Uluwatu, Bali, Indonesia, Surf spot in Badung, Indonesia.

Uluwatu is a surf spot on the southern coast of Badung that stretches along a coral reef with multiple breaks. The terrain features a steep limestone cliff with a cave that opens onto the water, creating a natural pathway to the platform below.

Uluwatu became a surfing destination after Alby Falzon and David Elfick shot part of Morning of the Earth there in 1971. Steve Cooney, aged 15, surfed the first wave in Uluwatu's history for the film. After its release on 25 February 1972, surfers worldwide took notice. At the time no road led to the beach, so surfers walked down through the temple and out between two rocks at the cave base carrying all their supplies.

The name Uluwatu combines ulu, 'land's end', and watu, 'rock'. Pura Luhur Uluwatu, 70 metres up at the peninsula's south-west tip, is one of Bali's nine directional temples and is believed to protect the island against evil. Local surfers hold that the gods have blessed the Uluwatu wave.

Access requires descending steep steps through a cave in the cliff face to reach the water. It helps to wear sturdy shoes and pay attention to tides, as conditions change significantly throughout the day.

Uluwatu's five breaks run from The Bombie on the outer reef to The Peak at the cave mouth; Temples takes its name from an old temple on the clifftop above it. On big swells Bombie can reach 20 feet, and at low tide The Peak is known for closing out.