Gunung Kawi

In the bottom of this lush green valley is one of Bali's oldest and largest ancient monuments. Gunung Kawi consists of 10 rock-cut candi (shrines): memorials cut out of the rock face in imitation of actual statues. They stand in 7m/23ft-high sheltered niches cut into the sheer cliff face.

A solitary candi (memorial) stands about a kilometre further down the valley to the south; this is reached by a trek through the rice paddies on the western side of the river.

Each candi is believed to be a memorial to a member of the 11th-century Balinese royalty, but little is known for certain. Legends relate that the whole group of memorials was carved out of the rock face in one hard-working night by the mighty fingernails of Kebo Iwa.

One theory is that the whole complex is dedicated to Anak Wungsu, his wives, concubines and, in the case of the remote 10th candi, to a royal minister.