I am staying at Tjampuhan outside of Ubud for three nights. Has anyone been to the Tanah Lot sunset tour that includes a dinner and balinese dance show? I am only in Bali for 2.5 days and am planning on going with a guide the first day. However the second day, I'm thinking I would like to hit the market and perhaps be somewhere to see a beautiful sunset. I am an avid photographer, single woman traveling by herself, so I'd like to be in some sort of group at a unique beautiful spot for sunset one night. Is Tanah lot really that touristy? Has anyone been on a morning rice paddy walk and if so, how did that work? many thanks in advance for your help!

you might want to consider the sunset from ulwaltu (sp) temple with the dance show there??

Tanah Lot is gorgeous! It has been years since I've been there, and I would expect lots of tourists. But you can get great photos.

mhohol, Tanah Lot is very scenic on a cliff overlooking a rugged stretch of beach. Some years back (15ish?)the Jakarta government allowed the Meridien to build a resort and golf course that encompasses the temple property. It was and still is very controversial and can be quite a surprise if you're expecting a pristine religious experience.

The temple is still situated in one of the nicest coastal locations and you'd most likely get a good sunset, depending on the time of year. It's about an hour to an hour and half drive from Ubud.

Ulu Watu is more remote but would add another hour to your travel time.

In those dinner and dance combinations the dinners are usually surprisingly bad and the dances surprisingly good.

Yes, definitely go on morning walk -- rice paddies, markets, village life. It helps to be with a guide but you can safely wander by yourself as well. The Balinese are wonderfully friendly.

Marmot, I remember reading something about the Le Meridien. How intrusive is it?

I wouldn't say that the proximity of the Meridien is any more intrusive than the overall tourist driven riffraff around the temple which is a VERY popular destination.

There was just a lot of bad feeling between the locals who consider the temple grounds sacred and the Jakarta administration who benefited financially from the deal with the international hotel chain.

The temple itself is not much to write home about. It's only accessible during lowtide so most people view it from one of the vantage points on the cliff, including the Meridien. It's the temple's setting on a rocky islet outlined against the sunset that makes it so attractive to photographers.

Thanks, I was wondering whether the hotel interfered with the lovely vista of Tanah Lot. It's been probably close to 20 years sine I was last at Tanah Lot though I've been to Bali and other parts of Indonesia since then.