Three Days in Uluwatu: The Only Itinerary You Need

Introduction

With dramatic cliffside views, world-famous surf breaks, beautiful beaches, and some of Bali’s best nightlife, Uluwatu is the perfect place to spend three days as part of a wider Bali itinerary. Whether you’re stopping here after Ubud or simply want a relaxing coastal escape, there’s more than enough to keep you busy over 72 hours.

If you’re wondering what to do for three days in Uluwatu, we’ve put together this itinerary based on our own experience while visiting during our honeymoon. If you’re still deciding where to stay, make sure to read our Where to Stay in Bali: Best Areas & How to Plan Your Trip guide before booking your accommodation.

Before travelling, it’s also worth checking our Best Time to Visit Bali (Month-by-Month Guide + When to Avoid) so you know what weather and crowds to expect during your trip.

Day 1: Padang Padang Beach & Uluwatu Kecak Dance

We recommend starting your first day at Padang Padang Beach, one of Uluwatu’s most popular beaches and a great introduction to the dramatic coastline this part of Bali is known for.

The beach itself is tucked beneath the cliffs and reached by walking down a narrow set of steps through the rocks. It almost feels hidden away when you first arrive, before eventually opening up onto a small stretch of golden sand surrounded by limestone cliffs and clear blue water.

Padang Padang is particularly well known for surfing, but you certainly don’t need to be a surfer to enjoy it. When conditions are suitable, the more protected water close to shore can be a nice place for a swim, while the beach itself is perfect for spending a couple of hours relaxing before continuing with the rest of your day.

We’d recommend arriving earlier in the morning if possible. Padang Padang isn’t a particularly large beach and its popularity means it can become quite busy later in the day. Getting there early gives you a much better chance of finding a good spot on the sand and enjoying the beach before the larger crowds arrive.

You’ll find small vendors around the beach selling drinks and snacks, so there’s no need to bring too much with you. Just be aware that monkeys are common around this area, so keep hold of your belongings and avoid leaving food or anything valuable unattended.

Spend the morning swimming, relaxing and taking in the scenery before grabbing some lunch and heading towards Uluwatu Temple later in the afternoon. This gives you plenty of time to explore at a relaxed pace before finishing your first day with the Kecak Fire Dance.

The Kecak Fire Dance, performed on the clifftops beside Uluwatu Temple, is one of the main reasons people visit Uluwatu

The performance dates back to the 1930s and tells the story of the Ramayana. Although the tale originated in India, it became deeply rooted in Balinese culture after Hinduism spread across the island centuries ago.

Try not to spoil the experience by watching too many videos beforehand. Seeing the performance live as the sun sets over the Indian Ocean is something that photos and videos simply can’t recreate. The chanting, costumes, and setting combine to create one of the most memorable cultural experiences we had anywhere in Bali.

There are two performances each evening. If you’d like seats overlooking the ocean during sunset, check the performance times in advance and arrive early. We arrived around 30 minutes before the show and although we missed out on the very best seats, we still had an excellent view and thoroughly enjoyed the performance.

While you’re there, you can also explore Uluwatu Temple itself. We focused most of our visit on the Kecak performance, but allow some extra time beforehand if you’d like to explore Uluwatu Temple and its dramatic clifftop setting.

If you prefer travelling independently, it’s easy enough to arrange a Grab to the temple and you can pick up your ticket in advance online. Note that arranging a grab on the way out can prove a bit more tricky due to crowds and demand. However, guided tours are also available and are worth considering if you’d rather have transport organised for you, learn more about the history behind the performance, and have someone keeping an eye on the mischievous monkeys that roam the temple grounds. Trust us—they’re experts at stealing sunglasses, hats and even phones from unsuspecting visitors.

Day 2: GWK or Surfing & Uluwatu Nightlife

For your second morning, there are two good options depending on the kind of trip you want: explore Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park for a dose of Balinese culture, or book a surf lesson if you’d prefer something more adventurous.

Option 1: Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park

Dominated by the enormous Garuda Wisnu Kencana statue, which depicts the Hindu god Vishnu riding the mythical Garuda, the park is one of Bali’s most recognisable landmarks. Standing more than 120 metres tall, it’s one of the tallest statues in the world and is visible from miles around. Seeing it up close gives you a much better appreciation of its sheer scale, but the park offers much more than simply a photo opportunity.

Visitors can explore landscaped gardens, learn more about Balinese mythology, and watch regular cultural performances throughout the day. It provides a welcome contrast to Uluwatu’s beaches and nightlife while still fitting comfortably into a relaxed three-day itinerary.

