The name Goa Lawah comes from two words: goa which means ' cave ' and lawah meaning ' bat '. It is important to underline that the Hindus who visit Goa Lawah temple did not worship bats and caves; they worship God, Ida Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa are its manifestations as gods Maheswara are believed to be residing in Goa Lawah Temple.
This temple is one of Sad Kahyangan, six major temples in Bali, and is located at the bottom of the Hill known as Bukit Sari, and close to the beach, the beaches of Goa Lawah. Thus believed to have natural good spirit of the hills and the sea.
Status of Goa Lawah temple as Sad Kahyangan means that Hindus from all over Indonesia can worship at the shrine, without public differences with the family, caste or geographical background.
The type of Shrine that is found in the inner courtyard (meru), it is believed that Goa Lawah temple built by Mpu Kuturan, a Hindu priest during his religious journey to Bali from East Java on approximately the 10th century.
