Tips on Visiting Besakih Temple
After reading this interesting post: Besakih Temple, Bali: sacred extortion?, I am interested to write this tip.
Besakih temple, being the biggest in Bali, located in Karangasem regency, east Bali. It takes around 2 hours to drive from Denpasar, not taking account any traffic jam.
The word “Besakih” means safety, and it’s said to be derived from Sanskrit. Another mythology mentioned that Besakih came from the word Basuki which is a serpent. (In Bali, serpent is symbol of prosperity).
According to historians, Besakih is built around 11 century by a Hindu priest, Rsi Markandeya and his followers. Now that’s the story about Besakih.
Visiting Besakih with a tour guide
Although you can visit Besakih on your own with a guide book on your hands, it is easier if you go with a tour guide. You will not get hassled by “temple guardians” there. The Bali tour guide has to be licensed and has ID card issued by Tourism Department of Indonesia. And he or she, must wear traditional uniform as this is the law.
Visiting Besakih On Your Own or with a driver
You can have a driver take you to Besakih temple and wait for you as you journey inside the temple.Here are some notes on visiting the temple. Just as you take you first step toward the temple, the hassle begins. Some ladies offer you to rent sarong. It’s rp 10,000. Or one dollar.
You will be asked to donate some money by the temple guardians, (temple guardian is a self created title.) The money,according to them, is for temple ceremony.
A log book of previous donators is presented to you. On this book you can read the people who donated before. They donated something like at least USD 40 to USD 100. You feel that you must also donate something of similar amount (back in my school days, it was called peer pressure).
Then there is the local tour guide or temple expert or temple guardians who offer around the temple tour. He would happily show you around the temple plus the inner part. If you go already have a licensed tour guide, they can only show you the outer part of the temple. But with this local tour guide or temple expert or temple guardian, you can entert part that can not be visited by normal visitors.
Of course, you will need to pay donation inside the temple and tip the temple guardian at the end of your tour.
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2 comments
I think the best way to get around in Bali is on a moped. There is so much traffic jam in the city, that you can never get anywhere in time. We went to Uluwatu from Kuta by moped and reached there in abt 45 mins. Our fellow tourists in Uluwatu told us it took them 2 hours by Taxi plus they missed the sunset!!
Yes, the fastest way for traveling on busy streets with with motor bike. But the heat and humidity may be unbearable if you are not used to it.
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