This sight is located in Bali, Indonesia. For travel information about Bali, read the Bali Travel Guide. To prepare for a trip to Indonesia, read also the Indonesia Travel Guide. Looking for budget accommodation in Bali? Use the Bali Budget Accommodation Map to find budget accommodation that fits your travel needs.
Most of Bali's regencies have pura luhur, high temples that are the focus of pilgrimages during the three or five-day odalan anniversaries. Among these include Tanah Lot and Goa Lawah, the bat cave temple. While not all pura luhur are situated on the coast, all are built in awe-inspiring location, often overlooking large bodies of water. One of the most picturesque pura luhur in Bali is Pura Luhur Uluwatu.
The shrines of Uluwatu at sunset.
Pura Luhur Uluwatu is one of Bali's important Sad Kahyangan temple, one of the six major temples revered by the Balinese. It was erected by Danghyang Dwijendra, a great Balinese priest who established the present form of Hindu-Dharma religion in Bali. It is said that Dwijendra achieved maksa (enlightenment, or oneness with the godhead) while meditating in Uluwatu.
The temple is perched 70 meters (230ft) above the ocean on a sheer promontory. Some of the rocky precipices drop almost 100m (330ft) into the raging ocean below.
Visitors to Uluwatu are provided with a ceremonial yellow sash to wear around their waist (after paying the entrance fee). The proper attire requires that the knees are not exposed. Those wearing shorts are required to wear a sarong. Visitors are also warned to put away any shiny objects including spectacles, jewellery, and so on, as these attract the monkeys that infest the area. (One of the people in our group lost her glasses to the monkeys.)
Uluwatu Photo Gallery
This sash is worn when entering Uluwatu.
View of the seacliff with Uluwatu at the edge of it.
The temple of Uluwatu on a wet morning.
The gate into the inner sanctuary of Uluwatu. This is the furthest for non worshippers.
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