Elephant Cave
Elephant Cave
3.5
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
This 11th-century cave is entered through the carved mouth of a demon.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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See what travellers are saying
- AngieV2011Amsterdam, The Netherlands1,161 contributionsBeautiful and not too busy temple complexIt is a beautiful temple complex. The outside of the elephant cave looks more impressive than the inside. Be sure to walk around the entire temple complex, because this is definitely worth it. It's not a busy tourist spot, so you don't walk there in hordes.Visited June 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 4 March 2024
- Luca PGassino Torinese, Italy1,365 contributionsOriginalTemple from the original structure, is accessed through a mouth-shaped door. Inside it's dark damp and a little claustrophobic, nicer from the outside. In front there are swimming pools for ritual washing. Overall nice.Visited July 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 3 August 2024
- Roger WSiebnen, Switzerland1,881 contributionsbeautiful templeThe Goa Gajah Temple is a temple near Ubud. On our visit it didn't have quite as many people. The temple is beautiful to look at. The highlight for me was the elephant cave and the small water temple. I liked it so far, but in fairness it is not an absolute must now.Visited August 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 5 September 2024
- Amit JKolkata (Calcutta), India924 contributionsCave TempleThis ancient cave temple, over 1,000 years old, is located near Ubud. It is believed to have been built for meditation and worship, featuring deities of the Hindu gods Shiva and Ganesha. With an entry fee of RP 50k, it’s a site worth visiting if you're in the area.Visited July 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 4 October 2024
- Emelly_sOhio14 contributionsA Tranquil Escape at Goa Gajah TempleI recently visited Goa Gajah Temple and was captivated by its serene beauty and rich history. The temple is a stunning blend of ancient architecture and lush surroundings, making it a perfect spot for reflection and exploration. Upon arrival, I was greeted by the impressive entrance with intricate carvings, which set the tone for the rest of the visit. The main attraction, the cave, is fascinating and filled with historical significance. I loved wandering through the gardens and taking in the peaceful atmosphere. The site can get busy, but I found that early morning visits are ideal for a quieter experience. Make sure to wear proper attire, as it is a sacred place.Visited October 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 19 October 2024
- Miri VMadrid, Spain4,450 contributionsLovely templeBeautiful temple with several spaces worth touring. The highlight is the cave, whose entrance is decorated with a monstrous face and details on top that evoke the shape of an elephant. The sacred ponds in front of the cave are very beautiful and represent a place of purification. In addition, there is another area to walk quietly, where you will find a large pond, a waterfall and paths that lead to the river, all surrounded by nature. If you are not wearing a skirt or long pants, you can borrow a sarong at the entrance so you can visit.Visited July 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 21 October 2024
- Shivali SAhmedabad, India256 contributionsElephant caveThis temple cave is famous for a wonderful picture. It is a very old 11th century temple of Lord Shiva and Lord Ganesh. The cave entrance is impressive elephant. The temple complex also has Buddhist temple and a waterfalls. The steps to reach the elephant cave is about 30-40 and for getting down further you have about 50 steps. Not advisable for people with knee problems.Visited November 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 6 November 2024
- MTD P9 contributionsGood Temple for short visitThe cave itself was very small and took less than 5 minutes to see the inside cave. The overall temple and botanical garden was very pretty. You will need to try at least 1/2 price haggle for the souvenir shops nearby the temple. The tickets do cover scarf for legs covering however unsure when this service will end so Bring scarves or wear long pants or skirts, this apply to both male and female.Visited November 2024Travelled with familyWritten 10 November 2024
- Elise C12 contributionsBeautiful temple and grounds.I thought this temple was worth seeing. Sacred, Very old, was destroyed by a volcanic eruption and then excavated. There also is a waterfall you can swim in. I felt the experience was really improved by having an onsite guide explain the place to us but we got confused about the price and ended up paying a lot (entry fee was ok, guide price too high) make sure you discuss the fee first. To enter the temple you need to wear a sarong. This is provided. However shop owners near the car park will run out to dress you in their sarongs hoping you'll buy them. Be ready for this if you are not looking to buy. Enjoy 😊Visited February 2025Travelled as a coupleWritten 4 February 2025
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
3.5
5,164 reviews
Excellent
1,219
Very good
1,937
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1,519
Poor
363
Terrible
126
P G
Perth, Australia63 contributions
Dec 2023 • Family
I’d seen this cave and religious site on a list of temples in Bali, and decided to include it on a day trip itinerary.
