Uluwatu Temple Building

Address: Pura Luhur Uluwatu, Pecatu, South Kuta (Uluwatu), Badung, Bali, Indonesia

Hours: Daily 9:00am-6:00pm (visitor access; evening Kecak performances have separate times)

Uluwatu Temple (Pura Luhur Uluwatu) is a Balinese Hindu sea temple located on the southwestern tip of Bali’s Bukit Peninsula, perched on a steep limestone cliff overlooking the Indian Ocean. It is an important directional temple in Bali’s traditional temple network and a prominent cultural site.

The site is visited for its dramatic cliffside setting and the regular evening Kecak dance performances staged near the cliff at sunset. The temple precinct is also known for a population of long-tailed macaques that live around the grounds and interact with visitors.

The temple complex has long-standing significance in Balinese religious life as a place of worship and coastal guardianship; over time it has also developed facilities for visitors and staged cultural performances that showcase Balinese dance and ritual.

Uluwatu sits on the westernmost headland of Bali’s Bukit Peninsula, with steep cliffs dropping to the ocean and road access from southern Bali resort areas and Denpasar.

• Sunset & monkeys: The clifftop location gives wide ocean views at sunset, but visitors should be cautious of macaque monkeys that commonly approach and sometimes take unattended items.

What to See#

• Uluwatu temple complex: The main clifftop temple complex sits on a steep limestone promontory overlooking the Indian Ocean and contains shrines and courtyards used for daily worship and offerings.
• Kecak dance amphitheatre: An open-air performance area near the cliff edge where the traditional Balinese Kecak dance is staged at sunset most evenings for visitors.

Uluwatu Temple sits on the southwestern tip of Bali’s Bukit Peninsula near Pecatu. It is about a 30-60 minute drive from Kuta, Seminyak or Denpasar depending on traffic (roughly 20-30 km), reached via the Bukit coastal roads; most visitors arrive by taxi, private driver or scooter. There is no regular long-distance bus service directly to the temple, so use private transport or an organized tour.

There is a parking area above the cliffs and the temple is reached by a short walk and a set of steps down from the parking/ticket area; be cautious of local monkeys.

• Visit in late afternoon and plan to stay through sunset if you want the Kecak dance-arrive at least 30-45 minutes beforehand to secure a good viewing spot, as organized tour groups tend to take prime seating.
• Be mindful of the temple's monkeys: they are bold and will grab loose items and food, so keep cameras and bags secured and avoid bringing visible snacks.
• Respect the temple dress code-sarongs and sashes are required for temple entry and are commonly provided at the entrance; having one ready speeds entry and avoids delays.

The temple sits in the small village of Uluwatu, tucked between steep hills and cliffs on the west coast of the Bukit Peninsula. The building itself is fairly modest; its setting is what makes it remarkable, perched on a cliff edge some 70 metres above the crashing surf below.

A troop of monkeys lives around the grounds and is notorious for snatching handbags, sunglasses and cameras from unsuspecting visitors, trading them back for fruit. Souvenir shops and stalls line the car park and temple entrance, and traditional kecak (monkey dance) is performed here every day for a small fee, usually staged near the cliff at sunset.