What is the best way to go to the volcano: take a tour or do it on your own?

Basically, there are the following ways:

1. Buy an excursion to be picked up from anywhere in Bali and taken to the volcano, and then back to the hotel. Sleep in a minivan and go there and back.
2. Arrive to the volcano on your own at night by taxi or bike

• pay for entrance and guide, climb with a guide
• pay only for entry, save on a guide

1. Arrive early at one of the hotels on Lake Batur or check in after the climb. It depends on your availability of time and money; you can stay for one or several nights, pay extra for early entry or late check-out.

What are the pitfalls?

Whatever option you choose, you need to take into account that the ascent begins around three in the morning, and the drive from the tourist south of Bali is not that close:

🚗 Ubud - Batur = 40 km, drive about 1.5 hours.

🚗 Kuta - Batur = 80 km, about 3 hours drive.

🚗 Changu - Batur = 70 km, drive about 2.5 hours.

That is, you will be picked up from the hotel somewhere at 12 or one in the morning, it’s good if you can sleep in the evening or in the car. And if not? Imagine this plague-like state, and you still have to climb the mountain! And if you ride a bike in the middle of the night without getting enough sleep, then the pleasure will be even more dubious...

Therefore, we chose the third option. We arrived on our bike to Lake Batur the day before the ascent. We checked into a lovely hotel for 2 nights. On the first evening we went to bed early and set the alarm for 2.30. We climbed Batur. After the climb we were able to sleep during the day, swim in the pool, spend another night and leave in the morning, full of strength.

How much does it cost to climb Batur?

💰Admission = 100.000 rupees per person

💰Guide services = 400,000 rupees for a group of up to 4 people.

The hotel offered us a tour for at least 800,000 rupees for two.

Excursion companies offer this tour for 1,400,000 - 900,000 rupees per person. The more you are in the group, the better the price.

🛵And one more moment for those who decide to go themselves.

At the entrance to the park, we were stopped and asked to purchase tickets for 30,000 rupees and an insurance policy of 1,000. Honestly, the “employees” with receipts did not inspire confidence, because they simply stopped passing cars and bikes. But they were given money for visiting the 📌 “UNESCO-protected Geopark”

In total, visiting Batur cost us:

Climbing = 600,000 rupees + tea, water

Hotel for 2 nights with breakfast = 800,000 rupees

Is it worth hiring a guide?

💰Some especially thrifty tourists They think like this: everyone is going up the mountain along the same path, I won’t pay extra money for a guide. However! If you decide to go without a guide, be prepared for the fact that you will encounter pronounced dissatisfaction on the part of the guides, and they will immediately see “street children” in the crowd. They may curse you (they saw it in person), they may damage your transport, or even start a fight (these horror stories are often written about on the Internet).

Our personal opinion. After you overcome this difficult path and understand the price of a guide’s work, you will also want to give him a bonus for his courage and willpower, because what we consider a personal feat, they do every day!

What to take with you to Batur?

At 3:30 we were at the entrance, the location was marked on the map

It was already quite lively, sleepy tourists with flashlights were already going somewhere. We went to the ticket office and paid for the entrance and the guide. The guides are standing right there at the ticket office. There is no haggling about the price or slaughter for the client, all guides wait their turn. Our guide turned out to be a young guy, short, who spoke very little English. 🔦He gave us flashlights, we bought water and at 3:50 we set off.

Mini-groups of 3-6 people constantly overtook each other and us, then we overtook them, but everyone confidently stomped forward in the dark along the asphalt. Suddenly we left the asphalt and began to move along a narrow path among the bushes. Everyone lined up behind each other. 🌟You could see a stream of lanterns flowing up the slope, in the dark it was a very beautiful sight🌟.

Pieces of volcanic rock were already visible under our feet, and this is the most difficult thing - to carefully step on the stones so as not to twist your foot. And so absolutely all the way: first gravel, sometimes cobblestones, just keep your eyes peeled!

🔮At some point, when we were already climbing up, I realized that I was so concentrated on my legs and steps that I couldn’t see anything around, as if I had fallen into a meditative state. One step, another, excellent, neat, forward, higher, another step.