It is well worth the visit. The site is fairly compact, though with a few flights of stairs to access.
The carvings and cave setting is fascinating, and a good contrast to some later religious sites.
It is well worth the visit. The site is fairly compact, though with a few flights of stairs to access.
The carvings and cave setting is fascinating, and a good contrast to some later religious sites.
Written 3 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Johnny
Hong Kong, China64 contributions
Oct 2023 • Solo
Beautiful temple with a cave (elephant cave). it’s quite nice to visit however there are quite a lot of stairs to climb. There are not many people when I visited in the afternoon.
There is an entrance fee of 50k and i get a sarong to cover my knees in order to enter
There is an entrance fee of 50k and i get a sarong to cover my knees in order to enter
Written 17 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
llshan
14 contributions
Jun 2022 • Solo
There is a Hindu and Buddhist temple inside. It is quite a small temple and there is nothing much of the info on what I had visited. The price of IDR50,000 is also a bit pricy consider the size of the temple.
There is some guide who offer to tour around at a fee. Be aware of some people here who offered to help you take a picture and followed you during your visit. I was skeptical at the first place and thought that I might be over cautious. However, the person actually followed us and passionly explained some of the history of the temple and in the end ask for money of IDR150,000 for me and my parents which is ridiculous. I paid him but I feel it is not really ethical as he should have mentioned that and asked if we need his service.
There is some guide who offer to tour around at a fee. Be aware of some people here who offered to help you take a picture and followed you during your visit. I was skeptical at the first place and thought that I might be over cautious. However, the person actually followed us and passionly explained some of the history of the temple and in the end ask for money of IDR150,000 for me and my parents which is ridiculous. I paid him but I feel it is not really ethical as he should have mentioned that and asked if we need his service.
Written 14 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rose R
London, UK18 contributions
Nov 2024 • Solo
The set up of this landmark does not do it proud, sadly. On entry in the carpark (as a single female) I was bombarded with quite aggressive shouting from female market traders that I needed to buy one of their sarongs to be able to go in. I knew this wasn’t true and that one would be provided at the entrance, so I walked on. After buying your ticket, on entry, there is no signage explaining the cultural or historical significance of *anything*. The layout isn’t clear and some parts are like wondering into storage areas or rubbish dumps. There are a few locals who sweetly offer to tell you information on the area - and then explain they’ll do it for a fee. I could over hear a few of their anecdotes and I can confirm - absolutely not worth it. The weirdest moment was walking over to the Buddhist temple, which I thought might be handled with a bit more spiritual tact. A man started shouting to me asking where I was from, as soon as I answered he blocked my path and started repeating how a pagoda had fallen down here in ‘93..that was the extent of the info. He continued to block the path I was going to take and act as if I was following him - and then of course as a result asked for his fee. How this landmark of spiritual significance is handled is pretty poor. The steps around the jungle provided a few nice photos but really it’s not worth the visit, and it left a sour taste.
Written 13 November 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
It’s Kats
Brisbane, Australia43 contributions
Mar 2023 • Family
Family travelling with 3 and 6 year old: look would we come back - probably not. It was interesting. There are lots of steps, our girls were fine. BEWARE: there are people inside the temple who approach you to take you on a tour, these people will charge you for the tour. We paid to get inside the temple and therefore thought they worked there and were telling us about the history (which we thought was part of admission). We were not told up front about this would cost additional and only told at the end when the guy asked us for payment for the tour!
Written 29 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alimay414
Charlotte, NC50 contributions
May 2024 • Solo
It’s honestly just another temple with a lot of different Balinese people selling items. There is no tour guide however the locals will offer to give you a tour for $20.00! Then when you say no they offer it for half price or whatever you want to pay. Complete waste of time, there a lot of other really nice temples in Bali beside this one. Also it’s not very well kept and the hounding from the market people is annoying
Written 25 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mayi Barov
Los Angeles, CA1,554 contributions
Mar 2023 • Couples
Exploring the Goa Gajah, or Elephant Cave, in Bali is like stepping back in time. The ancient carvings and structures within the cave offer a glimpse into Bali’s rich history and spirituality. Surrounded by lush vegetation and serene ambiance, it’s a peaceful retreat perfect for both cultural enthusiasts and nature lovers alike. A truly captivating experience worth adding to your Bali itinerary.
