The iconic statue, depicting Gatotkaca standing on his enemy’s chariot, has become an attraction for motorcyclists, and many tourists as well, to stop just to take a picture or to unwind for a moment. Gatotkaca is the tragic hero from great Hindu epic, the Mahabharata.
The white statue is surrounded by a small pond with a fountain flowing from an elephant’s trunk in a crafted whorl. Around the statue, which was inaugurated on October 30, 1993, by the then-Bali Governor IB Oka, there is a small garden planted with a big cacti, colorful flowers and Japanese grass, with a footpath to enable visitors to walk around.
Since the statue is located near Ngurah Rai airport, it has often been the first stopover for domestic tourists who have just arrived in Bali, stopping simply to take a photo of themselves in front of Gatotkaca. Some parents like to come there just to take a rest while watching their children playing in the garden. While couples find it to be an ideal place as the garden offers a quite romantic atmosphere, although they have to withstand the embarrassment of being seen by passersby on the main Tuban road. The location is accessible by car and motorcycle and it is very easy to find, being only around 5 minutes from the airport if you’re not stuck in a traffic jam. Having a picnic here does not require you to bring food, since there are many food vendors selling meatball soup, grilled corn or boiled peanuts.