Tourists planning on visiting Bali’s Pura Luhur Uluwatu this week must be aware that a series of important Balinese Hindu ceremonies are taking place at the temple.
Uluwatu Temple is one of the most popular tourism attractions in Bali, but above all else, it is one of the most culturally significant temples on the island.
Bali’s Pura Luhur Uluwatu is one of Bali’s most famous sea temples. Like Tanah Lot Temple in Tabanan Regency, one of the temple’s roles within Balinese Hinduism is to protect the island from the forces of the ocean. From 11th to 12th May 2025, the roads leading to Uluwatu Temple will be closed from Ulun Swi Temple in Jimbaran.
Thousands of local community members joined the sacred Masupati and Ngiring Sasuhunan Ida Bhatara Dewa Ayu Jimbaran Ceremony, which is conducted between the two temples. Over the weekend, the procession of pilgrims nearly reached 6km in length, which is why the Uluwatu Highway was closed to vehicles for two days.
Now the Masupati and Ngiring Sasuhunan Ida Bhatara Dewa Ayu Jimbaran Ceremony have been completed, Uluwatu Temple and the community are preparing for another series of ceremonies that will be held between 13th May and 16th May.
While there will be no road closures, tourists planning visits to the temple must be aware that more traffic congestion could lead to the temple and on the roads in the Pecatu area. The temple will remain open for tourist visits, and the nightly Kecak performances held at the Uluwatu Temple Amphitheater will continue throughout the week as usual.
However, tourists visiting the temple must respect that the needs of Balinese Hindu worshippers take precedence on all days, but especially during ceremonies and on holy days. Access to many areas of the temple complex will be restricted between 13th – 16th May. This will also mean that tourists will observe more security officers, staff, and local pecalang in the temple complex.
The ceremony taking place at Pura Luhur Uluwatu is a Piodalan Ceremony. It is held every 210 days, in accordance with the Balinese Pawukon calendar, which is also known as the Saka lunar calendar. The Piodalan ceremony is the temple’s anniversary and is sometimes literally translated as the temple’s birthday.
The ceremony is carried out to honour the temple’s deities, express gratitude for the sacred grounds and all they bring, and help the community deepen its connection with the spiritual realms.
Though it is not uncommon for tourists to be invited to obsereve or even take part in Odolan and Piodolan ceremonies at smaller temples located within local communities, especially if the tourists are staying close-by the temple grounds or in the village during their stay.
On this occasion however, tourists will not be invited to observe or participate in the Piodolan ceremony at Uluwatu Temple this week.
Tourists, everywhere in Bali but especially those visiting Uluwatu Temple this week, are encoutwed to be extra culturally sensitive.
Tourists visiting any temple in Bali must honour temple rules by wearing a sarong and sash, not taking photos where it is not permitted to do so and behaving in a calm and quiet manner.
For tourists visiting Bali for the first time, one of the most magical ways to connect to the island’s cultural heritage is to attend a kecak performance.
The fiery cultural show tells the story of the Hindu epic, the Ramayana, the tale of triumph of good over evil. At Uluwatu Temple the show is performed every evening at 6pm.
Entry tickets to Uluwatu Temple can be purchased on arrival and cost IDR 50,000 per international adult and IDR 30,000 per international child. Kecak performance tickets are purchased separately and cost IDR 150,000 for adults and IDR 75,000 for children.
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