“Give me your hat. I’ll put it in my bag!” was the firm instruction of a friend as we neared the temple site of Uluwatu at the south-western tip of the island of Bali.
Jagged edge: A footpath lines the very edge of the high cliff at the temple complex. JP/Simon Marcus Gower
For a moment or two it might be thought that such an instruction is required and intended to show a mark of respect for entering a temple area, but it soon becomes clear this is not why the removal of a hat is advised.
Other marks of respect are required when entering Uluwatu. People wearing shorts will be required to wrap their legs in a sarong that is provided for this purpose at the entrance to the temple complex and generally it is evident that a quieter and more respectful air is expected at this location.
This is because the complex is one of Bali’s most important and revered temple sites. It is too, surely, one of Bali’s and the world’s most spectacular temple locations. Its full name Pura Luhur Uluwatu, which may be translated as “the temple at divine land’s end”, is appropriate because this is a place of wonder and it is a point of the land’s end at a southern tip of the island.
The temple is located on a spectacular cliff that rises almost 100 meters above sea level. This then is undoubtedly a well chosen spot for a place of importance but for a long time it was only the privileged few that we able to access this place. With its origin tracing as far back as the 11th century, this was once an extremely remote location.
It was also, though, a place that was set aside for the royalty of Bali. The Prince of Badung and his entourage would have been, for a long time, the only people allowed to access the temple. That has changed significantly today and the temple is visited by hundreds if not thousands of people each day.
But though there may be many human visitors to the temple, they are by no means “rulers of the roost”. There are other occupants here that cause human visitors to be cautious. Marauding monkeys literally run amok all over the temple site. This is effectively their home and humans are just visitors.
These monkeys are the reason why hats may need to be taken off. Similarly, jewelry, watches, glasses and other loose items being worn or carried should be closely guarded, if not hidden away — such as that hat being placed in a bag. The reason for this is that the monkeys here are extremely mischievous and they will snatch whatever they can get their hands on.
In fact, at times they literally seem to be on the prowl and standing guard, ready to pounce on unsuspecting visitors. At one shrine on a particularly high promenade of the temple many visitors attempt to get shots of the stunning views of the shrines with the cliffs and waves tumbling in far below but an aggressive and ever watchful monkey makes this proposition quite a challenge.
The monkey saunters around the shrine ever watchful of the human guests. In a flash he leaps towards a man and makes a grab at the camera strap that is around the man’s neck. The man pulls away and the monkey leaps off, confounded this time. A game of cat and mouse goes on here as photographers try to take snaps but the monkeys make life difficult. This may be a divine place but it is a place that can seem frantic.
A sudden yelp is heard and a Japanese tourist can be seen waving his arms in pursuit of a leaping monkey. This monkey has grabbed the man’s glasses and run off with them.
Fortunately attendants are nearby and they know how to handle and negotiate with the thieving monkeys. This though is not a place for the faint-hearted or those scared of animals.
A highlight of Uluwatu is its locale as a place to watch the setting sun. A small arena has been created here too where guests may watch a Kecak dance (monkey dance) as the sun sets.
The views across this dramatic land and seascape may be enough though. As the sun goes down the monkeys seem a little calmer, allowing visitors an opportunity to relax and admire this remarkable setting.
