Many of the iconic scenes associated with Bali can be found in Uluwatu, the almost an island peninsula in the south of Bali. Uluwatu has spectacular beaches with some of the best surfing on the island, the 2nd most visited temple and the incredible architectural wonder that is the Garuda Wisna Kencana.
This is one of my favourite tours where you can choose one of my pre-planned itineraries but then mix it up on the day depending on how much fun you’re having at one of the many beaches that make Bali famous.
I have personally vetted all the drivers I work with. They text me when they pick you up and again when you have been dropped off at the end of the day. I also email your driver’s name, profile photo, vehicle photo and phone number beforehand to ensure your safety and provide confidence.
You won’t have time to visit all of these in one day, but here are my recommended itineraries. Remember, you can change it anytime you like by discussing it with your driver, and you don’t have to visit any of the beach clubs I mention, but I include them because sundowners overlooking the Indian Ocean is definitely an iconic Uluwatu experience.
I have personally vetted all the drivers I work with. They text me when they pick you up and again when you have been dropped off at the end of the day. I also email your driver’s name, profile photo, vehicle photo and phone number beforehand to ensure your safety and provide confidence.
Itinerary 1: GWK + Beaches + Sunset Kecak Dance
- GWK
- Padang-Padang Beach
- Single Fin
- Suluban Beach
- Uluwatu Temple + Sunset Kecak Dance
Itineray 2: GWK + Beaches + Uluwatu Temple + Sunset Drinks
- GWK
- Melasti Beach
- Palmilla Beach Club
- Uluwatu Temple
- Bingin Beach
- El Kabron or Rock Bar
Itinerary 3: Beaches + Uluwatu Temple + Kecak Dance
- Balangan Beach
- Padang Padang
- Single Fin
- Nyang Nyang Beach
- Uluwatu Temple + Sunset Kecak Dance
Garuda Wisnu Kencana
Seriously, this is totally worth visiting. The statue, in honour of Visnu, the Hindu god, and the mythical bird Garuda, is 75 m high and 65 m wide and because it sits on a pedestal the total height is 121 m and weighs 4,000 tonnes.
Melasti Beach
Melasti Beach is on the southernmost tip of Bali, in an area of Uluwatu called Ungusan. Getting there early means beating the crowds and nabbing a close by car park.
Suluban Beach
One of my favourite beaches, its tucked away among the washed out cliffs and is a photographers wet dream.
Uluwatu Temple
Of of the top 2 attractions in Bali (the other being Tanah Lot Temple), Uluwatu Temple is striking for its location on the southern end of Bali above rocky cliffs overlooking the Indian Ocean.
Padang-Padang Beach
You need to walk downstairs paved in between the rock walls to get access to Padang-Padang beach, but it’s worth it for the sheltered swimming.
It’s only a small beach but you can rent umbrellas and buy basic drinks like fresh coconuts and of course the ubiquitous Bintang.
Bingin Beach
Bingin Beach is famous for its outstanding and very accessible surf.
Single Fin
Excellent spot to stop for lunch, watch the sunset or party after dark.
Dreamland Beach
El Kabron
El Kabron is a small but reasonably high-end restaurant and “beach club” on the cliffs overlooking the ocean. It’s a wonderful sunset spot and the perfect place to wind down after a hard day’s sightseeing around Uluwatu. It isn’t cheap, but you’re paying for the view and the small but spectacular pool overlooking the Indian Ocean.
If you are planning on going, reservations are a must.
Open: Mon-Sun 11 am -11 pm
Reservations: +62 813-3723-5750
www.elkabron.com
Rock Bar
Another iconic sunset spot is Rock Bar at the Ayana Resort. Again, if you want to get a table for sunset you must book well in advance.
Rock Bar doesn’t accept reservations unless you are a guest of the report, so its a case of getting there early enough to secure a good spot. They have a dress code, so you can’t rock up straight form the beach.
