Garuda Wisnu Kencana (GWK Park)
On the Bukit Peninsula lies a park with its iconic majestic monument called Garuda Wisnu Kencana or simply known as GWK. It presents the limestone plateau with a beautiful serene park in southern Bali. The cultural park is dedicated to embrace and preserve the art, cultural and spiritual aspects of the Island of Bali. This 60-hectare park offers a place to watch art & cultural performances, observe exhibitions, and experience conferences. In addition, there are breathtaking spots for you to spend the day.
The central icon is the incredible monument of Garuda Wisnu Kencana, one of the tallest and largest modern statues with over 120 meters in height and 64 meters in width. It is conceptualized by Nyoman Nuarta, Indonesia’s finest contemporary sculptor. The landmark depicts the Hindu God Vishnu riding aloft on his winged mount Garuda. Vishnu is considered a member of the holy trinity of Hinduism along with Shiva and Brahma. He is the most important God of Vaishnavism, the largest Hindu sect. Garuda is an eagle-like creature with human features in Hindu mythology.
Garuda Wisnu Kencana Foundation initiated the project with the vision of becoming an international attraction. As a result, GWK is now offering several facilities ideal for various events, both local and international.
The Garuda Wisnu Kencana complex has everything a tourist needs, including culinary delights, shopping spots, and spectacular sceneries. If you want to taste Bali’s cuisines, you should visit the site’s restaurants: The Panoramic Resto and Beranda Resto. Each place offers delicious menus with different outstanding views. Go to The Panoramic Resto for an open-air terrace view while enjoying your lunch or cool down in the shade while sipping your ice-cold drink at Beranda Resto.
Explore the shopping area and experience shopping like nothing before! When you enter GWK cultural park, you will enjoy a 700 meter squared souvenir shop filled with Balinese unique crafts and sculptures. There are plenty of traditional handicrafts you can choose from!
Be sure to stroll around the main venue Lotus Pond, where many performances and concerts are often held. Morning or late afternoon walk here is excellent as well, with the scenery of their blooming flowers.
Plaza Garuda, Plaza Wisnu, Indraloka Garden, and Plaza Kura Kura are also great sightseeing spots! When you need a snack, a visit to the Street Theater area will provide you plenty of places to buy food and beverages. Visitors also can share their memorable moments wearing traditional Balinese outfits in GWK Photo Studio.
Garuda Wisnu Kencana (GWK) Cultural Park is located in Ungasan, Badung Regency or about a 10-15-minute drive from Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport or around a 25-minute drive from Kuta.
Officially one of the largest monuments in the world, the Garuda Wisna Kencana statue at the 60-hectare GWK Cultural Park has been dubbed the most iconic landmark in Bali. The 122m-tall statue stands higher than both the Statue of Liberty and Christ the Redeemer, and it depicts the Hindu God Wisnu with the mythical eagle, Garuda – the national emblem of Indonesia that symbolises independence. But this Balinese beauty isn’t all you’ll experience at GWK. You can also watch a Kecak Fire Dance here every evening (above), as well as feast on Balinese delicacies, stroll around the gardens, and even catch one of the outdoor annual music festivals.
Uluwatu
Uluwatu is home of the most famous waves in Bali. The spot offers several waves which are working with different swells and tides. The Peak is best at mid and high tide, closes out at low tide. In front of the cave, it’s the most consistent. The Racetracks is at 100 meters further with fast wave, a lot of sections with easy tubes. Best at low tide and at 6 ft which can hold bigger swell. On the right tide and the right swell, ‘The Peak’ connects with ‘Racetraks’.
Outside the corner is the real Uluwatu. Works only with big swells (>8 feet) and at low tide. The lower the tide, the better is the wave. Take at least a 7″ board. It is a succession of long walls good for carving and, sometimes, a beautiful final tube.
Temple is less surfed. Two waves in fact (“Outside temple” and “The Bombies”). Only for experts because the water is very shallow. For them, it is an incredible tube when it works.
Various restaurants and cafes throughout Uluwatu, from cheap food stalls to luxury restaurants. Naturally, the souvenirs around here are sea-related products, such as items made of seashells and corals. But of course, there are also modern kind of merchandises, such as T-shirts. There are many accommodations from warung (a traditional cafe), motels, hotels to villas. If you stay in a warung you just need to pay for the meals, while better accommodations like starred hotels are located near resorts.
Aaaah, Uluwatu – one of our absolute favourite neighbourhoods in Bali. Sitting high up on the clifftops of Bali’s southernmost peninsula, Uluwatu (AKA the Bukit) is where you’ll find white-sandy bays, rugged natural landscapes and legendary surf breaks, interrupted by a scattering of beach clubs, glamorous resorts and plenty of epic cafes and restaurants.
Stretching from Padang Padang and Bingin all the way to Balangan, Dreamland and the outskirts of Jimbaran, Uluwatu is a brilliant mishmash of two beautiful worlds: Mother Nature at her absolute best, intertwined with some of the most impressive, architecturally-designed destinations in Bali. Yup, what used to be a surfer’s paradise has transformed to become a glorious mix of local-meets-luxury, where shabby beach shacks and laid-back vibes are just minutes away from internationally-renowned six-star resorts.
It’s no surprise then that there’s plenty of awesome things to do in Uluwatu and across The Bukit, from cultural trips to one of Bali’s most spectacular temples, to watching the sunset in Bingin from an award-winning clifftop perch. So, if you’re visiting The Bukit and looking for things to do in Uluwatu and beyond, here’s our list of the best attractions, tours and must-dos in this magnificent neighbourhood.
Jimbaran
Jimbaran is a quintessential seaside town in Bali and you will find golden sands that lead to limestone cliffs. Jimbaran is a surf spot with a selection of beaches scattered around the area, although it is arguably best known for its seafood restaurants. Running along the length of the beach here you will find a huge number of eateries all serving up the best catch of the day and you can order whatever looks good and then pay for your seafood by the gram. As well as dining overlooking the water with your feet in the soft sand, you can also swim in the seas just off these very same beaches and snorkeling and water sports are all popular pastimes here.
If you want to get out and about then Jimbaran is close to a huge number of attractions in Bali, and while it may not have many in its own right, it borders areas like Pecatu, Kutuh, and Ungasan which are known for their mix of top cultural spots like sea temples. As such, if you are in the market to venture slightly outside the center of Jimbaran then you will be pleasantly surprised by all the delights on offer here, and if you don’t fancy going too further afield, you can still enjoy the markets, golden sands, and slower pace of life in this lovely part of Bali.
