Uluwatu Temple and Kecak Dance

Uluwatu Temple and Kecak Dance Review

Enjoy a cultural doubleheader above the teeming surf, with the bonus of sunset views at Pura Luhur Uluwatu. Structures at this ancient temple site anchoring Bali's southwestern tip may not impress as much as mother temple Besakih near Kitamani or Tabanan's Tanah Lot. But Uluwatu's dramatic seaside cliffs, reminiscent of California's Big Sur, lend a mystical air, especially at dusk. Steer clear of resident monkeys: remove glasses, earrings, and anything else they may grab (kids will retrieve stolen items for a price); don't carry food; and resist hawkers selling monkey snacks. The nightly kecak dance at 6 pm features dozens of bare-chested men chanting "ke-chak" and other haunting sounds to accompany elaborately costumed dance excerpts from the pan-Asian Ramayana legend.