On the cliff
About seventy metres above the Indian Ocean.
GeoffClarke — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Jakub Hałun — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Anandajoti — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Anandajoti — CC BY-SA 4.0
A temple on the edge of a cliff some seventy metres above the Indian Ocean, at the south-western tip of the Bukit Peninsula, and one of the nine directional temples Balinese believe guard the island. The temple itself is for worship, but the clifftop path and the ocean view are what visitors come for. Every evening at sunset the famous Kecak dance is staged in an open amphitheatre on the cliff: dozens of men sit in a circle chanting rhythmic sounds in place of music, telling a story from the ancient Indian epics, with the sun setting into the sea behind them. A warning: the temple's bold monkeys snatch glasses, hats and phones, so hold on to your things. The official entry fee is about sixty thousand rupiah for foreign adults and forty thousand for children, including the sarong and sash needed to cover your legs. The Kecak ticket is about one hundred and fifty thousand rupiah per adult; the show starts just before sunset and fills quickly. Bali's tourist levy is separate. Arrive at least an hour before the show to walk the cliff and buy your ticket early. The road to Uluwatu jams in the evening, so allow plenty of time from Kuta or Jimbaran.
About seventy metres above the Indian Ocean.
Chanted rhythm at sunset.
Ocean views all along the edge.
Pecatu, Bukit Peninsula, southern tip of Bali
It is a traditional cultural show without instruments, built on men's voices in a circle, lasting about an hour. It tells a tale from old Indian legend, so many see it above all as an artistic and heritage performance.