Which Balinese dance should you see: Legong, Barong or Kecak?
Three dances share the posters, and they have nothing in common.
Kecak is the most spectacular. There is no gamelan: a chorus of men sitting in a circle does everything with their voices (“cak-cak-cak”), around a fire, telling an episode of the Ramayana (Prince Rama, his wife Sita, the demon king Ravana and the white monkey Hanuman). It comes from the sanghyang, an exorcism ritual involving trance. The stage version you see today dates from the 1930s and is said to have been born in Bona, from a collaboration between the dancer Wayan Limbak and Walter Spies.
Legong is the most refined. A court dance, performed by one to three dancers in gold and red costumes, with codified gestures of the fingers, eyes and feet, accompanied by a full gamelan. It lasts 30 to 45 minutes, and the most common version tells the story of the king of Lasem.
Barong is the most theatrical. The Barong, a mythical lion-like creature and protector of the island, faces Rangda, the queen of witches. It is a battle of good against evil, with comic moments (a monkey), Legong dancers and entranced warriors who turn their kris (daggers) on themselves without being hurt.
Where and when:
- Kecak at Uluwatu: every day at 6 pm, about 150,000 IDR ($8.50).
- Legong, Barong and others at the Ubud palace: several evenings a week, around 7.30 pm, about 100,000 IDR ($6).
- Barong at Batubulan: in the morning at 9.30 am, about 1 hour, 80,000 to 100,000 IDR ($4.50 to $6).
Verdict: for a first show, Kecak at sunset is hard to beat. For elegance, Legong in Ubud. For the story, Barong. If you only see one, choose by mood rather than by price: they cost about the same.
Tip: arrive 30 to 45 minutes early for a good seat, and check the evening's programme: it changes from day to day.
Prices and times checked in October 2026; confirm before you go.