international adventures and shared insight into these iconic places. To end off our Monday Miles we are going to do some temple hopping and beach visiting in Bali.

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We will be looking at two of the sea temples in Bali, namely Tanah Lot Temple and Uluwatu Temple, as well as a quick stop at Padang Padang beach.

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To close off the year, Dillon Pillay takes us on a journey through Bali, exploring its iconic sea temples and pristine beaches. We start at Tanah Lot Temple, renowned for its floating appearance and sacred sea snakes, before cooling off at the secluded Padang Padang Beach. The adventure wraps up at Uluwatu Temple, perched on a cliff, where the mesmerizing Kecak Fire Dance and stunning sunset views leave a lasting impression. #MondayMiles #travel #Bali #southlandssun #caxtonlocalmedia

♬ Balinese Harmony – FASSounds

Tanah Lot Temple

Among the most identifiable landmarks in Bali is without a doubt the Tanah Lot temple, a famous sea temple with a rocky perch in southwest Bali, steeped with history. It is considered one of the most holy places in Bali.

Here are some interesting facts about the temple:

• It appears to be floating on water– As the tide rises, the sea encircles the rock structure, creating an appearance of a temple floating. During low tide, people can walk on the rocky path to access the location.
• Guarded by holy sea snakes– Legend claims that venomous sea snakes guard this temple from evil spirits. Legend says these snakes were fashioned by the founder of this temple, Dang Hyang Nirartha, and that these snakes can be found in local caves.
• A freshwater spring amid saltwater– At the foot of this temple is a holy spring of freshwater, which is a very unusual occurrence given the presence of saltwater in the ocean
• Erosion altered the temple– The temple had faced attacks from crashing waves over the course of many centuries. Restoration work in the 1980s used artificial rock to keep the natural look.
• Among Bali’s ‘Seven Sea Temples’– One of these seven sea temples is Tanah Lot, which lies along the coast of Bali, all of which can be seen from each other, creating a spiritual chain to protect Bali from negative elements.

Padang Padang Beach

While visiting the black sanded Tanah Lot Temple was so interesting for a history buff like me, we definitely needed something to cool us down, which is why we made a stop at Padang Padang Beach to experience what the vibe is like in Bali.

The beach is sandwiched in a cliff and can be approached via a rock passage before emerging onto a secluded small beach. The water felt amazing, dare I say similar to the Durban water.

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Uluwatu Temple

Following a quick stop at the beach, we headed to another famous seaside temple, Uluwatu Temple. Sitting precariously on a cliff face overlooking the Indian Ocean, the Uluwatu Temple is considered one of the most religious and breathtaking attractions in Bali.

Here are some facts on Uluwatu Temple:

• A Hindu sea temple– Bali is largely Hindu. As a testament to this influence, Uluwatu is dedicated to sea gods and perches precariously above the pounding surf.
• One of Bali’s six holiest sites– Uluwatu is one of the religious supports for this island that connects with the other temples.
• Known for mischievous monkeys– The grounds of this temple are well known for their crab-eating monkeys. Although they can be entertaining, they have a reputation for swiping sunglasses, phones or sometimes even footwear.
• One of the best places in Bali to watch a sunset– With the setting sun dipping into the ocean, the golden hue is genuinely out of this world.

Kecak Fire Dance performances

Another highlight of the Uluwatu Temple is the performance of a Kecak Fire Dance, where 50-60 dancers sit cross-legged in a circle and chant in rhythmic synchronisation. Without instruments, songs or words, the performers chant a sound that tell the narrative of the Hindu story of Rama and Sita.

That is all we have for the final edition of the Monday Miles, thank you so much for coming along on all my adventures. I will see you guys here again next year.

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