• Only sneakers or closed, comfortable shoes. No flip flops or other beach shoes. Small pebbles are sharp and even get into sneakers. Everyone climbs close to each other, at arm's length. Sand and stones may fall on you from the person walking ahead.
• About temperature and warm clothes. Sweatshirts will not hurt you, because at night it is generally cool in this area. We were lucky with the weather, the huge moon was shining, the sky was clear, there was practically no wind. Therefore, when we started climbing, it immediately became hot and we tied sweaters on our lower backs. Then it was just sweat and tears =) Just kidding, no one cried, but it was very hot.
• Water! Often, but in a couple of sips. Take at least a liter for two.
• Change of clothes. No kidding. A spare T-shirt and maybe even a small towel. You will be soaking wet when you climb to the top of the volcano, and there is a piercing wind blowing there. It will be cold until the sun rises. Then you’ll be pouring a new T-shirt on during the descent 😉
• Raincoats. These are mountains and tropics. There’s no way to predict the weather; it’s better to have raincoats in your backpack. By the way, they help well against the icy wind at the top 😉
• Iodine and patch. In case someone slipped and cut themselves on the porous rock. It's better to process it right away.

All! Don’t take anything extra, every hundred grams will seem like a heavy burden to you.

Is it difficult to climb Batur? 😯

Our common opinion with Zhenya is 8 out of 10. At some point, our legs become wooden, then weak, they don’t want to listen to you, but in general we didn’t have that moment when someone sat down and said: “I can’t do this anymore.” .

✨💭It was harder for me to cope with dizziness. Still, the height made itself felt. We simply asked the guide for small breaks. By the way, it’s better not to sit down during a break. Then it will be really hard. Just drink, catch your breath, and it’s better to sit down a couple of times or shake your limbs to disperse the blood through your cast-iron legs.

Interesting "crowd effect" works, when you think that you are about to give up, those walking behind you literally step on your heels. 👀And you think that all these people, and there were hundreds and a half of them, are doing this and you can do it!

⏰The whole climb took about two hours to the highest point. But we met the dawn not on it, but a little lower. This means that either we walked slowly, or we should have left at 3.00.

All the effort is worth it!

It is impossible to describe in words the picture that opens from the heights of Batur! This is something unimaginable! You are standing right in front of the mountain at the other end of the caldera, it is even higher than Batur, it is called Abang (2150 m), and behind it you can see the top of the head! At first we didn’t even understand it, but then our guide explained it. And because of these monolithic monsters it rises bright sun, the sky is filled with incredible colors. It’s getting brighter so quickly that you want to scream and stop the moment. We haven’t seen enough of the lake, the smoking craters, the frozen lava at the foot... 🎈🎈🎈and I’m also having a jam day! 😀 Let's blow up the balloons. And how smart our guide is for taking a picture of us at that moment, so tired, but sincerely happy, tying the balls with some kind of string, because no threads were found =)) Because when we tied the balls together, a stream of wind simply tore them out hands... The wind decided to give them to Batur, but we don’t mind!

Indonesia is famous for the huge number of volcanoes that literally permeate the country. Volcanoes wake up every now and then and spew out a sea of ​​liquid flame from their depths. Some of them do not sleep at all, but constantly smoke and throw hot sparks. For example, the famous Krakatoa, the consequences of whose eruption reverberated around the world, still, after more than a hundred years, cannot calm down and constantly sparkles with small eruptions.

Krakatoa is located on a small island between Java and Sumatra. In Java, the Bromo volcano is especially famous, which smokes hydrogen sulfide throughout the entire environment:) But I didn’t even suspect that there were volcanoes in Bali. I naively believed that since this is such a paradise-tourist island, then there are no dangers here except sea ​​urchins:) But having studied the information before the planned trip, I, of course, realized my mistake. But I was immensely glad for her, because I had simply dreamed of volcanoes since my school days! And now I had a chance to see them with my own eyes!

Honestly, volcanoes were the most desirable place I wanted to visit in Bali. And I was just ready to squeak when I noticed the Agung volcano on the way from the airport. I didn’t expect it at all, he thought deep into the island. It would seem that where is Denpasar and where is Agung, on the map they are not very close to each other. But it turns out that the middle part of Bali is practically a plain, and across the entire island you can see the hills on its other edge. So Agung towered importantly and silently above the endless rice fields.

Unfortunately, we were not able to meet the huge Agung “face to face”, because... Clouds were constantly rolling into the island, selectively gathering for a meeting right near the volcano :) Once we drove up to its very foot, to the Pura Besakih temple, and only here everything was covered in an impenetrable veil of pre-storm fog. In the rest of the island the sun was shining cheerfully. That’s why we looked at Agung, of course, but we couldn’t take pictures! Sorry.

