Carved into the rugged rock face of a ravine above the banks of the sacred Pakerisan River, this ancient hermitage niche is a remarkable archaeological site that offers a glimpse into Bali’s pre-Hindu past. Hidden discreetly in the quiet hamlet of Sawan Gunung, the site shelters a collection of pre-Hindu megaliths, silent remnants of an era long before the arrival of Hindu-Buddhist influence on the island.

Originally known as Wangcun, this 2,000-year-old village began as a sleepy Tujia ethnic settlement, a place of modest traditions and ancestral spirit worship. The village sits dramatically on a cliff above the You River, with traditional stilted houses overlooking the Furong Waterfall, a 60-meter drop that dominates both the landscape and local legends.