The spectacularly located Tanah Lot is possibly the best know and most photographed temple on Bali. The tourist crowds here are phenomenal, especially at sunset, and the commercial hype is terrible. Tanah Lot Sunset tour are heavily promoted in all the tourist areas. The temple, perched on a little rocky islet, looks superb whether delicately lit by the dawn light or starkly outlined at sunset.

For the Balinese, Tanah Lot is one of the important and venerated sea temples. Like Pura Luhur Uluwatu, at the southern end of the island, Tanah Lot is closely associated with the 16th - century Majapahit priest, Nirartha. It's said that Nirartha passed by here and, impressed with the tiny island's superb setting, suggested to local villagers that this would be a good place to construct a temple.