Uluwatu

Uluwatu Temple (Pura Luhur Uluwatu) is one of six key Hindu temples, Bali's spiritual pillars.

its location on a steep cliff right next to the Indian Ocean makes for a very serene and picturesque backdrop.

Surrounded by a dense forest, the entrance needs a fee of about 50,000 Indonesian rupiah for foreigners. You are required to wear a sarong before entering, which is provided freely.

Located about half hour from Kuta or Bali, the Tempe is surrounded by a dense forest and had a kind of cactus new to me.

As you walk around, you see monkeys of different sizes all around, climbing trees, grooming each other or just staring at tourists.

One monkey loved my eyeglasses and just took it off my face, ran ahead and started trying it on its face. I wondered if the rest of my trip would be spent without glasses or if I should run behind the monkey and retrieve them. I heard an old man say 'wait', then he threw something shiny towards the monkey, who threw away my glasses on the floor, and grabbed the shiny thing.

The old man wanted money for his favor. I put on my glasses and looked for some cash. Another monkey swooped in, stole my glasses, scratched above my eye and disappeared. Old man reretived them, I paid him and put the glasses in my pocket.

The main temple was closed to the public.

All around Uluwatu site, there were beautiful vistas, dense forests and you could see giant airplanes on the glide slope to land at DPS.

The visit was a good way to spend an afternoon.