Karang Boma Cliff Sunset Kecak Fire Dance Tickets Uluwatu Bali

Karang Boma cliff, Uluwatu's sunset point

Karang Boma is a limestone headland on the Bukit Peninsula in the far south of Bali, close to Uluwatu Temple. The cliffs here drop straight into the Indian Ocean, and from the top you look along a coastline of pale rock walls, white surf lines and deep blue water stretching to the horizon. It has become one of the favourite sunset spots in Uluwatu because it faces west and has wide, open views without the crowds that gather at the temple.

Your combo ticket lets you on to the clifftop from 10:00, so you can arrive in the afternoon, walk the edge, take photos and find a good spot long before the show. Allow at least an hour before 18:00 to enjoy the changing light. There is little shade, so bring a hat and water, and keep well back from the cliff edge, where the paths are uneven.

The Kecak Fire Dance and its story

Kecak is Bali's most dramatic performance and it uses no instruments at all. A large circle of men in checked sarongs sits around a fire and creates the music with their voices alone, the rhythmic chant of cak-cak-cak rising and falling as the story unfolds. The dance grew in the 1930s out of an older Balinese trance ritual and has been performed for visitors ever since.

The show retells an episode of the Ramayana epic: Prince Rama, his wife Sita, her abduction by the demon king Ravana and her rescue with the help of Hanuman, the white monkey warrior. The climax comes when Hanuman is surrounded by burning coconut husks and kicks the glowing embers across the stage. At Karang Boma all of this happens at sunset, so the sky turns orange and pink behind the dancers. The performance lasts about 45 minutes.

Uluwatu Kecak tickets and visit tips

Two tickets are needed to watch the show here: the cliff entry ticket and the Kecak show ticket. The default combo option includes both, which is the simplest choice. If you already hold one of them, you can buy the other on its own, but remember that the show ticket alone does not let you into the venue. Show your voucher on your phone at the ticket counter and arrive at least fifteen minutes before 18:00 to find a seat.

The venue is not wheelchair accessible because of the steps and uneven ground. Wear comfortable shoes and light clothes, bring a camera and a little cash for snacks or parking, and a light layer for after dark. The best time to come is the dry season, from about April to October, when sunsets over the ocean are most reliable; in the rainy months showers often clear by evening.

Getting there and the Uluwatu area

How to get to Karang Boma: the cliff lies in Pecatu, about one kilometre from Uluwatu Temple, at the southern end of the Bukit Peninsula. From Kuta, Seminyak or Jimbaran the drive takes roughly 40 to 75 minutes depending on traffic, which is heavy in the late afternoon, so leave early. Most visitors come by private driver or ride-hailing car; this ticket does not include transport.

The Uluwatu area is worth a full afternoon. Uluwatu Temple sits on its own cliff just along the coast, and the Bukit Peninsula is lined with surf beaches such as Padang Padang, Bingin and Suluban, reached down steep steps. Many travellers spend the day at the beach, arrive at Karang Boma around 16:30 for the light, watch the Kecak Fire Dance at sunset and then head to Jimbaran for a seafood dinner by the sea.