Pura Uluwatu temple is inhabited by a large number of monkeys

The Pura Uluwatu Temple is inhabited by a large number of monkeys, who are extremely adept at snatching visitors' belonging, including bags, cameras and eyeglasses

Click on the photo to enlarge

Keep a very close grip on all your belongings and stow away

your eyeglasses if at all possible

If you do have something taken, the monkeys can usually be

induced to exchange it for some fruit

Needless to say, rewarding the monkeys like this only encourages them to steal more

Locals and even the temple priest or monkey ranger will be happy to do the job for you

This monkey had spectacles stolen

The cliff is fascinating but the temple itself is not as impressive as others in Bali

Uluwatu Temple (Pura Uluwatu) is one of Bali's nine key directional temples

Though a small temple was claimed to have existed beforehand, the structure was significantly expanded by a Javanese sage, Empu Kuturan in the 11th Century

Another sage from East Java, Dang Hyang Nirartha is credited for constructing the padmasana shrines and is claimed to have attained Moksha here

Even more remarkable than the temple itself is its location, perched on a steep cliff 70 metres above the roaring Indian ocean waves

There are more steep headlands on either side and sunsets

over Uluwatu are a sight to behold

You need to be properly dressed to enter

Sarongs and sashes are available free at the entrance

Guides, once famously mercenary, hassle visitors less than they used to, although they will offer to "protect" you from the monkeys, for a tip of course

Note that while you are free to walk around the temple grounds, the central courtyards can only be entered during special rituals

At 17.00 p.m. you can see the Kecak Fire Dance

The Kecak Dance is a spectacular traditional dance with people playing this dance with fire

The dancers make the compact choir with the exquisite dance movement that is one of this dance features

The story is usually used for this dance is taken from the Ramayana Epoch

A ticket costs IDR 100.000

We saw the Kecak dance in the Pura Luhur Uluwatu temple (south Bali) at sunset

Click on the photo to enlarge

Kecak is a form of Balinese dance and music drama that was developed

in the 1930s in Bali, Indonesia

We saw the show at the Uluwatu temple

Since its creation, it has been performed primarily by men, with the

very first women's kecak group starting in 2006

Also known as the Ramayana Monkey Chant, the piece, performed by a circle of performers wearing checked cloth around their waists, percussively chanting "cak" and moving

their hands and arms, depicts a battle from the Ramayana

The monkey-like Vanara helped Prince Rama fight the evil King Ravana

Kecak has roots in sanghyang, a trance-inducing exorcism dance

Kecak was originally a trance ritual accompanied by male chorus

In the 1930s, Walter Spies, a German painter and musician, became

deeply interested in the ritual while living in Bali

He adapted it as a drama, based on the Hindu Ramayana and including dance, intended for performance before Western tourist audiences

Spies worked with Wayan Limbak, who popularized the dance by arranging for performances by Balinese groups touring internationally

These tours have helped make the kecak internationally known

During the show we saw a beautiful sunset