The vacation has been awesome so far! For the past few days, we woke up to days of bright sunshine and clear blue skies. On the day we were to visit The Uluwatu Temple, mother nature rewarded us once again with the lovely weather. Perfect for the seaside and sightseeing.
Because of the nice sunny days, we were able to visit many beautiful beaches like Petitenget Beach, and temples like Tanah Lot. All the Best Places to visit in Bali, including The Uluwatu Temple.
We had seen lots of beautiful photos about this place. And were looking forward to be there in person, and experience all the beauty. Today, we will share with you all the charm of this wondrous place.
We will start from the entrance where you can get tickets and loan the sarong to adhere to their dress code. Then to the magnificent view of the cliff and Indian Ocean. And finally the enchanting Kecak Dance performance set against the most beautiful sunset.
And of course, there is the mention of the most Instagrammable spot here. Don’t forget to watch the video, too.
The Uluwatu Temple Review
Summary
Perched on the edge of a cliff, facing the vast Indian Ocean, The Uluwatu Temple is a sight you must see when you visit Bali, Indonesia. And don’t forget the popular Kecack Dance.
Video of The Uluwatu Temple
Before we continue, I would like to share with you a video I created featuring The Uluwatu Temple. In this video, there is the journey from the entrance to the scenic landscapes, breath taking view of the Indian Ocean, the Kecak Dance performance, and the famous sunset that everyone is talking about. Watch the video now.
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What To Do and See at The Uluwatu Temple?
It was so good to have a private car with driver and tour guide. We arrived in the late afternoon, and the car park was packed. The driver was so considerate that he alighted us near the ticket counter. This was so that he would handle finding a car park lot.
After the car was parked, he came along, and we gave him the money to buy the tickets. It was so much easier with a local speaking to the counter staff. Plus, he knew exactly what to do. After buying the tickets, he advised us on the right dress code.
What is the Dress Code at The Uluwatu Temple?
To dress appropriately and according to the dress code, we had to wear a sarong with a scarf or sash tied around the waist.
Don’t have one? No worries. They do provide the sarong and sash near the ticket counter. Again, the tour guide was so helpful. He taught us how to wear the purple sarong and bright orange sash.
Travel Tip – As a sign of respect, men and women must wear the sarong with a scarf or sash tied when visiting any temples in Bali. Get the ones provided by the temple.
What to See at The Uluwatu Temple?
After getting dressed as required, we walked through the gates of The Uluwatu Temple, down a path and into the temple grounds. It was so exciting to see so many people wandering about, and soaking in the sights.
At The Uluwatu Temple, besides the superb view of the temple, cliff, and Indian Ocean, most visitors were there to see the renowned Kecak Dance performance. The dance was performed against the backdrop of the sun setting into the Indian Ocean.
Our guide informed us that he would queue and get for us the tickets to see the popular and famous Kecak Dance performance. We were so naive and said we would queue with him.
He pointed to a long queue, a very very very long queue. Then smiled and answered that our time was better spent enjoying and seeing the sights. When we saw the queue, we were so relieved to have him help us. Our guide is the best!
Additional Travel Tip – Get the best tour guide who can make your vacation stress free, and a truly enjoyable one. Leave a comment, and I will connect you to the best tour guide in Bali.
How Did The Uluwatu Temple Get Its Name?
Freed from spending over an hour queuing for the dance tickets, we explored the area. As we walked around, a thought came back to my mind. I had always wondered about the names given to each place we visit. And I had wondered how The Uluwatu Temple got its name as well as what it means?
For the past few days before writing this article, I did some research. And I found out that The Uluwatu Temple is also known as Pura Luhur Uluwatu. First, Ulu means ‘land’s end’, and watu is for ‘rock’. This is in the old language. So, Uluwatu means ‘the rock at land’s end’. Isn’t that so cool?
As for the traditional name – Pura Luhur Uluwatu, the word Pura is Sanskrit for ‘city’, ‘walled city’, ‘towered city’, or ‘palace’. And Luhur is ‘something of divine origin’. Put them all together and you have a name that means ‘a city of divine origin’. Such a astonishing name!
How is The View at The Uluwatu Temple?
The view at The Uluwatu Temple is Awesome!
There is the temple that sits at the edge of the steep cliff with the beautiful blue ocean below.
The waves of the ocean continually breaks into white froths of lines as they approach the shores.
