Tallest Buddha statue to be built on Gilimanuk Bali

The Balinese people, known for being such spiritual people, are building what may be considered as the tallest Buddha statue in Bali.

The statue, built particularly in Gilimanuk, Jembrana, Bali, will cost about Rp 1 billion and is expected to become an addition to the tourist attractions in the island alongside the many villas in Bali for rent that display the Balinese artistry. It is planned to be unveiled this coming June 6.

The 25-meter high Buddha statue is constructed within the Empu Astapaka monastery.

According to Sudiarta Indrajaya, the Chairman of Bali’s Indonesian Buddhist Theravada Council, this statue is going to be the biggest of its kind today.

“This will be a new icon for Bali as the ‘Island of Dharma’,” he added.

About Gilimanuk

Gilimanuk is located in the west of Bali which is also considered a port town. It is where you can find quite a number of Muslims who have moved from Java.

Since Gilimanuk is a port town, people come here as it is the port for ferries that travel to and from Banyuwangi in Java. The travel takes only about 30 minutes but the loading and the unloading are the ones that take up much time. If you want to catch a ferry, remember that there is a ferry that runs every 20 minutes for the whole 24 hours. Fares are set at Rp6000 per person. Per car, it would cost you Rp95,000 and per motorbike, it would cost you Rp31,000.

To make sure that safety and security are monitored, there are longer cues since checking is imperative.

If you access Gilimanuk by land, you can do so by hailing a bemo or bus from Denpasar which will cost you Rp 30,000-50,000. This rate depends on the quality of your car so expect higher fees if you choose the better looking one. The travel would take about 3 hours.

Since the town is very small, there is nothing much to do and you can finish exploring the place within a day. With this, it is also recommended that you stay somewhere else as the accommodation options in Gilimanuk are limited and are usually availed by truck drivers. You can stay, instead, in any of the Bali villas found in Denpasar which is the closest area to Gilimanuk. Also quite a number of villas in Bali for rent can be found in Kuta, Nusa Dua, as well as in Legian and Seminyak, Bali.