Uluwatu · Temple
Uluwatu Temple and the Kecak Fire Dance
A sea temple 70 metres above the surf, a chanted Ramayana at dusk and macaques that trade stolen sunglasses for fruit.
By the Baligasm editors · Updated 29 October 2026 · Photo by @mindz_eye
Overview
Uluwatu Temple (Pura Luhur Uluwatu): before you go
Pura Luhur Uluwatu stands on a limestone point roughly 70 metres above the Indian Ocean at the south-west corner of the Bukit Peninsula, 45 to 90 minutes from the airport. Foreign adults pay about IDR 60,000 to walk the cliff paths, and the 6 pm Kecak costs IDR 150,000 more. Nearly every visitor will enjoy it: allow an hour for the paths, or three to four hours with the dance, and arrive by 4:30 pm.
Balinese Hindus count Uluwatu among the sad kahyangan, the six great sanctuaries believed to keep the island in spiritual balance, and as the directional temple protecting the south-west from forces arriving by sea. Its deity is Shiva in the form of Rudra. The name is literal: ulu is the top or edge, watu the rock, and the shrine perches on a limestone point some 70 metres above the breaking waves.
Most accounts credit the Javanese sage Mpu Kuturan with enlarging the temple in the 11th century, though one gateway bears a chronogram for 808 Saka, equivalent to 886 CE. Five centuries later the priest Dang Hyang Nirartha added padmasana shrines and, by tradition, attained moksha, final liberation, on this cliff. The Balinese word for that ascent, ngeluhur, gave the temple its title Luhur. Every 210 days, on Anggara Kasih Medangsia, the piodalan anniversary brings thousands of worshippers for about three days.
Because it is a working sanctuary, the inner courtyards stay closed to visitors. Instead you follow walled paths through the temple forest and along the cliff edge on both sides, looking down to the reef and the lineup, with the tiered shrine framed on its headland. The full circuit takes about an hour. Some 333 long-tailed macaques in five groups, by the latest published count, share the paths; a 2021 study found they demand more food in exchange for valuable loot, such as phones, than for worthless items.
Evenings are the main event. The Kecak begins at 6 pm in an open-air amphitheatre a short walk south along the cliff; between April and October the sun touches the horizon 10 to 20 minutes into the performance. With about 1,200 seats, the early show is often full in peak months, notably July, August and the last fortnight of December, and the road towards Jimbaran gridlocks as everyone leaves together. On prices, the management's current pages give IDR 60,000 for foreign adults while older notices still say IDR 50,000; carry enough for the higher figure.
- Opening hours
- 7 am to 7 pm daily; Kecak at 6 pm, gate from 4 pm; closed for Nyepi
- Ticket
- Foreign adults about IDR 60,000, children IDR 40,000; Kecak IDR 150,000 extra
- Time needed
- About an hour on the cliff paths; three to four hours with the Kecak
- Best time
- Arrive 4–4:30 pm for the walk, the sunset and a good Kecak seat
- Dress code
- Sarong and sash compulsory, both lent with the ticket; grippy shoes
- Location
- South-west tip of the Bukit in Pecatu, 45–90 minutes from the airport
Pura Luhur Uluwatu, Uluwatu Main Road, Pecatu, South Kuta, Badung, Bali 80361
Open in Google Maps ↗Read it on the Blog →What to see
What to see at Uluwatu Temple (Pura Luhur Uluwatu)
The cliff walks and the postcard view
Paths protected by low walls run along the clifftop to the north and south of the shrine. Stand on the northern side and look south across the cove for the classic shot of the tiered temple on its point. The southern side continues past further lookouts to the Kecak arena. The walls reach about shoulder height, enough to keep you safe yet low enough for a macaque to grab whatever you hold. Both sides together take around an hour.
Gateways and shrines
Visitors stay outside the inner courts, but you can reach the split gateways, flanked by statues of the elephant-headed Ganesha, and see the shrine roofs above the walls. A statue of a Brahmin priest gazes out to sea behind the main shrine. On ceremony days, families carry offerings up to the gates. Make way, never stand higher than or directly in front of anyone praying, and do not cut through a procession.
Monkeys that bargain
Uluwatu's macaques have turned theft into a business. They grab sunglasses, prescription glasses, phones, hats and sandals, then sit on the wall while staff toss fruit or eggs until the item drops. Researchers who watched them across 273 days found that a monkey holding something valuable holds out for a bigger payment than one holding an empty bag. A supervised feeding takes place each Sunday at 4 pm by the Kumba Karna statue.
The Kecak
Around 50 men sit bare-chested in circles and chant "cak" for an hour with no instruments, while dancers in costume enact the Ramayana: Prince Rama, Sita, the abductor Ravana and Hanuman, the white monkey who tracks her down. The form grew from the chorus of the sacred Sanghyang trance dance and took its stage shape in the 1930s through dancer Wayan Limbak and the German painter Walter Spies. It ends with Hanuman dancing through flames.