The drinks are some of the most expensive in Bali, with cocktails ranging from 220-250k and a Bintang will set you back a cool 100k not including 15% tax and service. But if you don;t mind dropping some coin it’s a spectacular and unique location.
Open: 16:00 – 24:00 Mon-Sun
Address: Jalan Karang Mas Sejahtera, Jimbaran
Kecak Dance – Uluwatu Temple
One of the most popular attractions in Bali is the nightly Kecak Dance performance held in an intimate amphitheatre on the Uluwatu Temple grounds.
It is a truly unique experience. If you want to make this part of your Uluwatu Day Tour please select the Kecak Dance itinerary, as our driver will need to make reservations for you to purchase your tickets.
There is a queue for those who have made a reservation to buy tickets and a much longer queue for people wanting to buy tickets without a reservation, or it may even be sold out. So having our driver book ahead is the smart move.
If you want to see the Kecak Dance you need to queue for advance bookings at 4:30 pm, buy your tickets and then you can spend some more time exploring the temple grounds before heading back to the amphitheatre no later than 5:30 pm to make sure you get a good seat as it isn’t allocated seating.
Please note this tour doesn’t include the price of the tickets – we just make the reservation and of course, pick you up the show to return to your hotel or villa.
Uluwatu Day Tour Map
Reviews
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I’m a technology entrepreneur and traveller and began Bali Holiday Secrets as a guide for friends and family who came to visit after I moved to Bali, and has grown to 400,000+ visitors a month.
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Hello,
I’m interested in taking itinerary 1 or 3 of this tour but I would like to know how much coast each of them. I couldn’t see a number or email to reach out to, so hopefully I can get some information from you.
Thank you
Hi Melissa,
There is a booking form on this page. You can simply fill out a few details to see the costs and proceed with the booking when you’re ready.
Safe travels,
Michael
Hi
I have another question regarding Itinerary 3, and Sunset Kecak Dance.
In the activity description, it is stated that the “driver will need to make reservations for you to purchase your tickets.”
1. This means that the tickets are guaranteed (either for the 6pm or the 7pm shows), is that correct?
All I need to do is wait in the line to get the tickets and pay them.
Thank you,
Margarida.
Regarding the Sunset Kecak Dance, your driver will reserve your tickets for you.
He can also wait in line for you to pay for them so you don’t need to stand around.
Safe travels,
Michael
Hi!
I booked the Itinerary 3, for August 31 (Saturday), however I was not redirected to payment/checkout.
Could you please confirm if the reservation was concluded?
Will I be contacted by email? What is the payment method?
Thank you in advance,
Margarida.
Hi Margarida,
If you weren’t directed to the payment checkout page (Stripe), then there was no booking made. It could have been an error on the form, perhaps a detail was missing.
Please double check and try again.
Safe travels,
Michael
Hi,
I’m interested in Itinerary #2, but instead of visiting the Palmilla Beach Club or Bingin Beach I’d prefer to go to Padang-Padang or Suluban beach. Would that be possible?
Hi Hannah,
Yes of course!
With any of the day tours, you’re free to alter and adjust the stop as you wish.
Safe travels,
Michael
I want to leave Nusa Dua by 8 AM post Bfast.
Then see GWK, head off to Suluban or Nyang Nyang and have some restful time at the beach. ( preferably where less walking is needed and which is less crowded)
Post that, I would like to go to a Indian ocean facing lunch place
Post that go to Uluwatu temple
and then to single fin for sundowners and be back to hotel by 9ish
Hi Vineet,
Sounds like a great itinerary! You should be able to do this with the Uluwatu Day Tour.
Safe travels,
Michael
Hi Michael,
I am trying to book/ pay however when I click process to secure checkout, I am not redirected.
Could you please help is there another way for me to pay? This is for your 2 on 01/01/2024. Thanks!
Ellen
Hi Ellen,
Alternatively, I can contact you via email to organize a manual payment (Link sent via Stripe) then I’ll have your tour set up.
Would that be alright with you?
