Old Man's Mural & Batu Bolong Beach Bar
Old Man's bar at Batu Bolong Beach in Canggu, Bali, features a famous blue-and-white mural created in 2013 by Australian artist Lucas Grogan. The beach venue sits adjacent to a sacred temple linked to 11th-century priest Mpu Kuturan, where fresh holy water springs from a hollow stone. The surrounding surf break offers rides in both left and right directions.
Canggu, Bali Β· from the walk βCanggu Unlocked: Surf, Murals & Island Vibesβ Β· audio ~3 min Β· Generated
Jl. Pantai Batu Bolong, Canggu, Bali
- Australian artist Lucas Grogan, born in 1984, painted the signature blue-and-white mural at Old Man's in 2013.
- The name Batu Bolong translates to hollow stone, referring to a freshwater spring producing sacred Tirtha water.
- The sacred temple at Batu Bolong Beach in Canggu traces its origin to eleventh-century priest Mpu Kuturan.
- Fifteenth-century holy priest Dang Hyang Nirartha is historically connected to the temple site at Batu Bolong.
Who painted the blue-and-white mural at Old Man's bar in Canggu?
Okay, so take a look at this wall right here. Those wild blue-and-white swirls, the intricate patterns covering every inch of Old Man's... This isn't just random street art. These awesome murals were created by Australian artist Lucas Grogan β and they've become arguably the most photographed artwork in All of Bali. Here's what's cool about Lucas. He was born in nineteen eighty-four in Cooma, New South Wales, and his signature style is almost Always blue and white. That's it. Just two colors. But look how much he does with them! His inspirations are incredibly diverse β drawing from Islamic motifs, traditional Aboriginal paintings, and contemporary culture. You can see all of that mixing together right here on this wall. He painted this mural back in twenty thirteen, and the guy was only twenty-nine years old. But already a big deal β his career took off when he was featured in the Biennale of Sydney at just twenty-four. Now look around you. Smoothie bowls, surf shops, digital nomads on laptops everywhere. Hard to believe, right? But Canggu has undergone a Dramatic transformation over the past decade β it was once a sleepy coastal village dotted with rice paddies and local warungs. Only the most adventurous surfers knew about its black-sand beaches. And This spot β Old Man's β is basically ground zero for that whole transformation. The bar got its name from the surf break right out front at Batu Bolong Beach. And that name... Batu Bolong? It actually has an ancient meaning. "Batu" means stone, and "Bolong" means hollow. From this hollow stone, fresh water springs up, and that water is used as holy water β called Tirtha. The temple here is centuries old, and its existence is linked to the journeys of holy priests Mpu Kuturan in the eleventh century and Dang Hyang Nirartha in the fifteenth century. So while everyone's snapping selfies with the mural, just a few steps away there's a sacred site where Balinese families still come to pray and perform purification rituals. That's the magic of this spot. One minute you're staring at a world-famous mural by a Melbourne artist... the next you notice incense drifting from a temple that's been here for hundreds of years. Batu Bolong's popularity mirrors Canggu's own rapid transformation β where the old Bali surf spirit crashes headlong into the new wave of digital nomads and international party people. Oh, and one more thing β the surf break here actually goes both left And right. The right-hander breaks all the way into the canal, and if you're looking for a lengthy ride on an open face, that's your best bet. So if any of you are thinking about grabbing a board later... this is literally one of the best beginner spots on the island. Just saying.