Tanah Lot is a temple built on a rock, and you can walk out to it at low tide, but it is surrounded by water at high tide. It is only a short drive (30 to 45 minutes) from the main tourist area of Nusa Dua, and watching the sunset there makes for a wonderful evening.

We hired a taxi driver to take us there. He showed us how to get around a little bit and was happy to let us explore. (The total cost for the evening was less than $25). There is a small ceremony where you can receive a blessing from the temple priests.

It is a very scenic spot (but nearly every place in Bali is) and the sunset was very nice. On the walk from the parking area, there is a small market where you can buy various souvenirs and crafts. The wood carvings are wonderful. The sellers here are nice and low-key. Nobody pestered us to buy something, but if we stopped by their stall, that was great.

Tanah Lot during the day is nowhere as hectic as it is at dusk, as Tanah Lot is one of the best places in Bali from which to view the sunset at its best; with the temple in the foreground, it makes for great photos. Hence, after paying the entrance fee to enter the area and see the temple (3,000 Rupah per person), finding a car park was easy.

Burhan then directed us through the markets to the site of the Tanah Lot Temple. The old temple is beautifully located on a large rocky outcrop on the shore line. At high tide it cannot be reached. At low tide it is reachable, but not for the tourists, as only worshipers can enter. The exception is at certain times when ceremonies are held and it is open to visitors.

A new temple area has been built on the main land since I was last at Tanah Lot 9 years ago, and this is where the Balinese people who wish to worship at the temple sit and wait until the tide turns and they can gain access. Many interesting opportunities here for those who enjoy people-watching.

While we were there, Burhan took us for a short 5- to 10-minute walk along the coast line, past the new temple area, to another small temple/shrine area located on a small point that overlooks Tanah Lot and another neighbouring small temple/shrine. Burhan commented that there are several of these sites dotted, high on the cliff top, along the coastline. It certainly is a very beautiful part of the island.

After taking in the magnificent scenery, we took our time negotiating the markets stalls on the way back to the bemo. Because this is a popular tourist destination, the prices are a bit higher than on the streets of Kuta or Legian.

Once we were back in the bemo, we traveled for approximately 20- to 25-minutes back down the coast until we got to a coastal town called Canggu, great for surfing, but not on this day. The weather had turned more than a little overcast and the wind had come up and was causing havoc with the waves. There wasn’t even any beach to sit on. The surfboard never made it out of the van. Oh dear! Too bad! I am informed that the area can be very nice on a good day.

Back into the van, some with a slight look of sadness on their face, not that he hadn’t surfed every day and sometimes twice a day, back to the hotel we went, where the pool looked very inviting.

Following the masterpiece of the sunset, we climbed up the steep pathway to a cliff top for a performance of the Kecak Dance. Music and dance are an integral part of Balinese culture. Our guide told us that the Kecak or Monkey Dance is an absolute "must-see" for visitors. He was not wrong.

The story is a simple subplot of the Hindu epic Ramayana. In this version, Sita, the wife of Rama, is kidnapped by the evil king of Lanka. Rama recruits assistance from Sugriwa, a red monkey, and Hanoman, a white monkey, to find Sita. Hanoman finds Sita and attempts to destroy the palace of the evil king, but is captured and bound in a ring of fire. At the last minute, he is rescued by an army of monkey warriors (the chorus). Good once again triumphs over evil.

What makes the performance unique (besides the dramatic clifftop setting) is there is no Gamelan orchestra typical of other forms of Balinese dance. The only music is provided by a large chorus of 100-150 men and boys who sit bare-chested in a circle chanting a "chak-a-chak-a-chak" rhythm. The sun has set. In the deep night, the only light comes from the large bonfire in the center of the "stage." The combination of sound, light, and sight leave you feeling you have stepped into a National Geographic special.

When we got off the bus, we came upon a narrow pathway of cobblestones with all sorts of shops on both sides, waiting for tourists. One of the more poignant things I remember were the children, so tiny, and yet so well versed in peddling postcards and whatnots for one dollar, only one dollar .

As you get to the viewing area, there are tables and chairs all over, and naturally, everyone is jockeying for position to get the best view of the temple at sunset. We sat fairly close to the edge, and although I could see the caves, I did not spot any of the snakes.

Personally, I think there is way too much hoopla about this place and little substance. This does not diminish the temple’s standing as one of the 6 most important ones in Bali. It has its history traced to the 15th century when it is said to have been built by one of two priests. The name "Tanah Lot" means ancient land, or land of the south. There are beaches in the area, but not too many people as the majority come to see the temple and usually leave. Builders were trying to work with the government to allow them to put up some resorts in the area, as the regency of Tabanan is trying to establish itself as a draw. As of this writing, nothing has gone up yet.

We were joined by a young couple that had been here a bit longer than we had, and started to discuss the common places we had seen. They were serving food and beverages as well, and while our companions ate, Chuck and I had cold drinks. We had arrived while the sun was still bright, and waited patiently for sundown which is when the temple will look its most dramatic. Meanwhile, I could overhear from the crowd disagreements as to whether someone had spotted a snake, or many of them. As the sun came down, we took some photos, as did everyone else. The guides did not let us linger in the shops on the way back. If you need to make a choice between Tanah Lot and Uluwatu, choose the latter.