Standing guard on Seminyak’s busy beachfront is Pura Petitenget (50,000Rp), one of Bali’s six sea temples built to protect the island from evil spirits. Its name translates loosely as "magic chest" and relates to the time, according to legend, the Hindu priest Dang Hyang Nirartha transformed Buto Ijo, a malicious beast, into the guardian of the nearby village.
As Nirartha exorcised evil spirits from the area, he captured them in wooden chests, which were kept under the watch of Buto Ijo. With the iconic candi bentar (split gateway) flanked by naga (mythical snake-like creature) statues at its entrance, meru (a multitiered shrine) and the intricate stone carvings on the walls and around doorways, Pura Petitenget is a fantastic example of Balinese temple architecture.