Sunset over open water
The cliff faces west, so this is one of the few spots on the Bukit where the sun sinks right into the ocean. It sets around 6:05 pm in late May and as late as 6:50 pm in late January, which means it lands early in the Kecak from May to October and near the finale in January and February. Skipping the dance? Stay on the cliff path until the 7 pm closing.
Choosing a Kecak seat
Seats are not numbered; staff fill the rows in order of arrival. The top tiers in the middle show the whole circle best and give you a wall to lean against. Front rows put you closest to the dancers, and to the heat and smoke of the fire scene, but have no backrest. For the 6 pm show in the dry season, the upper rows on the far right fall into shade first.
Seasons
Best time to visit Uluwatu Temple (Pura Luhur Uluwatu)
Get to the gate between 4 and 4:30 pm. That leaves an hour for the cliff paths in gentler light, time to buy a Kecak ticket and a reasonable seat for the 6 pm start. The temple's own advice is to arrive before 5 pm, earlier in high season. If you only want the temple, mornings from 7 am are cooler and far emptier, although the monkeys are just as busy.
Sunsets are clearest in the dry months of April to October. Between November and March cloud often hides the sun. Rain does not cancel the Kecak: ponchos or umbrellas are handed out, the fire finale may be trimmed, and there are no refunds. Peak periods, when the early show can sell out and a 7 pm performance is sometimes added, are July, August, the Christmas and New Year fortnight and Indonesian public holidays.
The temple remains open during ceremonies, but the three-day piodalan every 210 days draws thousands of worshippers and crowds the paths, so ask your hotel whether one coincides with your trip. Temple and Kecak both close for Nyepi, the day of silence, next on 8 March 2027, and there is no show the evening before.
Getting there
How to get to Uluwatu Temple (Pura Luhur Uluwatu)
Padang Padang and Labuansait Road10–15 minutes
About 4 km south by scooter or car on Uluwatu Main Road; allow longer after 4 pm as Kecak traffic builds.
Ngurah Rai airport (DPS)45–90 minutes
Roughly 21 km by car through Jimbaran on a transfer booked ahead. Avoid 4 to 7 pm, when the Jimbaran junction locks up.
Jimbaran25–40 minutes
Around 12 km up Uluwatu Main Road. The junction at the Jimbaran end is the main afternoon choke point.
Kuta or Seminyak1–2 hours
Allow up to 1.5 hours from Kuta and 2 from Seminyak, using the bypass and Jimbaran. For the Kecak, be on the road by 3 pm.
Canggu1.5–2.5 hours
By road with a driver, or GoBoat from Nelayan Beach to Padang Padang in about 35 minutes when seas allow, then a 10–15 minute ride.
Nusa Dua or Sanur30 minutes–1.5 hours
Nusa Dua is 30–45 minutes away over the plateau; from Sanur, take the toll road and allow 1–1.5 hours.
Ubud2–3 hours
Private driver, normally as a long afternoon outing with the Kecak; settle the return journey before leaving.
| From | Time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Padang Padang and Labuansait Road | 10–15 minutes | About 4 km south by scooter or car on Uluwatu Main Road; allow longer after 4 pm as Kecak traffic builds. |
| Ngurah Rai airport (DPS) | 45–90 minutes | Roughly 21 km by car through Jimbaran on a transfer booked ahead. Avoid 4 to 7 pm, when the Jimbaran junction locks up. |
| Jimbaran | 25–40 minutes | Around 12 km up Uluwatu Main Road. The junction at the Jimbaran end is the main afternoon choke point. |
| Kuta or Seminyak | 1–2 hours | Allow up to 1.5 hours from Kuta and 2 from Seminyak, using the bypass and Jimbaran. For the Kecak, be on the road by 3 pm. |
| Canggu | 1.5–2.5 hours | By road with a driver, or GoBoat from Nelayan Beach to Padang Padang in about 35 minutes when seas allow, then a 10–15 minute ride. |
| Nusa Dua or Sanur | 30 minutes–1.5 hours | Nusa Dua is 30–45 minutes away over the plateau; from Sanur, take the toll road and allow 1–1.5 hours. |
| Ubud | 2–3 hours | Private driver, normally as a long afternoon outing with the Kecak; settle the return journey before leaving. |
Know before you go
Tips for your visit
- 01Carry small notes. Temple entry, the Kecak and parking (about IDR 2,000 per scooter, IDR 5,000 per car) are paid separately, and card machines are unreliable. There is an ATM at the entrance.
- 02Before stepping out of the car, put sunglasses, glasses, hats and dangling earrings into a zipped bag, and keep a firm two-handed grip on your phone along the cliff.
- 03If a monkey takes something, do not chase or tug. Find a staff member, who will swap fruit for it; a small tip is expected.
- 04Leave food and drinks behind. They attract the monkeys and are not permitted on temple grounds.
- 05Local custom asks women who are menstruating not to enter the temple area.
- 06Drones need permission, and climbing on the cliff walls for photos is not allowed.
