Gua Gajah is a tourist attraction you can find in Bali. Despite its name, Gua Gajah, or elephant cave in Indonesian, is actually not related to an elephant. Do not expect to find any elephants roaming around the cave, okay? The name was not from the Indonesian language; instead, it was from Sanskrit. Gua Gajah is a name absorbed from Lwa Gajah. Meaning, a meditation sanctuary near a river. This word was discovered inside the book of Negarakertagama which is written in 1365 AD. Gua Gajah itself is believed to be at least a thousand years old.
Read Too: The Joy for Trekking Mount Batur in Kintamani, Bali
Location and how to access
The cave is located at the western side of Bedulu village, Blabatuh district, Gianyar Regency. It is located in the middle of a plantation owned by the villagers. The village is around 26 kilometers from the capital of Bali, the city of Denpasar. It is not too difficult to reach if you use private transportation. Alternatively, you can rent a car or a scooter. It is also recommended that you hire a local driver so that you can arrive there without any trouble.
Ticket price
Once you’ve reached the complex, head for the entrance gate. There, you will have to pay an entrance ticket. It costs IDR 15,000 for adults and IDR 7,500 for children. By the way, if you are having menstruation when you visit the cave, then it is an end of the line for you. Before entering, you will be given sarong to wear when you are inside. The officials prohibit any women who are having a menstruation from visiting the cave. It is believed that the spirits who inhabited the area would get disturbed by the “dirty blood” of the women who are having menstruation.
Features
Gua Gajah is located at the middle of a valley. The cave has a beautiful carving outside it; it forms like a menacing face. Inside, you will find that the cave is shaped like a few corridors; each of its ends contains either a statue or altars to present any offerings. The cave itself is pretty dark; fortunately, this is remedied by the lightings installed by the officials. Heading out, the cave is actually inside a complex; you can find a sacred fountain with three statues near it. Behave well when you are in the complex since it is sacred. By the way, Gua Gajah was discovered in 1923. However, the fountain was not discovered by the locals until 1954.
Tourist attractions and accommodations near it
Bored of the cave? Or you are having menstruation so you are unable to enter it? Worry not! There are several other tourist attractions near Gua Gajah you can enjoy! You can head to Kintamani Batur Volcano and enjoy the scenery, or you can visit some spa studios available around Gianyar. After that, you can rest in a hotel or villa. Below are some of the accommodations you can find near Gua Gajah.
- Omah Apik, located at Kenyem Bulan Street, Pejeng village, Ubud. Cost : IDR 1,350,000/night
- Julia Villa, located at Tengkulak Kaja, Ubud. Cost : IDR 1,200,000/night
- Villa Rumah Bakti Ubud, located at Goa Gajah Street, Ubud. Cost : IDR 700,000/night
There are other accommodations that you can find, but in this article, we show you those which are nearest the Gua Gajah.
