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Did we go to Goa Gajah? Yes! Can I prove it with photos? Nope!
I have a gravitational pull for ceremonies at sacred sites but feel like I am intruding if I take photos of people performing, or participating in these ceremonies. Don’t get me wrong, I love taking photos, but I also love smelling the incense wafting through the air, listening to the chanting, songs and prayers. Allowing the kaleidoscope of colours from ceremonial outfits, offerings and decorations to be etched into my memories forever.
Also, my tolerance level for waiting to take photos is negative-a-bzillion. Hence, no tourist-worthy photo at the entrance to the Elephant Cave. If you don’t want to queue then get there early, it really does make a gorgeous photo!
Cost
Adult 15,000 Rp (~AUD$1.50)
Child 7,500 Rp (~AUD $0.75)
Getting There
Goa Gajah was on the standard tours offered by hotel and tour guides and is only 15 minutes from Ubud. We arranged a driver for a half day trip for 350,000 Rp (~AUD$35) and visited:
- Yeh Pulu
- Goa Gajah (Elephant Cave)
- Setia Darma House of Puppets
- Tegenungan Waterfall
Tips for Visiting with Children
Get there early to avoid the crowds. Small children might find the cave scary as it is dimly lit and can look smoky with constant incense burning. The incense in the cave also might not be great for people with respiratory conditions.
As a general tip, we found the heat and humidity were too much for Noodle (7.5 years at the time) so did multiple half day trips instead of full-day trips.
More Information
There are lots of photos on the Bali Bible website or head to Trip Advisor to see current reviews.