- 07Buy water and use the toilet before the Kecak; nothing is sold inside the arena and the hour-long show has no interval.
- 08In July, August and late December, book the Kecak a few days ahead or be queuing by 4 pm.
- 09Arrange your ride home first. App drivers are not allowed to collect inside the car park, taxis are rare after dark and one-way fares back to Seminyak or Canggu are steep.
- 10When the show ends, 1,200 people head for the exit together. Leave during the final scene, or let the crowd go and stroll back along the empty path.
- 11Scooter riders should lock helmets away and leave nothing on the seat for the monkeys. Some cliff paths have steps, so not every lookout is wheelchair-friendly.
FAQ
Uluwatu Temple (Pura Luhur Uluwatu) questions, answered
What does it cost to enter Uluwatu Temple?
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Overseas visitors pay roughly IDR 60,000 per adult and IDR 40,000 per child, according to the management's ticket pages; Indonesian citizens pay about IDR 40,000. Older notices still mention IDR 50,000, so bring cash for the higher amount. A sarong and sash are included. Parking and the Kecak are charged on top.
What are the temple's opening hours?
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Every day from 7 am to 7 pm. The Kecak arena gate opens at 4 pm ahead of the 6 pm show. Both the temple and the dance close for Nyepi, Bali's day of silence, next on 8 March 2027. Expect heavier crowds during the three-day piodalan festival that comes round every 210 days.
When is the Kecak performed?
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The official timetable has a single hour-long show at 6 pm, and the arena gate opens two hours earlier. A second performance is added at 7 pm when demand is high. The earlier show coincides with sunset for most of the year. The later one is darker, which makes the fire finale more dramatic, though the queue to get in can be a scrum.
How much are Kecak tickets, and where do I buy them?
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Adults pay IDR 150,000 and children aged 2 to 9 pay IDR 75,000, in addition to temple entry. The official Kecak booth by the entrance takes cash; advance tickets come from the temple's WhatsApp line or online sellers. Pre-booked tickets often get a separate entry line, but resellers may add a mark-up.
What time should I get there for a good Kecak seat?
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Aim for 4 to 4:30 pm so you can walk the cliff first and still pick a decent seat for the 6 pm show. The management recommends arriving before 5 pm; latecomers in high season sometimes find it sold out. A pre-bought ticket buys you a little leeway, but seating is still first come, first served.
Is the Uluwatu Kecak worth seeing?
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For most first-time visitors, yes. What sets it apart from other Kecak performances in Bali is the stage: a cliff above the ocean at sunset. The downsides are the crowd, an hour on hard benches and the traffic jam afterwards. If that sounds too much, see the temple in the morning and watch a smaller Kecak at Melasti Beach or in Ubud.
Are the temple monkeys dangerous?
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They are thieves more than attackers, but they may scratch or bite if you snatch back what they took or tease them with food. Zip loose items away, never feed them and stay calm if one comes close. If something goes missing, find a staff member to trade fruit for it. First aid for bites and scratches is available at the visitor centre.
What should I wear to Uluwatu Temple?
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Shoulders and knees covered is ideal, but you need not bring a sarong: one comes with the ticket, along with a sash, and staff help you tie them. Choose shoes with grip for the cliff paths. Pack hats and sunglasses away from the macaques, and leave flashy jewellery at the hotel, which the temple rules also discourage.
Can visitors go inside the temple?
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No. Only worshippers and temple staff may enter the inner courtyards. Everyone else follows the forest trail and clifftop walks outside, look through the gateways and watch the Kecak in the arena outside the walls. In any case, the finest views of the shrine come from the cliff paths, not from up close.
Does the Kecak go ahead when it rains?
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Nearly always. The performance continues through light and even heavy rain, with ponchos or umbrellas handed out, though the fire scene may be cut short or dropped. Weather does not earn a refund, and outright cancellation is rare. If an entire evening of heavy rain is forecast, pick another date.
How do I get home after the Kecak?
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The simplest option is to keep the driver who brought you, agreed beforehand. App pickups are not permitted in the temple car park, so ride-hailing users must walk out to the main road and wait while the crowd thins. After dark few taxis wait, and a single journey back to Canggu or Seminyak is expensive.
Nearby
Pair it with
Padang Padang Beach
A calm cove reached through a crack in the cliff, ideal for a swim before the temple; 10–15 minutes by car.
Suluban Beach and Single Fin
The cave beach beneath the Uluwatu break, with the best-known sunset bar perched above it; 5–10 minutes by car.
Karang Boma Cliff
A grassy headland with a sheer drop and a view back along the coast to the temple; a few minutes away.
Melasti Beach
Gentle swimming inside a reef, white cliff walls and a second Kecak, handy when the temple performance is full; 25–35 minutes by car.
Garuda Wisnu Kencana (GWK)
The colossal Vishnu-on-Garuda statue and daytime dances, an easy stop on the way to the temple; 25–40 minutes by car.
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