The sea-draped temple of Tanah Lot rises out of the surf like a hazy dream along Bali's southwest coast. Beneath the waves that crash along the dark temple walls, a pride of banded sea kraits patrol the waters. The snakes guard the temple from evil spirits and harm. (Or so I've been told.) Tanah Lot is many things: magical, stunning, unlikely, romantic, and strange. It has a plucked from a dream aesthetic that allows you to believe the lore and have fun with it. A local told me about those sea kraits, and I believed him because the place looks so unreal. It seems to exist on dreamlike terms. Catching it at sunset frames the temple at its most beautiful and surreal.
Enjoy the sunset from the beach at low tide or up on the cliffs at a cafe. The nearby markets are a great place to grab some touristy trinkets and cheap art.


