The Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park stands out as a major tourist attraction in Bali. It features Indonesia's tallest statue and serves as a platform for visitors to delve into the legendary folklore of Southern Bali, which continues to shape the contemporary culture of Bali.
For those seeking captivating cultural performances, the sight of a colossal statue, traditional dance displays, browsing the offerings of the Bali Art Market Store, and perhaps finding unique souvenirs at the occasional GWK souvenir shop, the Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park offers an enriching experience. Here's why you'll enjoy GWK.
The Garuda Wisnu Kencana Park is about a 15-minute drive from the Ngurah Rai International Airport.
Its address is: Uluwatu St, Ungasan, South Kuta, Badung Regency, Bali 80364, Indonesia
If you want to visit the park, talk to our friends at the Bali Res Centre about getting tickets, arranging transport, etc.
About The Garuda Wisnu Kencana Statue
The statue was built to be the tallest in Indonesia and stands 122 meters (400 feet) above the ground, including the pedestal at the base (which is 46 meters tall in its own right!).
It began construction in 1990 but wasn’t finished until 2018. It was completed in July of that year, but in September, Joko Widodo (the Indonesian President) formally inaugurated it.
It is also the tallest statue of a Hindu God anywhere in the world! (It is the Hindu God Wisnu or Hindu God Vishnu, depending on how you transliterate it and his Garuda).
The History Of The GWK Statue
The Vishnu statue broke ground at Plaza Garuda in 1990. However, due to the economic crisis triggered by the collapse of the Tiger economies of Asia, work ground to a halt in 1997.
It only resumed again in 2013 after a property developer bought the site and agreed to finish it.
However, religious authorities were not exactly ecstatic about this news and instead felt that it was too big and might interfere with the spiritual nature of Bali.