Pura Luhur Uluwatu stands at the southwestern tip of Bali's Bukit Peninsula, balanced on the edge of sheer limestone cliffs 70 metres above the crashing Indian Ocean. It is one of Bali's six directional temples (Sad Kahyangan), believed to guard the island from evil spirits that enter from the southwest, and remains one of the most dramatically positioned Hindu temples in the world. The original temple was founded in the 10th century by the Javanese sage Mpu Kuturan, and later expanded in the 15th century by Danghyang Nirartha. The inner sanctuary is reserved for Balinese Hindus, but the clifftop promenades offer breathtaking views — including, below, the famous Uluwatu surf break, one of the most revered left-hander waves on Earth. Every evening at sunset, a troupe of over 100 performers gathers on a natural clifftop amphitheatre to perform the Kecak fire dance — a hypnotic, chorus-driven retelling of the Ramayana. The performance, with the burning pyre, fire walking, and chanting against the darkening ocean, is among Bali's great cultural spectacles. Arrive an hour early for seats and the full sunset view.