Indonesia Tanah Lot, Bali

Tanah Lot is a remarkable temple set on an island of rocks just offshore in Bali, Indonesia. Although heavily visited and photographed, it's hard not to pass on a sunset shoot of the western facing facing view over the beautiful ocean that washes the coast of Bali.

Pura Besakih is known as the largest temple in Bali, perhaps one of the biggest Hindu temples in the world. If you go to Bali, make sure you visit Besakih and a unique temple, the Pura Batu Bolong. This unique temple can be found on the beach Segara Batu Bolong, in the traditional village of Canggu, North Kuta district, Badung. Batu Bolong temple is facing the sea south of the island of Bali. Distance from Denpasar to the location of the temple about 7 km. From the location of the temple pamedek can witness the beautiful scenery along the coastline in the area of Kuta and the Bukit.

Get there well before sunset if you want to stake out a spot. The crowds come thick and fast around sunset. Unless you are shooting HDR/bracketed exposure stacking, you will probably want to use a gradient ND filter since the sun is quite strong. Bali is best known for its postcard sunsets but also consider the monsoon season for dramatic skies (and slightly fewer tourists).

Tuk tuk or taxi or scooter to Tanah Lot (parking available). There is an entrance fee equivalent to a few US dollars. Walk through the market down to the beach. A track wends its way along the coast with striking cliff formations all along the path. A bit of research should tell you when low tide and sunset coincide. The temple is more or less inaccessible from the beach at high tide.