Goa Lawah (Bat Cave) Temple
Pura Goa Lawah (the Bat Cave Temple) is one of the island's nine special Sad Kahyangan Temples, and as such it is the designated holy place to honour the God Maheswara who resides in this section of the island. Religious processions visit the temple every day, and it is a particular focus for religious rites associated with death. Goa Lawah Temple located along the coast of southeastern Bali just west of Candidasa (see map). The center of the temple is built around a cave filled with thousands of bat that make the roof of the cave their homes. Its entrances are guarded by a temple believed to be found by a sage nine centuries ago. The Goa Lawah temple is situated on a slight embankment and the name is derived from the thousands bats that are living at the ceiling and walls of the cave.The cave is also said to lead all the way to Pura Goa in Besakih, some 30 km away, but nobody in recent times has volunteered to confirm this since the fruit bats provide