There is an entire stretch of path for visitors to walk and appreciate the sights. So many places to take memorable selfies.
What is The Uluwatu Kecak Dance All About?
After about an hour of touring, we returned to the previously agreed meeting place. Our guide has our tickets for us. It was round 6 pm, and he said it was the right time to enter the amphitheater and get good seats. Off we went as he advised.
Travel Tip – There is limited seats at the amphitheater. Arrive early to avoid disappointment.
Tickets or entrance fee of Kecak Dance is Uluwatu is IDR 100,000 per person can be purchased in advance, and arriving early is advised, and the stage has limit space or seating.
There were many places where you can watch the Kecak Dance. Our guide told us that the Kecak Dance at The Uluwatu Temple was the best because of the unique setting. He reminded us to watch out for the sunset that would be unforgettable.
We entered the amphitheater, and there were already quite a number of people seated.
We decided to sit at the top row. Partly to get a bird’s eye view of the performance. Partly to be near the exit because we could imagine the number of people crowding to leave the place after the performance.
Travel Tip – Sit at the first front rows if you wish to get a close up view of the dancers and performance. Plus you can get really creative and memorable photos.
Additional Travel Tip – But if you are afraid of crowds, then sit near the exits so that you can leave easily.
In the next hour or so, more people arrived. The sun began to set. And at one point, after enduring the hot evening sun, we were rewarded with a beautiful sun setting. The entire scene with the sunset, the temple at the edge of the cliff, and the wide Indian Ocean was breath taking.
Travel Tip – Enjoy the sunset. Don’t forget to take some photos to remember this precious moment.
As soon as the sun set, the performance began. There were voices of ‘kecak’ chanted repeatedly. And everyone was craning their necks to catch a glimpse of the dancers as they arrived along the perimeter of the amphitheater.
Then suddenly they enter the center stage. A troupe of male dancers. Their arms extended and shaking into the air. A chorus of ‘kecak’ that filled the entire theater. It was so exciting! Set against the stunning backdrop of the sunset scene, it was spectacular!
For me, it would be my first time watching the Balinese performance art. I love the arts and culture. And what better way for me to be introduced to the Balinese art form than here. I will always remember this moment forever.
There was a story to the dance performance. A story about love and betrayal from the ancient Ramayana epic. I will share more about the Kecak Dance in another post that I would write soon. Watch for that.
Why You Must Beware of the Monkeys at The Uluwatu Temple?
A little side note here for all my readers who plan to visit this beautiful place.
As you enter the grounds of the temple, you cannot help but notice there are many monkeys around. This is because there is a forest nearby where they reside.
There are precautionary signs to warn visitors of monkeys grabbing stuff from people, such as sunglasses, cameras, phones, etc.
Caution – Do not bring valuable items or wear/carry them here. The monkeys find them attractive, and may grab them.
Heed the signs’ warnings. Be careful. Please don’t bring valuable items or wear/carry them; things like expensive sunglasses, earrings or necklaces. Naturally, you would like to bring cameras or take photos and videos with your smartphones.
Travel Tip – Keep your cameras, wallets and smartphones close to you.
Where is the Most Instagrammable Spot at The Uluwatu Temple?
There are quite a few spots that are so Instagram worthy. But to me, the one view that is so awesome is the one shown below. It is the most memorable.
The view is taken from the other cliff, and faced the cliff where the amphitheater is located. You get the high cliffs, the amphitheater, the waves breaking, and the deep blue Indian Ocean.
The Uluwatu Temple – Asia Travel Gems Final Word
Asia Travel Gems Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0
When I first read about The UluWatu Temple, and saw photos and videos on the Internet about it, I did think that it would be a very interesting place to visit. What I did not count on was how awesome this attraction is.
I give this place a Thumbs Up!
I loved standing and watching the deep blue waters of the Indian Ocean becoming rows of white froth as they broke into the shores. The sound of the waves as I watched this made the entire scene mesmerizing.
Then I looked up and saw how wide and immense the Indian Ocean is. And I felt this emotion of love and respect for nature. Add the steep cliffs and temple perched at the edge of one of the cliffs, and you have a potent combination of the most awesome scenery.
Plus the Kecak Dance performance. It was my first experience with Balinese art, and I have full admiration for it. I thirst for more, and plan to watch more arts and culture in Bali, and any other places I visit.
