Tanah Lot is a name given by a priest who is doing the spread of Hinduism, named Dang Hyang Nirartha who came from East Java. At that time the ruler of Tanah Lot, Bendesa Beraben, envied him because his followers began to abandon him and follow Sanghyang Nirantha. Bendesa Beraben ordered Sanghyang Nirantha to leave Tanah Lot.
At the time he came to Bali to carry out his mission, King Dalem Waturenggong who ruled on the island of Bali at that time welcomed him with great respect. He spread the Hindu religion to remote parts of Bali Island. One time while he was performing his duties, he saw the sacred rays from the southeast and he followed them to the origin that turned out to be the source of the spring.
Not far from where he found a very beautiful place called "Gili Beo" (Gili means Rock and Beo means Bird) so the place is a Bird-shaped Rock. This is where he performs meditation and worship of the Lord of the Sea.
He undertakes and before leaving Tanah Lot, he with his power move the Stone Slag to the center of the beach (not to the middle of the sea) and Dang Hyang Nirartha builds the temple on the stone boulder called Tanah Lot Temple. Formerly this temple is not located outside the beach, but because the gradual sea water gradually become as a small island that docked to the beach. It is very visible this temple as if separated with the beach, especially if the sea is tide
