Pura Gunung Kawi is one of Bali's oldest and most spectacular archaeological sites, dating to the reign of King Anak Wungsu of the Warmadewa dynasty around 1080 CE. Nine enormous shrine facades — each standing approximately 7 metres tall — are carved directly into the face of a sheer volcanic cliff above the sacred Pakerisan River gorge. Each candhi (memorial shrine) is dedicated to deified royalty: the main group of five on the western bank is believed to honour King Anak Wungsu alongside four of his consorts, while four more shrines face them from the eastern bank. An active Balinese Hindu temple complex is integrated into the site, with working monks and daily offerings. To reach the site, visitors descend 315 steps through terraced rice fields — a descent that itself feels like a journey through time. The lower gorge is lush, cool, and echoing with the rush of the Pakerisan River. Allow at least two hours to explore the carvings, the monastery cells carved into the rock, and the surrounding paddies.