Written 15 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sirisha
Omaha323 contributions
Jan 2024 • Family
This temple is located in a very scenic location. The temple gives a sarong to cover up and then you walk down a few steps to reach the elephant cave. At the bottom, you will find some old people waiting and they will volunteer their services as a guide. In fact, they will tell you that it’s okay if you don’t pay them, but they expect you to give them at least 100,000 IDR at the end of the tour. It is not worth employing these guides as they don’t speak good English and you really cannot understand what they are saying. They also don’t really know much about the history. It seems to be a way to make extra money.
I really enjoyed the temple though. It has the tri- Murti(Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwar) inside the cave and also Ganesha. And I actually felt very peaceful praying here. They also have holy water that can be sprinkled on your head as a blessing. We then walked around the property which has a small waterfall and a pond. We really loved this place and I highly recommend it.
I really enjoyed the temple though. It has the tri- Murti(Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwar) inside the cave and also Ganesha. And I actually felt very peaceful praying here. They also have holy water that can be sprinkled on your head as a blessing. We then walked around the property which has a small waterfall and a pond. We really loved this place and I highly recommend it.
Written 14 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alyssa Lie
Singapore, Singapore13 contributions
Dec 2022 • Solo
Arrived via GoBike and immediately people were trying to sell me sarongs (even though the ticket price already included a sarong). The price for the ticket is 50k - way too much, in my opinion for some quick sightseeing of the Hindu (Elephant Cave) and Buddhist temples. Immediately upon entering, I was approached by a local guide whom I offered 50k at the end of the trip (but then he asked for 100k, but I didn’t have the money on hand). He helped me take some photos, but he didn’t share very much about the history because he wasn’t good in English and also because there wasn’t much to share. Much of the temple grounds were destroyed by a landslide/earthquake in 1917 (according to the guide there) so it’s mostly been rebuilt. Once is enough. :)
Written 7 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
keentraveller27
Hyderabad, India392 contributions
Dec 2022
There is a lot of history in this place . It is an old cave which has engraved head of an elephant carved. To reach the entrance one has to climb down a flight of stairs after purchasing the ticket which cost 50K IDR. this includes the sarong for men and women. Inside this cave are the shrines of Hindu Gods-Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma.
Written 22 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
¿Se puede ver la entrada a la cueva sin pagar la entrada?
Written 5 March 2020
Der Eingang ist nur mit Bezahlung zu sehen.
Es ist ein großes Gelände und die Höhle liegt unterhalb des Berges am Eingang.
Written 5 March 2020
Jak daleko - pěšky, to sem (Elephant Cave) je z hotelu Gatra Ubud Inn. Kolik km a jak dlouho trvá cesta pěšky, pomalou chůzí?
Written 22 September 2019
We are planning our trip and I was wondering if 1and half hours enough time to spend here?
Written 25 May 2019
1 hour should be enough - 30 minutes to go down and up the stairs and 30 minutes to visit. The name sounds exciting but there's not much to see
Written 26 May 2019
Can someone tell me approx how many stairs.
Written 15 April 2019
There are about 100 staircases going down towards Buddha statue.
Written 16 July 2019
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Written 26 November 2018
rules about Pregnant women entering the temples? I have read that most are off limits if you are pregnant?
Written 31 July 2018
It is okay for pregnant women, no menstruating women. It’s their culture.
Written 2 August 2018
noeemiehug
Nantes, France
Est-il vrai de pouvoir faire des balades à dos d'éléphant ? (vu dans un avis seulement)
Written 1 February 2018
Ya te lo han respondido. No hay elefantes. Pero si quieres montar, seguro que puedes hacerlo en algún otro lugar. De todas formas, mi consejo es que pienses, antes de hacerlo, en qué condiciones están cuidados los animales y si eso no te plantea ninguna cuestión ética. ;)
Written 24 February 2018
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