But I want to show you the second one famous volcano islands of Bali - Batur. He is smaller than Agung in size, but in no way inferior to the impression he makes on his viewers. And the true highlight of the views surrounding the volcano is Lake Batur, which is nothing more than the crater of another volcano! Together with little Mishutka, we went down the serpentine road on a motorbike to the very water of the lake, soaked our feet in it and admired life local residents. I think it's worth telling you about it too ;)

Batur is located not far from the village of Kintamani. She became very famous thanks to the volcano. It is here that there is an observation deck, where heaps of tourists are brought every day. I only needed the name “Kintamani” to plot the route on Google maps, along which I ride forever on a motorbike. The road from Ubud goes straight north, without turning anywhere. It is practically empty, there is very little traffic. It’s true that local traffic police are skillfully hiding in the bushes, and they exacted a bribe of 20 dollars from us because, you see, we don’t have the right license, because we don’t have a helmet, and for many other reasons. In general, if you are in Bali, know that the traffic cops there are fans of bribery.

Eventually, we reached a crossroads where the road splits left towards Lovina and right towards Kintamani. And straight ahead there is a fence over a cliff, from which you can already see the volcano. Woohoo!!

We admired the views from above and moved further east. On the way, I saw a small turn-off that looked like it was down. I drove along it. Aaah, what a road it was! It was my first time riding a serpentine road on a motorcycle, and I almost turned gray, to be honest. The bike rolls and rolls downhill on its own, brakes with difficulty, God forbid you make a sudden movement and you go head over heels. But the most disgusting thing is that all this happens on a road that turns from right to left literally 360 degrees. That is, back and forth, back and forth, all sharp turns and no guardrails. Phew. I cursed this serpentine a thousand times and repented that I would never venture onto such a road again.

The photo turned out to be unconvincing, but believe me, at other moments I simply had no time to take pictures. I took pictures during breaks, when it was more or less possible to find a place to hang out on the side of the road.

Finally we got to the very bottom. But you still need to get to the very shore of the lake somehow. Again there is a fork in front of my eyes.

I took the path to the left, towards Ke Toyabungkah. Firstly, I visually saw that it was in the direction of the volcano. Secondly, there are fewer kilometers to this village than to the others.

As a result, we didn’t have to get to the village. The road ran along the lake, literally a hundred meters from the shore. It’s just that the shore was built up with houses of local residents.

It was in one house that I saw an opening =) I braked the bike on the side of the road and Mishutkus and I wandered straight through someone else’s “canopy” to the water.

I’m terribly ashamed, in our country they would have already tied me up for something like this, at least they would have driven me away with a nasty broom, but there I decided that it was nothing terrible =) I just know that the Balinese would never behave like that, very good-natured people live there. And it’s clear to anyone that the stupid white girl just wants to go to the lake, and she certainly doesn’t want to drag away a pig :)

Having passed through the buildings, we found ourselves in the “garden”. A green onion is sitting in the beds.

I just wanted to crunch him, but I didn’t become so impudent, it was someone else’s, after all, and Mishkus and I didn’t touch the crops. A gardener's dream!

The beds are fed with water from the lake; there are pumping units and pipes going into the water everywhere.

And here is the lake itself - Danau Batur!

Lake Batur is the most big lake islands of Bali. Its length is approximately 8 km and its width is 3 km.

For the Balinese this lake is sacred. According to their beliefs, this is where the goddess Devi Danau lives.

Volcano Batur, located nearby, is considered active. From time to time it releases poisonous gases into the air. One of these emissions occurred relatively recently - in 2011. After this, the water in the lake sharply changed color, and all the fish floated up belly up. Today, fishermen are again catching animals without any problems.

On the other side of the lake is the Abang caldera mountain, reaching a height of more than 2000 meters. In my opinion, impossibly beautiful!

Thanks to this caldera on one side and the Batur volcano on the other, the lake is located, as it were, in a bowl. And what’s surprising is that the water level in it always remains the same, despite the season. Be it the dry heat of the winter months, or the monsoon period, which floods the entire tropics with rain.

After soaking our feet in the lake, we headed back to the bike.

The road in these places is covered with black volcanic sand. I already saw this once in Indian Varkala, so it didn’t particularly surprise me.

But Mishutka was interested in digging deeper into it :)

Afterwards we successfully climbed back to the main road. Personally, it was easier for me to overcome the serpentine roads uphill; at least I felt that I was keeping the motorcycle under control, and not that it was rolling like crazy. And literally a few meters after turning to the foot, I saw the same observation deck where ordinary tourists crowd. The whole infrastructure is here - souvenirs, fruit at exorbitant prices, restaurants overlooking the valley...

As you already understand, I decided to stop too, to take hackneyed shots :)

Below you can see the road we were winding along just a few minutes ago.

And Lake Danau Batur poured into a “cup”.

A mushroom grew from a cloud above the valley :) And another creates the illusion of smoke billowing from the largest crater. By the way, Batur has three craters!

