Best Things to Do in Uluwatu & Bali (and Where to Get a Facial)

Uluwatu Temple and the Kecak dance

Pura Luhur Uluwatu sits on a cliff high above the Indian Ocean. Come in the late afternoon for the view and stay for the Kecak fire dance at sunset. Keep sunglasses and phones close: the temple monkeys are famous for snatching them.

The beaches of the Bukit

• Bingin — a cliffside village with stairs down to a reef beach and warungs. Our Bingin studio is a few minutes away.
• Padang Padang — a small, photogenic cove reached through a gap in the rocks.
• Dreamland — a wide sandy beach, one of the easier spots for a swim when the sea is calm.
• Suluban — a beach hidden in a cave below Uluwatu's famous surf break.
• Melasti — white sand framed by dramatic limestone cliffs, close to our Ungasan studio.

Waves and currents can be strong: check conditions, swim where locals swim and respect red flags.

Surf

Uluwatu, Padang Padang and Bingin are world-famous reef breaks, best left to experienced surfers. Beginners usually start with a lesson on a sandier beach. Watching the surfers from a cliff café at sunset is an Uluwatu ritual in itself. Surfers, read our post-surf skin care guide.

Sunset dinners and Jimbaran

Uluwatu's cliffs are lined with sunset bars and restaurants. For something classic, drive to Jimbaran Bay for grilled seafood with your feet in the sand.

Day trips from Uluwatu

• Nusa Dua — calm beaches and the Water Blow viewpoint.
• Ubud — rice terraces, temples and Bali's cultural heart (plan a full day).
• The Nusa islands — boats leave from Sanur for Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan.

Fit a facial into your trip

Sun, salt and long flights take a toll on the skin. Book a hydrating or repair facial in your first days, an after-sun Cryo Skin Reset mid-trip (Ungasan), and a glow facial such as the Ultimate Korean Glass Skin & Hydralift before you fly home. Surfers in Bingin can also try our Korean Body Hydrafacials for the back and chest.