The sea temple on the rock and its secrets
Pura Luhur Uluwatu is a sea temple located at the very tip of the south of the island of Bali. It is a large temple complex where you can walk, look out to sea with huge cliffs or experience the magical atmosphere of Balinese dance Kecak.
Entrance to the temple
In front of the entrance to the temple is a large parking lot, where you can park with a scooter. It is necessary to pay attention to the local monkeys and not leave anything important in the parking lot, such as helmets on a scooter. Admission to the church will cost you several tens of crowns. You should take into account that you should have your knees and shoulders covered, which is usually solved with a bandaged sarong.
Road through the park to the cliffs
The path to the cliffs, where the main temple is located, leads through a beautifully maintained park. Just before sunset, it is busy here, as a regular performance of the Kecak dance takes place in the amphitheater near the temple.
The square in front of the main temple
Before heading to the viewpoints on the cliffs, we walk to the square, where we can already see the typical architecture of Balinese wooden temples. There are also various statues depicting characters from ancient mythical stories.
Cliffs of Uluwatu
The view of the surrounding cliffs is fascinating and looking down can make many people sick. In the photo you can see the distance lining the path.
View of the Pura Luhur Uluwatu temple
When we finally get one of the paths to the viewpoints, in the first moments we will definitely be stopped by the height of the cliffs, which looks fantastic. The path lines the cliffs hundreds of meters away. Most tourists head to the main temple, which is so typical of photos on the Internet.
History of Uluwatu temple
The Pura Luhur Uluwatu Temple is one of the most sacred temples on the island of Bali. It was built sometime in the 11th century and is dedicated to the spirits of the oceans and seas. The highest points are located up to 70m above sea level. Unfortunately, today the temple acts more as a tourist attraction, however, as in the whole of Bali, various ceremonies take place here regularly, where whole Balinese families gather.
More cliffs
As we continue beyond the main temple to the southwest, we come to another viewpoint, from which there is a unique view of other huge cliffs. You can also buy something from this viewpoint, there are usually stalls with drinks.
Monkeys in Uluwatu temple
There are several groups of Macaque monkeys in the complex. The monkeys are protected and even if they steal something from you, the local interns will not allow you to harass the monkeys. Therefore, pay close attention to your personal belongings. We witnessed a monkey stealing a tourist's glasses or sandals, which she took off for a moment.
Kecak and Uluwatu
Kecak dance performances take place almost regularly in the local amphitheater. The price for the performance is around a few hundred and it is necessary to buy a ticket in time and possibly it is necessary to be on the spot earlier to secure good seats.
Dance Kecak
Kecak is a rhythmic dance that accompanies the cries of Balinese people. The dance has several phases in which the plot and rhythm change.
Mystical characters in the Kecak dance
The Kecak dance is also accompanied by the story of a Balinese mythical legend, where white magic fights with black magic and various scary characters appear. The whole story is accompanied by fire effects and the atmosphere is literally breathtaking.
Departure at night
After the show, chaos reigns in Uluwatu, people leave the temple complex en masse and the parking lots are crowded. Expect more traffic.
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