Tanah Lot, located in Beraban village in Tabanan regency, is about 30 kilometers from Denpasar. It has long been a favorite destination, close on the heels of Kuta Beach.
Last year, Tanah Lot welcomed 2.55 million visitors, 45 percent of whom were foreigners. The 36-hectare site mainly offers panoramic views of Tanah Lot Temple and rugged natural scenery where visitors can enjoy a stunning sunset. There are five other temples on the site, namely Pakendungan, Batu Mejan, Batu Bolong, Jro Kandang and Enjung Galuh.
Over the past two years, Tanah Lot has been undergoing a number of renovations to better serve visitors. Among the improvements is the construction of sidewalks, footpaths and ditches, as well as a parking lot expansion, among others. As many as 30 security personnel and 45 pecalang (traditional security guards) now also guard the site 24 hours every day.
Tanah Lot is on the list of planned places to visit for the APEC delegates. Other destinations were Tampak Siring and the Sanur Village Festival. Tanah Lot was considered for its beautiful natural panorama, while Tampak Siring is loaded with history and cultural elements. However, security will surely be tightened by engaging presidential security, the Bali Police and other related stakeholders. Tanah Lot already had extensive experience of being visited by representatives of international conferences held in Bali. Despite the rapidly approaching date for the APEC Summit in October, Bali Tourism Agency had not received any confirmation on which locations the visiting APEC delegates had chosen to visit.
As an international tourist destination, Bali has a lot of potential places to visit. According to the regional tourism agency, Bali has around 270 tourism attractions, which are already, or will be, developed.