A thousand-year-old sea temple balanced on a cliff 70 metres above the ocean.
Pura Luhur Uluwatu is a thousand-year-old sea temple perched on a cliff around 70 metres above the ocean. It's one of Bali's most important spiritual sites, and its position on the very edge of the headland is the reason everyone comes. Waves crash far below while the temple sits serenely against the open sea.
A path runs along the clifftop, tracing the edge of the headland with the ocean stretching out on one side. It gives you the finest coastal panorama in the south, especially as the afternoon light turns golden. Mind the edges and the sea breeze - and keep an eye on the resident monkeys, who are famous for snatching sunglasses and hats.
Many visitors pair the temple with the Kecak fire dance staged on the cliff nearby as the sun goes down. A circle of chanting performers tells a Ramayana story against a backdrop of open ocean and a sinking sun - a dramatic way to close out a South Bali day. Ask your guide about timing if you'd like to stay for it.