Watch, don't joinSunday feeding
The only supervised feeding
- When
- Sundays, 4:00 PM
- Where
- Kumba Karna statue
- Who feeds
- Temple staff
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Guide · Monkeys and safety
Uluwatu Temple monkeys, and how to keep your sunglasses
Hundreds of long-tailed macaques share the cliff with the kecak audience. What the temple asks of visitors, what to pack in a closed bag and what to do when a monkey wins anyway.
Check availabilityfrom $9 · no cancellation fee
Editorial team, kecakfiredanceshow.comUpdated October 26, 20266-minute read36 sources
What to know first
Who lives on the cliff
There are a lot of Uluwatu Temple monkeys, and all of them are long-tailed macaques. By the managing body's count, roughly 650 live at the temple itself, with some 50 more at Labuan Sait Beach, a short drive along the coast.1 On a kecak evening, with up to 1,200 spectators per show heading to the amphitheater, people and monkeys share the same paths.7
They are not strays. The macaques are believed to be the temple's guardians, protecting the sacred site from negative energies, and their health is followed by the caretakers together with Udayana University's veterinary faculty.89 Regular check-ups with vaccinations, tusk trimming and dietary monitoring keep the population well.10
One animal lives apart. Uluwatu has a rare white macaque, which the management keeps in a protected enclosure for its safety and health.11 If you pass its enclosure, treat it as part of the temple's care for its animals, not as an attraction to crowd around. Its home is a reminder that the troop is cared for, not simply tolerated.
If it happens
A monkey has your sunglasses: what to do
What the macaques go for
The management's list is precise: keep glasses, hats and bags safe from the monkeys.14 The Ministry of Tourism puts it more bluntly, warning that the monkeys at Uluwatu like to steal glasses or hats.15 Its own rules go further still, advising visitors not to wear hats or flashy jewelry at all, as monkeys may snatch them.16
Phones, sunglasses, hats, cameras, jewelry, food, water bottles and small accessories should all go inside a properly closed bag, the management says.2 Do it before you enter the temple paths, not when a monkey is already on the wall beside you.17
Food needs the same care. Eating inside the temple area is prohibited, the management says.18 Finish your snack in the car, and keep any food and your water bottle in the closed bag until you reach your seat, as the management's list asks.2
The temple's rules
Around the macaques: do and don't
| Situation | Do | Don't |
|---|---|---|
| Entering the paths | Close your bag | Carry loose items |
| What you wear | Glasses in a case | Hats or flashy jewelry |
| Food | Leave it in the car | Eat in the temple area |
| Feeding | Watch the Sunday session | Feed a monkey yourself |
| A monkey grabs | Call temple staff | Chase, grab or shout |
| Photos | Distance and zoom | Close-ups by hand |
From the Uluwatu temple management's rules and visitor guidance.1716183456
Three things to know
Feeding time, the white macaque and the beach troop
Watch, don't join
Rare animalThe white macaque
Kept for its safety
- Where
- Protected enclosure
- Why
- Safety and health
- Visitors
- No direct contact
On the beach tooLabuan Sait troop
Along the coast
- How many
- Around 50
- Also called
- Padang-Padang
- Same rules
- Bags closed
Decision helper
What to do with what you carry
Find the item you are worried about
In a case, in a closed bag
The management lists glasses first among the things to keep safe.14
In the bag, not on your head
The temple's rules advise against wearing hats.16
Pocket or bag between photos
Phones belong in a closed bag, the management says.2
Eaten before you arrive
Eating inside the temple area is prohibited.18
Zipped away until you sit
Water bottles are on the list for a closed bag.2
If you want a photograph, use distance and zoom instead of direct interaction.
Why you never feed them
Feeding the monkeys is the one thing the temple asks you never to do. The management says feeding disrupts their natural behavior and should happen only under staff supervision.3 It also asks visitors to remain calm when a monkey comes near, and warns against sudden movements.12
There is an official feeding, and it is a supervised event. It takes place every Sunday at 4:00 PM in front of the Kumba Karna statue, under the eyes of the temple staff.4 If your kecak evening falls on a Sunday, arriving for the 16:00 gate puts you near the right moment to watch, from a respectful distance, how the animals are fed properly.20
Outside that hour, food is never a tool. Offering a snack to lure a monkey for a photograph, or to buy back something it has taken, works against the care programme that keeps these animals healthy. It also teaches the troop that visitors are a source of food, and that is the problem the rules are there to prevent.
Map
Where the kecak is danced on Bali
First the island with every stage this site compares, then the Bukit peninsula with Uluwatu, Melasti and GWK, then the temple courts and palaces of Ubud.
