On the island of Nusa Penida, you can find an incredible cave temple known as Goa Giri Putri Temple.
The temple entrance isn’t the easiest thing to spot which is odd because it’s quite an enormous cave when you get inside.
Here’s everything you need to know about visiting Pura Goa Giri Putri before you book a trip from mainland Bali to the island of Nusa Penida.
Where Is Goa Giri Putri Temple?
Goa Giri Putri Temple is in Suana Village on the island of Nusa Penida which is a short boat ride from the mainland of Bali.
Address: 7HRP+CC9, Suana, Nusa Penida, Klungkung Regency, Bali 80771, Indonesia
How To Get To Goa Giri Putri Temple
To get to Goa Giri Putri Temple you will need to take a boat (either a ferry or a fast boat) from Bali to Nusa Penida.
You can get these easily from Sanur Port and Padang Bai Port and it’s not expensive to use either method.
A fast boat gets you to Nusa Penida in about 30 minutes, the ferry can take up to an hour.
Once you reach Nusa Penida you will need to arrange local transport to Pura Goa Giri Putri. There are plenty of taxi touts and scooter rental firms where you can strike a bargain for a ride.
When Is The Best Time To Visit Goa Giri Putri Temple?
This is a cave temple and thus, Pura Goa Giri Putri is relatively immune to the weather.
That means you can visit at any time of the day when the compound is open to visitors and enjoy the natural beauty inside the largest cave on Nusa Penida.
We would note, however, that the boat ride to Nusa Penida is often best undertaken in calm sea conditions and these are more likely, though not guaranteed, during the dry season.
As with all attractions in Bali, Pura Goa Giri Putri Temple can get kind of busy later in the day, and if you want to enjoy the sight of the temple relatively undisturbed you might want to visit in the morning.
Is There An Entrance Fee For Goa Giri Putri Temple?
There is no official entrance fee, however, visitors are supposed to make a donation towards the temple funds at Goa Giri Putri Temple of 20,000 IDR per person (that’s about $1.50 USD or $2 AUD).
This is very reasonable and if you need a sarong and shawl, the donation includes the rental of these items.
Please make sure to respect the dress code as you can get into real trouble otherwise.
After you pay the donation-based entrance fee, you will be asked to take part in a purification ritual.
After you’ve completed that, you will be led by a priest to the temple entrance. It’s not easy to find by yourself.
You will have to crouch down and almost crawl to get inside the cave.
What To Expect At Goa Giri Putri Temple
Once you are inside the cave, you will find it’s quite well lit with artificial lights and you can follow the path and visit all of the different temples in the complex.
If you’re participating in the full purification ritual, then it’s going to take about two and a half hours to complete all the steps.
In the centre of the compound is a staircase that leads upwards, be warned this isn’t something you want to do if you suffer from claustrophobia as it leads to another much smaller cave that’s quite suffocating.
At the final temple in the cave, they hold a mixed Buddhist and Hindu ceremony based on the Trimurti bracelet.
The priests will ask you to drink some holy water and then have it poured into your open palms. The ceremony ends when some grains of rice are gently stuck to your forehead.
There’s also a Chinese Buddhist ceremony for Guan Yin (the Goddess of compassion) where some ash is placed on your forehead.
Tourists should leave another donation if they participate in either ceremony.
What To Do Near Goa Giri Putri Temple
There’s not a huge amount to do on the Eastern Coast of Nusa Penida but there are a few things around Pura Goa Giri Putri including:
Pura Batu Medawu – a very popular local temple where you can witness great celebrations on festival days and many local activities including cockfighting. If you want to learn more about Balinese culture, this is a great place to get your education.
Broken Jetty – an interesting sight of a once well-maintained jetty left to run to ruin in the ocean waters. It makes for some great photos. But we strongly advise against trying to walk on it. It’s dangerous.
Tamarind Beach – this is a lovely sandy beach with a fabulous view out over the ocean, and it’s a great place for relaxing with friends. We’d recommend taking some drinks and snacks from the local warungs though as there are no facilities on this beach.
Pura Segara Watu Klotok Celagilandan – if you want to see a temple in the sea and don’t want to deal with the huge queues of tourists at Tanah Lot on the mainland, this small temple that is built on the end of a jetty in the sea is a good alternative. It gets almost no visitors apart from the locals so you should get it all to yourself.
Turtle Point – as you might expect this is a great spot for turtle watching and Bali is home to many of the world’s sea turtle species. You’re welcome to swim here after eating at Fun Penida and snorkeling with turtles is a really amazing experience.
Where To Eat Near Goa Giri Putri Temple
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Point Plus & Lido Bar Nusa Penida – a nice restaurant serving a variety of international dishes including the best hummus on Nusa Penida.
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SeaTara Kitchen Grill & Bar – a lovely beachside restaurant with a view out over the ocean and an extensive menu. The food is very good and the waiters are very helpful and friendly.
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Fun Penida – one of the best-known and most popular restaurants in the area with an ocean view. The vibe is excellent but the food is really only OK.
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Ogix Warung – if you love grilled fresh fish, you’ll love Ogix Warung which makes the absolute best meals from the catch of the day.
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The Chill Penida – Nusa Penida’s best-known restaurant and a very popular spot at sunset. The food and drinks here are great value for money.
Check out our article about the best restaurants in Nusa Penida too.
Where To Stay Near Goa Giri Putri Temple
There are loads of great places to stay near the cave temple and they include these places all within a short walk of the mountain the cave temple is in:
Cave Beach Bungalow – these beautiful beachside bungalows are quite comfortable but allow for very little privacy. Be sure to take breakfast on the terrace at sunrise, it’s awesome.
The Sagara Penida – a stunning beachside resort with an incredible pool area that you can chill by all day long.
Goa Giri Hill Bungalow – a lovely view over the ocean and some very comfortable and clean rooms make this a superb bargain place to stay in Nusa Penida. However, be warned the breakfast on the balcony can get a bit warm as there’s no shade and the sun is right in front of you.
DESILA Beach House – a fabulous and very affordable beach house with decent rooms that offer direct access to the sea. The room rate includes a very good free breakfast too.
Adara Beach Huts – the rooms are big and comfy, the pool area is pleasant and there are decent sea views from most of the resort. The breakfast is a bit average though.
FAQs
What Is The Dress Code For Goa Giri Putri Temple
The dress code for all Balinese temples and sacred site(s) is the same. You must wear a sarong and a shawl to enter.
These can usually be rented or purchased (cheaply) near to the entrance of each temple.
Dressing like this is of great significance to the devotees who use these temples and failing to dress properly is a grievous insult which can see you asked to leave the temple or even arrested and deported.
How To Book A Holiday To See Goa Giri Putri Temple
If you want to see Pura Goa Giri Putri Temple then we can recommend that you book a holiday in Bali and Nusa Penida through the Bali Res Centre.
That’s a local specialist travel agency that can ensure you get the best deal on flights, accommodation, tours and more.
Final Thoughts On Goa Giri Putri Temple
Goa Giri Putri Temple is a really interesting place and one of the few temples in Bali where you can get fully involved in the ceremonies.
If you’re staying in Nusa Penida, we’d strongly recommend visiting.
