Every time I go to Bali something wonderful happens and this last time was no exception.  I sat with feet tucked neatly underneath me on the cold damp ground.  My palms were pressed together with yellow flowers between the tips of my fingers as I looked up at my outstretched hands. In the mystically dim light I was blessed by a Hindu priest at one of Bali’s holiest temples : the cave temple at Goa Gong.  For the last three years I had been travelling from London to Bali to oversee the building of our villa, The Longhouse, on Jimbaran Hill located just off Goa Gong road.  The temple had always been a landmark when giving directions for deliveries of furniture and such…..“just turn left before the temple.”  Many of Bali’s temples are architectural wonders that entice postcard perfect photos by tirelessly appreciative tourists.  But the temple at Goa Gong is not open to the public and the small door to this cave temple is usually tightly shut.  It blends almost seamlessly into the rocky landscape.

“Do you think that there is a way that we can go to see the temple at Goa Gong?”, I asked Heppy, one of our staff members who is married to a man from the nearby village. She came back with the reply the following evening.  We could go to see the temple, but they needed at least three days notice.  She continued shyly, “Would it be possible for some of the staff to accompany you?”  I was delighted.  “Of course”, I said.  She spoke slowly and her eyes sparkled.  “The staff would like to have a special ceremony for the Longhouse at the temple at Goa Gong on Sunday.” 

The timing was perfect.  My husband would be arriving from Singapore on Saturday and the two friends, Mahand and Lucy, who had been staying at the Longhouse with me, would still be here.  The staff would prepare the offerings.  In the meantime, I would ensure that everyone was properly attired to enter the temple.  It would be necessary to wear a sarong, a blouse covering the shoulders and most importantly a sash to be tied around the waist.

Since we had spent several days touring the island, Mahand, Lucy and I already decided to spend the next two days enjoying the Longhouse.  We swam and exercised in the house gym (to try and cancel out the fabulous food we were enjoying!), walked in the garden, and pampered ourselves in the spa room with fabulous massages and facials.

Our Longhouse chef, Ngurah, organized a market tour and cooking class for the ladies.  The days flew by so quickly that we didn’t even find time to do the fighting kites, Balinese flower arranging or even the Balinese dance lessons
that I had asked our staff to prepare for our visitors!  The night before the ceremony, I asked a good friend, Toni Tack, a prominent Southeast Asian historian and archaeologist, to come and give us a lecture in the Longhouse Home Theatre.  Toni gave a wonderfully illustrated talk on the islands East of Bali.  But…by a stroke of luck, she had recently been researching the geology and history about Jimbaran and Uluwatu, the area where we are located, and was able to share some fascinating facts with us.  The temple at Goa Gong was a very old one indeed and had been a sacred site long before the Majapahits swept through Bali around the 14th century leaving it the Hindu kingdom it remains today.  The temple boasts a meditation place that is reputed to have extremely strong vibrations.  Within the temple is a stalactite which when struck emits a powerful sound, a sacred event that occurs only twice a year.  We sat with Toni long into the night curled on sofas in the main open air pavilion.  As we gazed at the thousands of twinkling lights that make up the Longhouse’s night time view, Toni enchanted us with stories and legends of this wonderful island.

The next morning we rose early.   Heppy and Sudani helped us dress.  They wrapped our colourful batik sarongs neatly and tied our sashes so elegantly that we felt from a distance we might possibly be mistaken for Balinese.   My husband, Robin, joined us in the kejang (car) and Heppy and Sudani jumped in the back with the offerings.  The rest of the staff hopped on their motorbikes for the five minute ride to the temple. 

We gathered outside the small opening to the cave as another group finished their ceremony.  Then it was our turn.  We walked barefoot through the small doorway and into the dimly lit cave.  The priest welcomed us solemnly as our small group arranged ourselves respectfully on the floor.  The temple itself was simple and consisted of several chambers.  The entry chamber was simple but furnished with a long table draped in a golden fabric which served as an altar where the offerings were placed.

The priest sat before us dressed in white.  Sudani went to the front so that we could follow her movements.  The priest prayed and sprinkled us with holy water as we picked up flowers, placed them between our fingertips and then raised our hands, finishing by tucking them into our hair.  We anointed ourselves with rice on our heads and our hearts.  Lastly the priest offered us holy water to drink.  When the ceremony was finished, the priest asked if we had any questions.  I worked up my courage.  “Would it be possible to see the meditation place?”  His eyes opened wide and for the first time, he smiled warmly.  “You know about that?  Please follow me.”  Slowly he showed us the hidden parts of the temple: the place where the holy water was caught in huge drums as it dripped through the limestone, the treasured stalactite that was used in the biannual ceremony of the temple and, lastly, we were allowed to peek into the meditation chamber, that ancient and sacred place.

As we prepared to leave, we thanked him for his generosity and kindness in showing us the secrets of this special monument.  Then he stopped. “This temple is now Hindu and I am a Hindu priest, but really anyone can pray here – no matter what the religion, the prayers all go to the same place.”  This is Bali.  The Balinese people are the most precious treasure on this enchanted island.  They possess a remarkable and welcoming acceptance of cultural differences while staying true to their own strong traditions. Simple rituals and ceremonies anchor every moment of their existence.  Many thousands of visitors flock to Bali from every corner of the world and the Balinese warmly receive all comers with genuine smiles and open hearts.  The people, coupled with their island’s wonderful natural beauty, make Bali a true paradise on earth.  It is a magical place that seduces me every time I’m there.

The six bedroom Longhouse is available for rental throughout the year at a surprisingly reasonable rate.  Rental includes a staff of 12, a resident chef, use of all the house facilities such as the infinity swimming pool, dedicated spa room, home theatre, gym, car and driver. 

Visit www.thelonghousebali.com
or contact Linda at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it