Saturday, April 16, 2016

Uluwatu Temple in Bali: Where Heaven, Earth and Ocean Collide






In all of my travels, I have seen and experienced a lot of pretty amazing things. I have danced to the rhythm of 10,000 people dancing on the beach of Koh Pangan in Thailand.
I have cried with the people of Cambodia during the sentencing of a high profile general of the Khmer Rouge.

I have also seen the simplicity and grandeur of the Petronas, the Banaue Rice Terraces,  and the magic Mt. Fuji in Japan.
Now, I will add another breathtaking spot, I have seen and memorized in my mind.
Uluwatu temple is the first ever spot I visited in Bali, Indonesia.
It’s about two hours from the main beaches of Kuta and Seminyak. It is also just a stone’s throw away from the Uluwatu Surfer’s Beach and Padang Padang.
I asked my Russian host Alexey on which temples I should see during my brief and limited stay in Bali and he recommended this one being near the surfer’s beach and I am glad he did.
In this gorgeous and scenic spot, heaven, earth literally collide. And from the high vantage point, you can see the constant lashing of the waves against the might mountains. It is so strong, you can hear the waves.
To get to the temple, you will have to pay 3,000 Indonesia rupiah and you will be given a sarong you will have to wrap around your waist. A local, presumably working for the temple administration will volunteer as a guide against the wild monkeys that inhabit the temple and the mountains.
According to the locals, the monkeys are kind aggressive and will steal necklaces, bracelets and stuff.
But I saw it immediately for what it was: a way to dupe you of your money, so I gently declined the offer. The local gave me a look but otherwise did not complain.
There are lots of stairs and steps leading to the actual temple so you will definitely break a sweat but the scenic view at the top is well worth the effort.
I enjoyed the mountain, ocean and the sky and entered into a peaceful bliss. There is no time limit to the visit and it’s actually a bit so small so you can take your time.
I stayed for about an hour and all those times, I saw four monkeys but they were gentle and did not try to attack me or steal stuff.
At the end of the tour, I returned the sarong and went to the beach happy for seeing such an awesome view.

0 comments:

Post a Comment