Where to Enjoy the Ubud Water Palace Dance and Dine Above the Valley
An evening of Balinese dance is one of the most memorable ways to experience Ubud after dark. The Ubud Water Palace, or Pura Taman Kemuda Saraswati, offers one of the city’s most atmospheric settings, with traditional performances staged beside its lotus pond. For dinner afterwards, CasCades Restaurant & Bar provides a very different perspective on the evening, with an open-air terrace above the Valley of the Kings.
What the Ubud Water Palace Dance Actually Is
The Ubud Water Palace is Pura Taman Kemuda Saraswati, a temple in the heart of central Ubud designed by the celebrated Balinese artist and architect I Gusti Nyoman Lempad. Construction began in 1951 and was completed in 1952. The temple is known for its lotus pond, carved architecture, and connection to Saraswati, the Hindu goddess associated with knowledge, learning, and the arts.
In the evening, around 7.30 om, the space in front of the temple becomes a setting for traditional Balinese dance performances. The programme varies by night, so checking the current schedule before visiting is worthwhile. The temple itself remains a sacred place for the local community, while the performances give visitors an opportunity to experience Balinese dance in an atmospheric cultural setting.
The Dances You Might See
The evening program rotates through the classical forms that have defined Balinese dance for generations. The Legong is the most refined of them, a graceful dance of intricate finger movements and darting eyes, traditionally performed by young girls. The Barong tells the eternal story of good and evil through a mythical lion-like creature and his adversary Rangda. The Ramayana ballet stages the great Hindu epic in movement and gamelan. And the Kecak, the famous fire and chant dance, sets aside the orchestra entirely for a chorus of men chanting in interlocking rhythm.
The programme at Pura Taman Kemuda Saraswati varies by night, so check the current schedule before visiting. The Ubud Water Palace’s current listings include different performances throughout the week, making the night you choose part of the experience.
Making an Evening of It Above the Valley
The dance is the evening’s cultural focus, and dinner offers another way to settle into the night. This is where a restaurant in Ubud earns its place in the plan. Rather than fitting in a rushed meal around a performance, an unhurried dinner above the Valley of the Kings gives the evening room to breathe.
CasCades Restaurant & Bar sits above the valley at Viceroy Bali, a short drive from central Ubud, with an open-air terrace overlooking the surrounding jungle. If you are building an evening around the Ubud Water Palace dance, dinner at CasCades provides a quieter second setting in which to continue the evening.
Balinese Dance at Your Table Every Monday
If you prefer to combine the performance and the meal in one place, CasCades Restaurant & Bar hosts a traditional Balinese dance performance every Monday from 7:30 PM while guests dine above the valley.
The kitchen recommends pairing the evening with the Balinese Rijsttafel, a shared selection that brings several Indonesian flavours to the table. It is a relaxed way to experience Balinese dance without having to move between venues, allowing dinner and the performance to form one evening.
Where the Valley Meets the Dance
The setting is what distinguishes the Monday evening at CasCades. As night settles over the Valley of the Kings, the open-air terrace takes on a quiet warmth, with the sound of the Petanu River drifting up from the jungle below, while the dance unfolds nearby.
It offers a different atmosphere from a temple courtyard in central Ubud, with dinner, the surrounding landscape, and Balinese performance brought together in one setting.
Reserve the Table for an Evening of Balinese Dance
The Balinese dance at CasCades Restaurant & Bar takes place every Monday from 7:30 PM, and the restaurant is open daily from 11 AM to 9 PM. Tables for the Monday performance are best reserved in advance.
If you want to see the Ubud Water Palace dance and follow it with dinner at a restaurant in Ubud above the valley, CasCades offers a natural second stop. If you prefer to enjoy the dance and dinner in one place, the Monday performance provides both.
Reserve your table and settle in for an evening of Balinese dance above the valley.