1Pura Luhur Uluwatu2Melasti Beach stage3Garuda Wisnu Kencana4Tanah Lot5Ubud6Batubulan7Denpasar8Ngurah Rai Airport
1Pura Luhur Uluwatu9Karang Boma Cliff10Labuan Sait Beach3Garuda Wisnu Kencana2Melasti Beach stage11Jimbaran Beach
12Ubud Palace13Pura Dalem Ubud14Pura Dalem Taman Kaja15Puri Agung Peliatan16ARMA
- 1Pura Luhur Uluwatu
The cliff temple whose amphitheater stages the daily kecak at 18:00.2021
In Google Maps ↗ - 2Melasti Beach stage
A beach stage in Ungasan, 16.3 km from the airport.2223
In Google Maps ↗ - 3Garuda Wisnu Kencana
The cultural park lists its own kecak every day at 6pm.24
In Google Maps ↗ - 4Tanah Lot
The sea temple; its kecak is held at De Jukung from sunset.25
In Google Maps ↗ - 5Ubud
Several village stages take turns through the week.
In Google Maps ↗ - 6Batubulan
The village the Ministry names for Barong performances.26
In Google Maps ↗ - 7Denpasar
The provincial capital; Kesiman stages Barong too.26
In Google Maps ↗ - 8Ngurah Rai Airport
About 45 minutes by road from Uluwatu.27
In Google Maps ↗ - 9Karang Boma Cliff
A separate kecak about 1 km from the temple, not inside it.
In Google Maps ↗ - 10Labuan Sait Beach
Also called Padang-Padang; about 50 macaques live here.191
In Google Maps ↗ - 11Jimbaran Beach
Where several sunset tours end with dinner.
In Google Maps ↗ - 12Ubud Palace
Home of the nightly Legong the Ministry singles out.28
In Google Maps ↗ - 13Pura Dalem Ubud
One of the kecak stages the Ministry names in Ubud.29
In Google Maps ↗ - 14Pura Dalem Taman Kaja
Kecak by locals on Monday and Friday at 7:00 pm.30
In Google Maps ↗ - 15Puri Agung Peliatan
The Peliatan palace; one listing sells its Thursday kecak.
In Google Maps ↗ - 16ARMA
The art museum stage; one listing sells kecak here on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
In Google Maps ↗
Checklist
Monkey-proof for the evening
01
Pack
- A small bag that zips shut
- A case for your glasses
- Room in the bag for your phone
02
Leave behind
- Hats and flashy jewelry
- Snacks and other food
- Large backpacks
Cost calculator
The temple and the show for your group
Starting totals for the kecak with or without temple options.
People
Total from$18
per participant from $9
Check availabilityfree cancellationTotals: the cheapest listed fare times your headcount, turned into your currency with the ECB's daily figure; the booking page settles the real sum.
Video
The macaques that trade stolen things for food
Nothing loads until you tap play.
If a monkey takes something
It happens, even to careful visitors. The management's advice is clear: stay calm, do not chase the animal, do not grab it or shout, do not offer food to negotiate for the item, and contact temple staff.5 The staff know the troop and the area, and they are your best chance of seeing your sunglasses again.
Chasing is the worst instinct. The temple stands on a steep cliff, the boundary walls are not for climbing or sitting on, and a monkey with your phone will head exactly where you should not follow.3113 Stand still, keep an eye on where it goes, and wave down a member of staff.
Some videos online show visitors trading food for their belongings, and the monkeys certainly seem to understand the deal. The temple's own guidance is not to do it: no food offered, ever, and the matter handed to staff.5 The video on this page shows the behaviour itself; the advice above is how the management wants you to respond.
Getting to your seat with everything you brought
The walk from the gate to the amphitheater passes through temple grounds that are home to about 650 macaques.1 Arrive with the bag already closed, glasses in their case and your hat in the bag rather than on your head, as the management's own list of rules suggests.1617
Pack small. Large backpacks or luggage may not be allowed in the seating area anyway, and a small closed bag on your lap is easier to watch than a big one at your feet.32 The sarong and sash you are given at the gate need no bag at all: wear them from the entrance.33 Keep the bag closed even once you are seated, until the chorus begins and the crowd settles.
With children, hold hands on the cliff path and keep their snacks out of sight. The Ministry of Tourism asks parents to supervise children at all times, as the temple stands on a steep cliff.31 Explain the rules before you arrive: no food in the hand, no reaching for the monkeys, and a call for an adult if one comes close.
Guardians of a sacred place
It helps to see the macaques the way the temple does. The macaques are believed to be guardians of the sacred site, protecting it from negative energies, and the managing body looks after them through its own care programme.810 They belong to the temple more than you or I do on a single evening.
The temple itself is a working sea temple, founded to protect Bali from negative forces from the ocean and set on a 70 m limestone cliff.34 Among its monuments stands a statue of Kumbakarna, a warrior from the Ramayana, the same epic the kecak tells at sunset.35 It is also the spot where the supervised Sunday feeding takes place.4
Respect works both ways. Wear the sarong and sash handed out at the gate, stay on the visitor paths and keep your voice low.33 A calm visitor with closed bags is the one most likely to reach the amphitheater with everything still in hand.
Photographing the macaques
The monkeys make wonderful photographs, and the management has one rule for taking them: if you want a photograph, use distance and zoom instead of direct interaction.6 A monkey on a temple wall with the ocean behind it needs no help from you to look good.
