Ular Suci or Holy Snake – Tanah Lot – Bali 2019-01 by
Andrew Priest, on Flickr
We visited Tanah Lot, Bali, Indonesia, in September – October 2019. One of the more interesting experiences was this “Ular Suci or Holy Snake” at Tanah Lot, Tabanan. Venomous sea snakes are common in the sea at Tanah Lot and are believed to protect the temple.
Despite assurances it was not venomous, I didn’t take up the offer to touch it. Thankfully I didn’t try my lot as the snake is, in fact, a Banded Sea Krait (Laticauda colubrina), one of Bali’s six venomous snakes, and it is highly venomous. There is also no antivenom.
Apologies for the quality of the photo. It was taken in a cave, and the snake was lit by an old torch to the right.