I highly recommend visiting this place, and adding another memory of your lifetime.
Where is The Uluwatu Temple?
The Uluwatu Temple is at the furthest south area of Bali, Indonesia. It is in the Pecatu Village that is within the south district of Badung. We stayed at Seminyak, and it took us over an hour to reach there. Thankfully, we had a private car and driver so that we just sat back and relaxed all the way there.
Booking.comWhat are the Operating Hours at The Uluwatu Temple?
The Uluwatu Temple is open for visitors daily from 9 am to 6 pm. For worship, it is open 24 hours daily.
When is the Best Time to Visit The Uluwatu Temple?
We were there during the first week of October. And we were told by our guide that the rainy season was supposed to have started. We were very lucky that it did not rain while we were there.
Our guide also told us that the best time to visit Bali and The Uluwatu Temple was between March and September. These are the best month when there is a higher chance of watching the sunset with clear skies.
Travel Tip – Avoid the rainy season. Evening rain can spoil the tour and watching the Kecak Dance performance.
What is the Address of The Uluwatu Temple?
Jalan Petitenget, Kerobokan Kelod, North Kuta District, Badung Regency, Bali, Indonesia
What is the Entrance Fee of The Uluwatu Temple?
This changes over time. When we visited during October 2019, the entrance fee was IDR 50,000 for adult foreigners, and IDR 30,000 for child foreigners. Kindly note that the fee can change over time. Please check before going or at the ticket counter when you arrive.
Travel Tip – Payment for tickets is Cash Only. So, please prepare the right amounts before you come here.
How to Get to The Uluwatu Temple?
Train
There are no mass rapid transit trains in Bali. So, no train service to The Uluwatu Temple. Better to take taxi or get a tour guide. See below.
Bus
I understand that there are no buses to The Uluwatu Temple.
Taxi
As mentioned above, The Uluwatu Temple is really far south of the island. So, if you choose to take the taxi, make sure you have a way back to your hotel or villa. Once again, BlueBird taxis are reliable. You can try to ask for meter. But be prepared to bargain for a fixed rate before you get into a cab.
Grab or Gojek
This is like Uber. Read more about this and other choices of transport in my Indonesia article. My advise – do not choose this option when going to The Uluwatu Temple.
Private Driver/Tour Guide
Our awesome private driver and tour guide had an emergency on the day we were to visit here. So, he arranged for one of his team members to take over for the day. And he was just as good!
He was the one I mentioned earlier in this article, about how helpful he was, and he even stood in the queue to get us the Kecak Dance tickets.
If you need a private driver and tour guide, please contact me. I can connect you to Kadek.
Scooter or Motorcycle
In Bali, you can rent a scooter or motorcycle at a very cheap price. But I do not recommend this. It is dangerous. Many tourists and locals have lost their lives because of this mode of transport.
If you ever choose this, please wear a helmet. Be safe.
Walk
Sure. If your hotel is nearby, and within walking distance. Otherwise, best to go by taxi, Grab or private driver.
Before the end of this post, I would like to share a few more tips:
Travel Tip – Please do not take photos directly in front of worshippers
Travel Tip – Please do not step over or tread on offerings called canang sari
Canang sari are offerings that are palm leaves woven into a small box. There are flowers, herbs, money and snacks inside. These offerings are to appease the spirits. Please be careful and watch where you are going.
Going to Bali? Book Your Hotel Room, Resort or Villa with Our Best Partner and Get The Best Rates
Booking.comWe have come to the end of this article. I hope you enjoyed reading this.
If you have ANY questions about this post –The Uluwatu Temple, ANY at all, please submit your questions as comments below. I will be happy to help you out.
Wishing you and your loved ones safe and happy travels.
Timotheus
Hey everyone, I am Timotheus. When I am not giving lectures, I love traveling and visiting cities and towns all over Asia. It is a thrill for me to find and share awesome places to see, great tasting food to eat, and restful rooms to get a good night’s sleep.
Wow, this is very informative!! I thought I’d have to visit different pages, but you provided all the information in just one!!
Very beautifully done.
Thank you especially for warning about the dress code, I would have surely not thought of that and wouldn’t want to be direspectul.
All those beautiful pictures of the view are fantastic and make me want to leave today!!!
Thank you for the video overview and also the explanation where the name comes from!
