Travel Notes on Bali (Part Six): Mount Batur
Mount Batur is the most famous volcano in Bali, standing at 1,717 meters tall. It faces Mount Agung from afar, with Lake Batur flowing in between.
Mount Batur and Mount Agung were once part of the same mountain range, but due to long-term tectonic movements, they gradually separated.
Mount Batur is an active volcano. At its summit, one can still see smoking holes, but it has been dormant for many years. Even if it were to erupt, the Indonesian government would issue early warnings.
The paths on Mount Batur are trodden by people, with fine gravel and steep turns.
It starts with a flat gravel path, with soft blackish-gray fine sand underfoot, which the guide says is volcanic ash.
After covering one-third of the journey, the path becomes steep, with some large rocks stubbornly blocking the way, and the path underfoot turns into dirt tracks, wild paths, and irregular, rough roads.
The huge double-layered crater is hidden at the peak, which is flat like a plateau. It is dormant, and from a distance, it looks plain and unremarkable. Only a slight heat escapes from it, quickly evaporating, making it hard to notice that it is still 'restlessly stirring'. However, the surrounding satellite mountains and dense forests are lush and vibrant.
To the left of its ridge, another tall peak rises, forming a semi-circle with it, tightly enclosing the bright Lake Batur; to the right, a barrier-like mountain range rises abruptly, becoming the satellite peaks that surround it.
Mount Batur has erupted lava 26 times, with the most recent one in 2000. It is said that during the eruption, the lava flowed as far as 64 kilometers to the coast of Pasar.
Mount Batur is both the fire of death and the fire of life. Like a magician, it has destroyed villages, shrines, and lives, and yet it has also spewed out rocks, lakes, rivers, and mineral-rich soil. The citrus, bananas, coffee, coconuts, and other crops around the volcano thrive, and people have rebuilt their homes here.
Mount Batur
Absolutely worth it. We did a sunset tour, pickup at the hotel at 2.30 am, started hiking at 4.30. Quite exhausting as we had to rush a bit, but the views are amazing.
Amazing sunrise hike!!! only took 1 hour and 45 minutes to climb. You can get hot coffee at top to warm up.
We took the jeep up. We have a driver, our driver recommended us the jeep company. It was worth waking up at 2am, getting picked up at 230am, brought to only God knows where cause I slept through the ride. I was wearing a hoodie, it wasn’t enough! Bring a sweater or whatever to keep yourself warm. Unless you’re trekking, that’s different. Don’t bother adding the volcano trip after. It was just an area full of black stones. But I’d defo recommend doing Mount Batur
one of the nicest sunrise view in Bali is the Mount Batur! worth the trip even if you have to wake up for this tour at 3am. book a Jeep hiking tour where they will pick you up directly from hotel to the destination. breakfast and coffee is provided. prepared for a chilly and bumpy ride up the mountain. but once you are up there, the view and the atmosphere is very worth it!
Amazing experience riding up Mount Batur with the Jeep (gedejeep_kintamani). Memorable moments while catching the sunrise with excellent view of serval other mountains such as Mount Agung and Mount Bromo
Mr batur is a relatively easy hike with steep slopes. we started the trip at 430am and managed to catch the beautiful sunrise at 630am. our private chaffeur nova - find him on IG @supernova also brought us to rice terraces
We availed the sunrise jeep tour for this with hot spring and waterfalls, it was all worth it!