Gunung Kawi
[postlink]http://baliovguide.blogspot.com/2011/08/gunung-kawi.html[/postlink]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvHTDOgjOCUendofvid [starttext]Bali's own Valley of the Kings is Gunung Kawi in Tampaksiring. This collection of candi is beautifully situated in a river valley surrounded by rice fields and jungle. This has been one of our favorite day trips for years.
Gunung Kawi is a collection of ten candi, created to evoke the appearance of temple fronts and designed to provide residence for the souls of ancient kings. The candi are hewn into the valley walls on both sides of the Pekerisan River and date back to the 11th Century. While the exact origin of the candi is unknown, there is evidence to suggest that the first set of five were built to honor King Anak Wungsu, whose rule over central and east Bali extended from AD 1050 to about AD 1080. It is possible that one was built for him and the other four for his wives, who would have ceremonially committed suicide after his death.
You enter the tomb area by first walking down a long flight of steps, then past a series of rice terraces, and finally through a path cut into the very walls of the canyon. The entrance is dramatic, with the river below and the temple and candis laid out before you.
In addition to the candis, there are other sites nearby. If you follow the path to the candis past the temple you will walk the edge of the river canyon, through rice fields to a small waterfall. The path has some lovely views. This walk takes about 15 minutes and is easy for all.
Another path, much more rough and a harder walk, leads to a tenth candi commonly known as "The Home of the High Priest." This is a lesser candi and if you are pressed for time, you can take a miss on this one.
Our favorite side excursion is a visit to the cloisters. These extremely minimalist habitats were carved out of the rock by hand and were used by the priests for centuries. This side trip is worth the effort, but you'll need someone to point out the path, as it is not marked. Though this walk is short, it is more difficult and requires sensible shoes.
This ancient attraction is definitely worth a visit. It's ancient. It's cool. It's one of those special places that makes Bali unique on this planet!
Gunung Kawi is located close to Ubud and is also reachable as an easy day trip from the Kuta / Seminyak area. Many people combine trips here with a visit to Goa Gajah. Bring water and your temple sash, else buy them on site.[endtext]
Gunung Kawi is a collection of ten candi, created to evoke the appearance of temple fronts and designed to provide residence for the souls of ancient kings. The candi are hewn into the valley walls on both sides of the Pekerisan River and date back to the 11th Century. While the exact origin of the candi is unknown, there is evidence to suggest that the first set of five were built to honor King Anak Wungsu, whose rule over central and east Bali extended from AD 1050 to about AD 1080. It is possible that one was built for him and the other four for his wives, who would have ceremonially committed suicide after his death.
You enter the tomb area by first walking down a long flight of steps, then past a series of rice terraces, and finally through a path cut into the very walls of the canyon. The entrance is dramatic, with the river below and the temple and candis laid out before you.
In addition to the candis, there are other sites nearby. If you follow the path to the candis past the temple you will walk the edge of the river canyon, through rice fields to a small waterfall. The path has some lovely views. This walk takes about 15 minutes and is easy for all.
Another path, much more rough and a harder walk, leads to a tenth candi commonly known as "The Home of the High Priest." This is a lesser candi and if you are pressed for time, you can take a miss on this one.
Our favorite side excursion is a visit to the cloisters. These extremely minimalist habitats were carved out of the rock by hand and were used by the priests for centuries. This side trip is worth the effort, but you'll need someone to point out the path, as it is not marked. Though this walk is short, it is more difficult and requires sensible shoes.
This ancient attraction is definitely worth a visit. It's ancient. It's cool. It's one of those special places that makes Bali unique on this planet!
Gunung Kawi is located close to Ubud and is also reachable as an easy day trip from the Kuta / Seminyak area. Many people combine trips here with a visit to Goa Gajah. Bring water and your temple sash, else buy them on site.[endtext]