Uluwatu Temple and Fire Dance (Bali)

Uluatu Temple is a great place to see the sunset in Bali and it’s where we spent our first evening as it is just south of the airport in Denpasar.

Our guide waited in line for our tickets to the fire show, so we could look at the rest of the grounds. The view from the upper area is lovely. There is a walking area along the ocean, but as we headed towards it we saw a woman crying about a monkey had stolen her cell-hone. As we got farther down the path there were monkeys chewing on sunglasses. At a small gazebo, we were told that if you went further you should leave your stuff behind. So I gave everything but my camera and glasses to my friend and went a bit further. About 200 feet down the path I was told that I should turn around unless I had my guide with me to fend off the monkeys. I returned uneventfully, but as we walked away towards where the fire dance was, a monkey attacked my friend and bit her on the foot.

Pro-tip – monkeys are assholes

There is a hand-out explaining the story of the fire dance, and make sure to read it before the show starts, or you will likely be very confused with all the monkeys and animals

Pro-tip: the seats for the fire show are very uncomfortable with widely spaced slats, so bring something to sit on (like a magazine) or stand until the show starts to get the best seats and still be comfortable.

You can see the Fire Dance here: https://youtu.be/NtUevyr95LI