Of the many temples in Bali, one that holds its own charm is Pura Uluwatu. The temple located in Pecatu Village, South Kuta District, is not only a strong religious power, but also a fascinating panorama of the sunset.
This temple can be reached by traveling about 30-45 minutes from Denpasar City. Its location is not too far from the Capital of Bali Province to make this temple worthy of being one of your exploration destinations on Bali Island.
Uluwatu temple is one of the Hindu religious temples that have the status as 'Pura Sad Kahyangan Jagat' or buffer wind shaft of Bali Island. In Lontar Padma Bhuwana, Uluwatu Temple is a buffer to the southwest of the island of Bali.
With this status, means Uluwatu Temple is a place of worship of all layers of Hindus, without limitation of caste / clan, lineage, type of profession, and the origin of the region. Other temples that bear similar status are Pura Besakih in the northeast and Pura Goa Lawah in the southeast.
As the name implies, the early building of Uluwatu Temple is on a rocky cliff 90 meters above sea level. Literally, "uluwatu" means stone top. The main complex of the temple is directly facing the west side of Uluwatu peninsula.
Based on the script of Lontar Padma Bhuwana, this temple was built around the 11th century by Mpu Kuturan. Along with the increasing number of people worshiping in this temple, about 15 years ago built a new complex at the bottom.
Initially, there was only one access to this temple, namely through a gate located on the east side of the temple. As the region grew, new access was made in the north. Signing through this new access, visitors will follow the cliff through the path.
The trip route through north side access is approximately 1 kilometer away. This path through the bush is inhabited by a group of wild apes. Therefore, visitors are advised to store their valuables properly.
Panorama of the sea from the top of the edge of this cliff looks beautiful, especially in the afternoon before sunset. Panoramic temples with a skyline setting and a loose sea are worth to be immortalized as part of your memories on the island of Bali.
By dusk, the orange light that glows in the sky will further add to the beauty of the panorama on this side of the cliff. Watching this beautiful painting of Creator creation is an unforgettable experience.
Complementing a visit to Pura Uluwatu, a kecak dance performance with a sunset setting becomes the perfect cover. The colossal dance that is the cultural heritage of Bali is routinely displayed every day, starting at around 18:00 to 19:00 pm.
Dance performed by tens to hundreds of people is performed on a stage located in the south of the temple courtyard. Visitors interested in seeing kecak dance performances can buy tickets for Rp75.000.
