Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park, Bali | Entry Fee, Timings, Tips

Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park, Bali Overview

The Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park is one of Bali’s landmark tourist attractions. Also, known as the GWK the park covers a sprawling area of 60 hectares with numerous facilities, venues and cultural programs. The cultural park is primarily devoted to Lord Vishnu and Garuda, his mount and is a symbolic representation of Bali’s Hindu religious beliefs.

Located in Ungasan, 260m above sea level, the main highlight of the GWK is the massive statue of Vishnu riding the Garuda. This 121m tall statue makes it the highest statue in Southeast Asia.

Things to Do

There are numerous things to do in GWK Park. Here are a few of the recreational activities that tourists can indulge in:

The giant statue is the most remarkable icon of the park. Designed by Nyoman Nuarta the 75m tall and 65m wide statue sits atop a pedestal and invokes a sensational sight for those visiting the park.
The Garuda Plaza is marked by the 18m tall statue of the Garuda. This is a large complex with corridors and limestone pillars that has many open spaces, such as the Lotus Pond and can house a capacity of 7000 people. Similarly, the Kura-Kura Plaza also has open spaces and ponds and is a good photography spot.
At the entrance is the Parahyangan Somaka Giri spring with a temple guard around to explain to visitors its history and significance.
Plaza Vishnu is popular selling Balinese souvenirs and other shopping items. It is also one of the highest levels of the complex and is used for concerts and world-class events.
The Amphitheatre is host to various cultural and performance shows that visitors can watch. There are seven dance shows performed every day that showcase the traditional arts of Bali. The Street Theatre, an outdoor stage is also usually set up with various concerts and fashion shows. Also, the Garuda Cinema is open every day showing half an hour films that the tourists can enjoy.
The Exhibition Hall frequently holds exhibitions of various kinds. The Balairung Dewi Sri hall where one can enjoy free services, such as hair braiding and nail painting.
The Plaza Kencana is home to various food stalls and food trucks which are usually accompanied by live music and dance. There are also yoga classes organized every Saturday that tourists can avail of.
Some of the popular shopping outlets within the GWK are the area around the Street Theatre, the GWK Souvenir Shop and the Bali Art Market.

Tips

The GWK is a huge complex and there are various things to do here. Below are some tips to help you reach, navigate and enjoy your stay there:

The GWK is open every day from 8 A.M to 10 P.M. Different activities have slotted time which you need to check out and plan accordingly. For example, the Balinese parade happens every day at 5 P.M; the first dance performance begins at 10 A.M and the last one at 6:30 P.M, the cinemas at 11:00 A.M, the Salsa dance at Reato Jendela Bali at 7 P.M and so on.
Most of the services within the park are free. The entry fee for a tourist is Rp 125,000 for adults and Rp 100,000 for children.
The park provides the GWK Loop service to facilitate commute within the park. The ticket for the ride costs Rp 20,000 and covers the major areas and statues of the GWK.
Wear comfortable walking shoes and preferably a hat to avoid the heat.

Food and Restaurants

Within GWK there are different eating options:

The Plaza Kencana area is a great place to be in during evenings, when the food trucks line up and there is live music to add fervour to the ambience.
The Indraloka Garden is also another area within the GWK where visitors can order food.
Street Theatre part of the complex is where a lot of shopping outlets, as well as, restaurants are found.
The Jendala Bali restaurant is popular for its food, as well as, exotic views of Jimbaran Beach.

How To Reach Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park

The GWK is situated on the Ungasan hills in Badung Bali.
The complex is only a ten to fifteen-minute ride from the Ngurah Rai International Airport.
The GWK is also only 5 km south of the Jimbaran area and easily accessible from southern areas of Bali, such as Kuta (12km), Seminyak (17km), Legian (15km), Tanjung Benoa (16km) and Nusa Dua (11km).
You can hire a car or drive a scooter depending on the location of stay to reach the complex.