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IndonesiaDescription and is it worth a visit
Uluwatu Temple or Pura Luhur Ulu Watu is one of the most popular tourist temples of Bali, perhaps even the most visited, one of the business cards of the island. It is also considered one of the most picturesque, because it was built on a steep rocky cliff above the sea at an altitude of more than 90 meters. That is why, by the way, it is called Uluwatu, since "Ulu" means peak, and "Vatu" means stone or rock. The temple was supposedly founded in the X century, that is, it is already more than a thousand years old! This is one of the nine iconic temples of Bali, which believers believe protects the island and its inhabitants from evil sea demons.
Our opinion is that the glory of Uluvatu, as the most beautiful temple, is somewhat exaggerated by guides and guides. It can even be called simple in architecture, and not much stands out among the many dozens of other temple buildings in Bali. The location of the temple on the rock and the views of it are picturesque here, especially during sunset. As for what you will see while walking around the complex with a simple daytime group excursion, then, in our opinion, it is unlikely to delight experienced tourists. Nevertheless, we recommend that you definitely visit it, and it is better to go on your own without a tour to meet the sunset here. And here's why:
Uluwatu is a very important place for local believers. It consists of the territory itself and a small inner sacred temple, where access to non-believing Hindus is prohibited. But, despite this, there is something for tourists to see here. First of all, it is the breathtaking views of the cliff during sunset. It is to capture such magnificent shots that hundreds of tourists rush here every evening. To do this, there are two viewing platforms to the right and left of the temple, their visit is free, i.e. included in the entrance fee to the temple. However, in order to make beautiful shots, you need good weather and clear skies.
Also in the evenings, a performance of the traditional fire dance Kecak takes place on the site to the left of the temple, and you need to pay an additional 150,000 rupees for visiting it. It takes place twice a day at 18 o'clock and at 19 o'clock (schedule and price may change, check on the website https://kecakuluwatu-online.globaltix.com). You can see similar shows in other places in Bali, but at sunset over a high cliff and against the background of the sea only here.
Finally, what else Uluwatu has earned the interest of tourists is monkeys. There are a lot of monkeys living on the territory of the temple and in the forest nearby, who feel like the owners of these places. Some tourists, due to inexperience and impressed by the guides' stories, believe that this is very funny, and therefore choose excursions here.
However, it is worth warning that, despite all the fun of monkeys, they cause a lot of trouble and even dangerous. They are pack animals, and with the support of their pack they are arrogant and aggressive. They attack tourists, take away things. They are not hunting for tourists' belongings at all, but for food, but they grab everything along the way. They steal glasses, chains, hats, phones, they can even pull earrings out of their ears. Moreover, they even learned how to open bags, fumble in their pockets. We have personally seen such situations, and once we even had to fight with a monkey to get the cap back. Well, many probably remember the recently flown social.the network tells the story of how a monkey stole a tourist's passport and tore it up. It is said that the locals even train monkeys for theft, and as if they profit from it. But whether this is true or fiction, we do not know.
And finally, they are dangerous because they are carriers of dangerous diseases, including rabies. If a monkey bites you, you will have to visit a doctor and get vaccinated.
Therefore, remember and strictly follow these rules:
- All valuables and everything that can be removed from you or easily picked up, hide in backpacks and close well.
- Do not take food with you, even in backpacks, they feel it.
- Bottles, candy wrappers, or food wrappers that you might have accidentally forgotten in the side mesh pockets of your backpack will attract monkeys.
- Do not show aggression unnecessarily and do not scare even a lone monkey, otherwise it will quickly call its relatives and they will attack in a pack.
- If something valuable has been taken away from you, quickly call the local staff for help, they know how to handle them.
- In a desperate situation, if you have to fight back against the pack, use a stick or wave off with a backpack, they are afraid of this.
And finally, here are some interesting facts about Uluwatu that you should know before visiting it:
- All the statues here face east, whereas in most other Balinese temples they face north or west.
- The gate carvings and sculptural elements of the temple are made in a unique style, different from other temples of Bali.
- Most of the rocks of the Bukit peninsula, on which the temple is located, consist of limestone rock, which gradually collapses under the influence of water. However, the cliff on which the temple stands has remained unchanged for many centuries. Balinese believe that this testifies to the sanctity of this place.
- Until the beginning of the XX century, the entrance to Uluvata was allowed exclusively to members of the royal family.
- Unlike most Balinese temples built of natural stone or volcanic rocks, Uluwatu is built of black coral stone.
🕐 Working hours
For believers, the temple is open around the clock, for tourists officially from 07:00 to 19:00, seven days a week. Performance of the Kecak dance at 18 o'clock and at 19 o'clock (schedule and price may vary, check on the website https://kecakuluwatu-online.globaltix.com). The best time to visit the temple is before sunset, it's about 17-18 hours, but you need clear weather for beautiful photos.
💵Entrance fee / ticket price
The entrance to the temple for tourists is 50,000 rupees (2.77 USD), tickets for the Kecak dance - 150,000 rupees (8.3 USD).
🚶 How to get there
Uluwatu is located in the south of Bali on the Bukit Peninsula, it is almost the southernmost point of the island (temple on the map). There are more than 25 kilometers from Kuta, the airport and Denpasar, it's almost an hour by motorbike or taxi. Parking near the temple officially costs 1,000 rupees with a receipt, but tourists are asked for 10,000 without a receipt.
You can get here by taxi through the GoJek, Grab, Bluebird, Maxim applications. For reference, a one-way trip from the Kuta area will cost from 150,000 rupees(8.3 USD) by car taxi, and for 60,000 (3.32 USD) you can get there by motorcycle taxi.
Excursions to Uluvata can be purchased from street agencies everywhere, because this is one of the most popular tourist destinations. Usually a visit to the temple is included in the tour to several places, and not separately only here. You can also buy them online on Klook sites or Trip.com (accepts Russian cards).
If you decide to attend the Kecak show, then it's better to buy tickets in advance before the performance, and then take a walk around the temple. There are no specific seats assigned to the show itself, so if you want to take a comfortable seat, again, it's better to come to the performance venue in advance and take a seat. The stage here is made in the form of an amphitheater, and from the first bottom row you will see the dance closest in detail, and from the top row you can better see the whole performance.
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