Uluwatu

About Uluwatu

Uluwatu is the south-western tip of the Bukit Peninsula, in Pecatu village, South Kuta. Pura Luhur Uluwatu stands on a limestone cliff about 70 metres above the ocean; the temple was expanded in the 11th century and later by the priest Dang Hyang Nirartha.

The Kecak dance is performed on the clifftop every evening at sunset, and the coastline below is known for its world-class surf breaks, clifftop bars and beach clubs.

The temple grounds are home to long-tailed macaques that are notorious for snatching sunglasses, cameras and flip-flops, so keep belongings secured. Below the cliffs, the Uluwatu reef has five breaks, known as The Bombie, Temples, Outside Corner, Racetracks and The Peak. Also in Pecatu, Padang Padang Beach is reached by 120 steps and a path between a fallen rock and the cliff; its left-hand wave hosts the annual Rip Curl Cup, and the beach appeared in the 2010 film Eat Pray Love. The cliffs are now lined with resorts, boutique hotels, private villas and restaurants, and the Kecak dancers at the temple come from Pecatu village itself. It suits surfers and travellers who want clifftop stays.