The Kecak in Uluwatu: fire, ocean and sunset

We'd already seen traditional Balinese dance earlier in the trip, in Ubud. But nothing compared to seeing it in Uluwatu, in an amphitheater above the cliffs, with the ocean in the background and the sun setting right behind the stage, as if it had been planned that way.

We arrived at Pura Luhur Uluwatu in the late afternoon, with plenty of time to walk along the edge of the cliffs before the show — the Indian Ocean crashing against the rock many meters below and the surfers reduced to tiny dots on the waves.

The Kecak Fire Dance depicts episodes from the Ramayana, accompanied only by the male choir's repetitive chant — no instruments involved, just dozens of voices keeping the rhythm while the sky shifted from orange to purple behind them.

The sun disappearing behind the stage while the choir kept singing was, without exaggeration, one of the moments we remember most from the entire fourteen days.

We booked ahead, and thank goodness — the show's capacity is limited, especially in peak season, and temple entry and the performance require separate tickets.

After the Kecak, we had dinner nearby, without going far — an already long day didn't need an extra hour of driving tacked on to close it out.

How to plan the day in Uluwatu

The idea of the last full day is not to fill it with activities: choose one beach, one experience and one sunset. In the morning, Padang Padang Beach, hidden among cliffs and entered through a small gap in the rock and some stairs; arrive relatively early. In the afternoon, Bingin (more bohemian and surf-oriented), Suluban (hidden among cliffs and caves, Uluwatu's wildest face) or a beach club if you want to finish Bali in style.

The sunset and dinner

There are places for every taste: Single Fin, with a surf atmosphere and spectacular views, Savaya, more premium and party-oriented, or a simple warung on the cliff. If you're doing the temple and the Kecak at sunset, choose a restaurant relatively close by for dinner afterward, so you don't add another hour of driving to an already long day. Tonight we do recommend booking: Masonry, with modern Mediterranean cooking, and The Cave, a dinner inside a real cave, which is more an experience than a restaurant and needs booking well ahead.

Prices and options change with the season. For sleeping in Uluwatu, see where to stay in Bali.