Goa Lawah

Half way between Klungkung and Candi Dasa, near the village of Kusamba, is the cave sanctuary of Goa Lawah (Bat Cave), one of the six royal temples on Bali. It is highly revered by the Balinese, largely because of the belief that there is an underground passage linking the cave (which has not yet been explored to its farthest point) with the island's holiest temple, the Pura Besakih, and thus marking the point of junction between the upper world and the underworld; for Goa Lawah is believed to be the abode of Sangyang Basuki, one of the two snakes of the underworld. In the mouth of the cave is a lotus throne (padmasana) reserved for Basuki. The cave is home to countless thousands of tiny bats, who cling in dense masses to the walls and the mouth of the cave.

To the right of the entrance to the cave is a small temple with several wooden merus to which the local people bring offerings every two weeks, receiving in return holy water which is used in various ceremonies, for example in the rice-fields in the surrounding area.