Option 2: Take a Surf Lesson

If you’d rather do something more adventurous, surfing is one of the most popular activities in Uluwatu. Whether you’ve never stood on a board before or already have some experience, you’ll find beaches and surf schools suitable for all abilities.

Having never surfed before ourselves, we booked a beginner lesson on GetYourGuide which was around 25 minutes from our accommodation.

The waves were slightly bigger than we’d expected and it quickly became clear that surfing is far more physically demanding than it looks. Despite the challenge, we both managed to stand up during our first lesson, which was an amazing feeling and easily one of the highlights of our time in Uluwatu. I was also pleased that they had managed to pick this up with their drone!

If you book a lesson, make sure you arrive with plenty of time to spare. Many beaches have several surf schools operating side by side, so it can take a few minutes to find the correct instructor.

We’d recommend surfing if you’re reasonably adventurous and enjoy trying something outside your comfort zone. If your idea of the perfect Bali holiday is complete relaxation, you may prefer spending the morning exploring the cultural park instead.

By evening, head into Uluwatu’s main strip where you’ll find plenty of excellent restaurants, bars, and cafés. This is where the area really comes alive after sunset.

After eating plenty of traditional Balinese food throughout our trip, we decided to try L’Osteria Pizza e Cucina Uluwatu, which had been recommended by our hotel manager. It ended up being one of the biggest surprises of our stay.

The restaurant is beautifully designed and, having travelled through Italy ourselves, we were genuinely impressed by the pizzas and arancini we had for starters. It offered a refreshing change after several days of local cuisine.

Prices are naturally a little higher than many Balinese restaurants, but considering the quality of the food, the atmosphere, and the service, we thought it represented excellent value.

After dinner, spend some time exploring Uluwatu’s nightlife. Compared to some of the quieter resort areas we visited during our honeymoon, the atmosphere here felt vibrant without becoming overwhelming.

You’ll find live music, cocktail bars, and a relaxed crowd enjoying the evening. If you’re looking for somewhere to finish the night, we’d definitely recommend stopping by Hatch, which quickly became one of our favourite bars in Uluwatu.

Day 3: Sundays Beach Club & Sunset Dinner

For your final day, we couldn’t recommend Sundays Beach Club highly enough.

Located at the base of the cliffs inside the Ungasan Clifftop Resort, Sundays Beach Club offers a beautifully designed private beach experience that’s well worth dedicating an entire day to. And you can visit without being a hotel guest.

Access begins from the resort before descending to the beach by an inclinator ride, which immediately makes the whole experience feel a little different from Bali’s more traditional beach clubs.

Instead of standard sun loungers, many guests relax on oversized beanbags positioned directly on the sand, something we both loved. It created a much more laid-back atmosphere and made it incredibly easy to spend hours simply relaxing by the ocean.

If possible, arrive before midday to secure one of the front-row spots overlooking the water.

One feature we particularly appreciated was the table service. Rather than continually walking back and forth to the bar, staff bring drinks and food directly to your seat, allowing you to properly switch off and enjoy the day.

During our visit we found that the water is calm and shallow close to the shore before gradually becoming deeper, making it suitable whether you simply want to paddle or enjoy a proper swim. Lifeguards are also on duty throughout the day.

Food and drinks were another pleasant surprise. While prices are naturally higher than you’d expect elsewhere in Bali, they felt very reasonable considering the location, service, and overall experience.

Allow yourself plenty of time here rather than trying to squeeze it into half a day. We’d recommend leaving during the late afternoon so you have enough time to freshen up before your final evening in Uluwatu.

After leaving Sundays Beach Club, continue the evening with dinner overlooking Uluwatu’s dramatic coastline. Restaurants such as Rock Bar at AYANA, Rockfish Cliffside at Anantara Uluwatu, and Ulu Cliffhouse all offer spectacular ocean views, making them excellent places to watch the sun disappear into the Indian Ocean while enjoying fresh seafood, Indonesian cuisine, or cocktails. Wherever you choose, it’s worth booking a table before sunset, particularly during Bali’s busiest travel months, as the best ocean-facing tables are often reserved well in advance.

After dinner, head back into Uluwatu and finish your trip by revisiting your favourite bar or discovering somewhere new before calling it a night.

Final thoughts

Three days in Uluwatu felt like the perfect amount of time for us. It gave us enough time to experience the beaches, try surfing, watch the Kecak Fire Dance and enjoy some of the area’s restaurants and nightlife without feeling like we were constantly rushing from one place to another.

You could easily spend longer here if surfing and beach clubs are the main focus of your Bali trip, but for most first-time visitors, three days gives you an excellent introduction to this part of the island.

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