Kecak Dance at Karang Boma: An Intimate Alternative to Uluwatu Temple

Most visitors to Bali will watch a Kecak dance before the leave. The most well known is the Uluwatu Kecak dance from the famous sunset performance at Pura Luhur Uluwatu Temple — a few kilometers north of here, where dozens of bare-chested male performers chant "cak-cak-cak" in hypnotic unison, acting out scenes from the Ramayana against a temple backdrop.

A show, and a ritual

Kecak was developed in the 1930s by Balinese dancer Wayan Limbak working with German painter Walter Spies, drawing on the Sanghyang trance ritual and the Ramayana epic. It has no gamelan orchestra — only the layered chanting of the performers themselves, building to a trance-like intensity.

What's different at Karang Boma

What fewer visitors know is that Karang Boma has its own Kecak performances, held right on the cliff top — a short walk along the cliff edge, away from the crowds and ticket lines of the temple show. There are in fact two separate Kecak performances staged in the Uluwatu area, the Karang Boma performance offers a smaller, more intimate version of the ritual, with the same ocean-and-sunset backdrop.

For visitors who want the atmosphere of Kecak without the crowds — or who've already seen the temple performance and want a second, different experience — Karang Boma's own shows are one of the area's best-kept evening activities.

Ask locally for performance times, as these are independently run and schedules can shift with the season.

The Karang Boma performace commeces around 6pm daily just as the susnet sets. It's a good idea to get tickets prior.

Location

The Karang Boma show can be reached via a short walk along the cliff edge from Copy House. It's a great way to spend the afternoon and susnet with a cliff top coconut at Copy House followed by the Kecack dance at Karang Boma.