Safe travels,
Michael
Hi Michael, that would be great. Thank you!
Hi Michael,
These tours look great. However, my friends are worried about traffic in Bali at the moment and getting out of Seminyak to do the tours.
What is your opinion and thoughts on this? I was thinking of either doing a tour this coming Saturday or Sunday (21/22 Sept) or the week after on a Thursday.
Thank you.
Hi Bel,
If you’re considering the Uluwatu Day Tour, perhaps a Sunday would be better.
Plus, the traffic in Seminyak isn’t always bad for the entire day, just your typical rush hours.
So for example, if you’re starting your tour around 10:00 you won’t have much traffic getting there.
Safe travels,
Michael
Hi Michael,
We will be on Holland America Westerdam Cruise that will stop at Bali on December 20, 2023 from 10:30am-8pm by tender. Since we have limited time, which route should I pick, North, East or South. We want to see the tourist places but not too far away from port, one place we had to see is Tanah Lot. Also, what is your cancellation policy if ship skip port for some reason?
Thanks
Sichanda C
Hi Shichanda,
I would suggest the South Bali Day Tour (via Private Car and Driver).
Regarding cancellation, 50% of your booking can be refunded if outside 7 days of our your tour date. This is to compensate the driver as they would have refused other jobs to confirm your reservation.
Safe travels,
Michael.
Hello Michael,
Hope you are well.
Would it be possible to book a tour that includes:
Garuda Wisnu Kencan, Tanah Lot, Uluwatu Temple + Kecak Dance?
If so, which option should we choose? What time should we book the pick up for?
Thank you
Federica
Hi Federica,
As I don’t currently have an Uluwatu Day Tour that includes Tanah Lot, I would suggest booking a private car & driver and organizing those stops in your itinerary. Very simple!
Regarding the pick-up time, it would depend entirely on where your starting point is.
After booking, you’ll receive your driver’s contact details through which you can communicate your intended stops.
Safe travels,
Michael
Hi Michael,
We would like to book a trip to Uluwatu to look around the temple and see the fire dance in the evening. We would then like to head to Single Fins for some food/drinks. What is the best way for us to book this in?
Thanks,
Lynne
Hi Lynne,
You’re always free to alter your itinerary. After booking, you’ll be assigned a driver with his details. From there you can communicate with your driver about your plans. Easy!
Safe travels,
Michael
Hiya! this looks amazing. I have some back problems and can’t walk long distances – how many steps down is Padang-Padang Beach, and is it claustrophobic at all? also, any accessibility notes on the other sites? thanks
Hi Georgie, sorry to hear about the back pain. I’ve never counted the steps, but it a few, and considering the narrow cave-like entrance perhaps with your claustrophobia it isn’t the best idea. The only notes I have are all written on this website, so I apologise for lacking in the accessibility knowledge department.
Safe travels, Michael
Hello
We are thinking about booking the itinerary 1 for Saturday 13th of may. We were wondering at what time we have to start and how much it will be?
Kind regards
Margaretha and Jelmer
Hi Margaretha, for that the best start is around 10:30 – 11 am. You can fill in the booking form with number of passengers and location and it will tell you how much.
Safe travels, Michael
Hello
We are thinking about booking the itinerary 1 for Saturday 13th of may. We were wondering at what time we have to start and how much it will be?
Kind regards
Margaretha and Jelmer
Hi
Am attempting to book Ultimate Uluwatu Tour – Itinerary 1: GWK + Beaches + Sunset Kecak Dance for August for 2 people and the final price that will be charged is showing up as AUD97.50, is this the final price for 2 or per person?
Also what time is the earliest pick up possible?
Thank you
Hi Daniel, it’s the total cost for all passengers. And if you want to see the fire dance in the evening, bearing in mind a day’s hire is 10 hours, then 10 am seems reasonably early enough. As the description states, if you go over 10 hrs you can simply pay the extra directly to your driver.
Safe travels, Michael