I recommend your advice and have bookmarked your website.
Thank you very much,
Kind regards.
Thank you, Ja! Glad you like how the information is provided at one go. This is how I write most of my articles here. I do it because I understand that is how readers prefer to consume the content.
You’re welcome. Especially about the tip regarding dress code. This is another added value of Asia Travel Gems. I do my best to offer as much travel tips as I can. Happy to hear you like it. 🙂
And I am so pleased you enjoy the photos and video. Getting my readers so excited that they wanna visit the places I recommend now makes me happy. 🙂
Thank you for bookmarking my website. Have an awesome week! And wishing you safe, fun and enjoyable travels. 😀
Thank you for this informative article. I really enjoyed reading about Uluwatu temple and Bali. I can not wait next summer and my trip to Bali.
Your guides are highly appreciated.
You’re welcome Strahinja. Glad you found this post informative and helpful. Bali is truly amazing. You’ll surely enjoy your vacation there. After your visit, do come back to share your experience. Meantime watch out for upcoming posts for more of Bali.
Hi, Timotheus,
Wow! This place looks spectacular! I’m always for looking for art, folklore, culture and the like when I travel. This temple looks like a dream place. I would love to visit someday.
I loved your video, especially the Kecak Dance. It must be quite an experience!
I also loved your photos. Sunsets are some of my favorite photos. i always try to capture the moment, although the camera doesn’t always do it justice.
Your tips are very helpful. I will keep them in mind for my trip there. Thanks for sharing!
My pleasure, Enrique. And thanks for loving my photos and videos. Totally agree with you that the camera doesn’t always do it justice. So, best to be there to see all the beauty in person.
Since you like art, folklore and culture, Bali is the ideal place for you. I have more posts to share about this beautiful island. Please do join my mailing list to get updates whenever I publish them.
Every article entices me more to save enough money to run away to Asia for a much-needed vacation, I can’t imagine such beauty without experiencing it myself.
such beautiful photographs, I was wondering what type of camera did you use for your photographs
Jeff
Oh, you must visit Asia, Jeff! There is so much more beautiful places to see and experience. It will be a very memorable vacation. When you do, Asia Travel Gems can be your best resource on where to play, what to eat, and where to stay.
I use the camera on my smartphone. Surprise? Yes, all photos and videos are taken using my Huawei Mate 20 Pro smartphone. The camera in this phone is superb. Takes really high quality photos. Only downside is it cannot take photos well enough in the dark. It tries, and there is a night setting that works only sometimes and in certain conditions. Overall, still very good camera for a smartphone.
Hi Tim,
Nearly missed this location for my Bali trip. Must go. Besides the scenery, it will be interesting to watch the Kecak Dance performance.
Btw, thanks for connecting me with Kadek, the driver cum tour guide.
Regards,
Sharon
Hi Sharon. Glad you did not miss this. The Uluwatu Temple is definitely a place that everyone who visit Bali must see and experience. Especially the Kecak Dance performance.
You’re welcome. Kadek is a very good private driver and tour guide. Do book him early to secure his services.
I have enjoyed many of the posts from Bali, this looks like a great place to visit and it seems like you had a wonderful time on vacation. I really enjoyed this post exploring both the temple and the dancers and the views are just amazing.
Thanks Dena. This truly is one of the most awesome places to visit in Bali. As you have said, the temple, the view, the dancers are all amazing. You must visit here when you travel to Bali.
Hi Timotheus,
Thank you for this excellent, informative and insightful article. It is great to see the great pictures and video featured as well as the various practical tips interspersed all throughout the article.
It is interesting to know about the dress code. Yes, the place looks very serene and it is only fitting for visitors to accord it with the necessary respect and reverence.
We love watching the Kechak Dance performance as well as pondering on the scenic landscapes and awesome views, particularly the wide expanse of the Indian Ocean.
This should surely be part of our bucket list.
Great post!
You’re welcome JRandZen! Glad you enjoyed the article. And happy you found the tips useful and helpful.
Yes, in Indonesia, and many parts of Asia, it is good social etiquette to observe and be respectful of their culture and ways. One of them is the proper dress code when visiting temples. I am glad you took note.
The Kecak Dance is awesome! You must watch it when you visit Bali. So happy to know this is one of your bucket list. I am preparing another post solely about the Kecak Dance. Do watch out for it.