Never hold the phone out towards an animal for a close-up: the management asks for distance and zoom, not contact.6 If one approaches while you are shooting, put the phone away in a closed bag, stay calm and avoid sudden movements.212
If you see a monkey that looks injured or seriously unwell, do not try to help it yourself; report it to the temple staff.36 The macaques receive veterinary care through the temple's programme with Udayana University, and the staff know whom to call.9
Your seat
The kecak on the cliff, on the evening you choose
One-hour show ticket, temple entry paid at the gate, free cancellation up to 2 days before.
You ask,we answer.
How many monkeys live at Uluwatu Temple?
About 650. By the managing body's count, roughly 650 live at the temple and some 50 at Labuan Sait Beach.1
Are the Uluwatu Temple monkeys dangerous?
Treat them with care. The temple warns about glasses, hats and bags; stay calm and avoid sudden movements when one comes near.1412
Can I feed the monkeys?
No. Feeding is only done under staff supervision, at a weekly session on Sundays at 4:00 PM.34
What should I do if a monkey takes my phone?
Stay calm and call staff. Do not chase, grab or shout, and do not offer food in exchange; contact temple staff.5
Should I wear sunglasses at Uluwatu?
Keep them in a case. The management advises keeping glasses safe and not wearing hats or flashy jewelry.1416
Is there a white monkey at Uluwatu?
Yes, in an enclosure. A rare white macaque lives in a protected enclosure for its safety and health.11
Sources
What this text is based on
- 1Uluwatu Temple (official site of the managing body)Conservation & Wildlife↩
- 2Uluwatu Temple (official site of the managing body)7 Quick Facts About Uluwatu Monkeys That Visitors Always Notice↩
- 3Uluwatu Temple (official site of the managing body)Uluwatu Temple↩
- 4Uluwatu Temple (official site of the managing body)Why Feeding Uluwatu Monkeys Should Only Be Done with Staff Guidance↩
- 5Uluwatu Temple (official site of the managing body)Why Feeding Uluwatu Monkeys Should Only Be Done with Staff Guidance↩
- 6Uluwatu Temple (official site of the managing body)Why Feeding Uluwatu Monkeys Should Only Be Done with Staff Guidance↩
- 7Uluwatu Temple (official site of the managing body)Uluwatu Kecak Dance↩
- 8Uluwatu Temple (official site of the managing body)Conservation & Wildlife↩
- 9Uluwatu Temple (official site of the managing body)Conservation & Wildlife↩
- 10Uluwatu Temple (official site of the managing body)Conservation & Wildlife↩
- 11Uluwatu Temple (official site of the managing body)7 Quick Facts About Uluwatu Monkeys That Visitors Always Notice↩
- 12Uluwatu Temple (official site of the managing body)7 Quick Facts About Uluwatu Monkeys That Visitors Always Notice↩
- 13Uluwatu Temple (official site of the managing body)Uluwatu Temple↩
- 14Uluwatu Temple (official site of the managing body)Uluwatu Temple↩
- 15Ministry of Tourism, Republic of Indonesia (indonesia.travel)Pura Uluwatu Bali↩
- 16Uluwatu Temple (official site of the managing body)Uluwatu Temple↩
- 17Uluwatu Temple (official site of the managing body)Why Feeding Uluwatu Monkeys Should Only Be Done with Staff Guidance↩
- 18Uluwatu Temple (official site of the managing body)Uluwatu Temple↩
- 19Uluwatu Temple (official site of the managing body)Why Feeding Uluwatu Monkeys Should Only Be Done with Staff Guidance↩
- 20Uluwatu Temple (official site of the managing body)Uluwatu Kecak Dance↩
- 21Uluwatu Temple (official site of the managing body)Uluwatu Kecak Dance↩
- 22Love Bali, Bali Provincial GovernmentPantai Melasti↩
- 23Love Bali, Bali Provincial GovernmentPantai Melasti↩
- 24Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park (official site)Daily Cultural Performances↩
- 25Daya Tarik Wisata Tanah Lot (official site)Kecak Dance↩
- 26Ministry of Tourism, Republic of Indonesia (indonesia.travel)The Barong and the Kris Dance: The Eternal Battle Between Good and Evil↩
- 27Ministry of Tourism, Republic of Indonesia (indonesia.travel)Kecak Dance: the Meaning and Its Philosophical Movements↩
- 28Ministry of Tourism, Republic of Indonesia (indonesia.travel)Legong Dance↩
- 29Ministry of Tourism, Republic of Indonesia (indonesia.travel)Ubud's Kecak Dance: Enchanting Tradition↩
- 30Ministry of Tourism, Republic of Indonesia (indonesia.travel)Kecak Dance: the Meaning and Its Philosophical Movements↩
- 31Ministry of Tourism, Republic of Indonesia (indonesia.travel)Pura Uluwatu Bali↩
- 32Uluwatu Temple (official site of the managing body)Uluwatu Kecak Dance↩
- 33Uluwatu Temple (official site of the managing body)Uluwatu Temple↩
- 34Uluwatu Temple (official site of the managing body)Uluwatu Temple↩
- 35Uluwatu Temple (official site of the managing body)Uluwatu Temple↩
- 36Uluwatu Temple (official site of the managing body)7 Quick Facts About Uluwatu Monkeys That Visitors Always Notice↩
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