Pay attention to the scorched slopes of the volcano. Apparently, it erupted quite recently, in the last couple of years for sure. Although, according to information on the network, the last eruption dates back to 2009. Fortunately, there were no casualties. But in 1963, the volcano did not spare the neighboring villages, and then claimed the lives of more than 2,000 people. So, it's not all toys.

Even my son and I, during the Thai winter in 2012, experienced the consequences of eruptions in the Indonesian Sumatra region. Then we felt the tremors even in the province of Krabi, which seemed not very close. I felt an earthquake for the first time, sensations I had never experienced before - like tremors from the depths of the underworld. And I told and showed what the streets of the province looked like after the tsunami warning in my article Earthquake and Tsunami in Thailand. Then the tsunami passed us, but I saw the consequences of the powerful tsunami of 2004 in reality southern cape India in Kanyakumari. And this was quite enough to understand the danger of volcanoes, these powerful gates into the belly of the Earth.

But, if the risk does not stop you, and the desire burns with the same flame as it burned for me, then Here are some tips for your trip to Mount Batur in Kintamani, Bali:

At the foot of the volcano there is mineral springs. You can have a wonderful swim in the warm healing water. And after taking a bath, undergo a relaxing massage.

For lovers active rest A wonderful night climb to the top of Batur is offered. You can watch the sunrise literally at the mouth of the volcano. I'm sure the impressions are amazing! Maybe we will overcome this trekking when our son grows up;)

On Lake Danau Batur there is an island where the original Balinese people bali yeah conducts traditional rites for burying the dead. Or rather, the dead are not buried, but left to rot in the open air, as is their custom, but at the same time, surprisingly, there is no smell. In general, it’s an entertaining excursion for exotic lovers :)

The road from Ubud to Kintamani constantly goes at an upward angle, i.e. you almost imperceptibly rise to a height of almost 1000 meters. Due to this, it gets very cold, you may even feel frozen. So take a jacket.

It is along this road that you will find many Kopi Luwak farms, producing some of the most expensive coffee in the world. I was on my way to the volcanoes when I decided to stop at the Laksmi farm, where we tasted many delicious types of coffee and also met a cute animal - the palm marten. I talked about this interesting place earlier in my article.

Gunung Batur is an active volcano on the island of Bali in the Kintamani region, its height is 1717 meters.

In this article I will give detailed description Batur volcano, I’ll tell you how to get there and what to see nearby. For those planning to visit this attraction, I will give some useful tips.

Batur is one of two active volcanoes in Bali. It is located in the eastern part of the island, in the Kintamani region. This area is about 3,68 square kilometers and is home to the volcano itself, the lake of the same name at its foot, as well as several villages.

Kintamani region where the volcano is located

Kintamani is a caldera, that is, a pit formed as a result of the collapse of a volcano. 5,00,000 years ago, a huge mountain with a crater on the top formed in this area. After powerful eruption, which occurred approximately 30,000 years ago, was thrown out of its crater a large number of breeds In this regard, the thinned walls of the volcano collapsed, forming a depression with a flat bottom 13.8 km long and 10 km wide. Gunung Batur, often called the “Kintamani volcano,” was formed in this depression.

And another 8,500 years after the next eruptions, a second caldera formed in this area, smaller in size - 6.4x9.4 km. Over time, it was filled with water, and now this caldera is called Lake Batur.

By the way, this is the largest crater lake in the world, even larger than Crater in Oregon, USA. The waters of Batur are irrigated by local rice fields. Swimming and motor boats are prohibited here.

Another feature is that the water level in the lake does not change at all throughout the year. Local residents often tell a legend that this is due to the fact that the lake is protected by the goddess of water Devi Dana. It is also said that the lake is filled with eleven springs hidden at its bottom. Therefore, even during the dry period it remains full of water.

Another legend says that there was once a village at the bottom of Lake Batur. After the formation of the caldera, it was moved closer to the top of the volcano. Today, there are several villages around the caldera, which are called “lake stars” (danu bintang). Despite the constant danger, the residents of these villages are not going to leave. Firstly, this is due to the fact that moving is a troublesome and expensive matter. Not every Balinese has the money to move to another area of ​​the island. Another reason is that regular eruptions have made the soil in Kintamani incredibly fertile. Here you can harvest several times a year. The lake provides the peasants with fish. In addition, residents make souvenirs from volcanic tuff, of which there is an incredible amount here, and sell them to tourists. There is also a quarry in the caldera where sand is mined.

There are several villages here:

• Kintamani,
• Penelokan,
• Toya Bungkah,
• Batur,
• Kedisan,
• Abung,
• Songan

Description and history of Batur volcano

The top of the volcano is located at an altitude of 1717 meters above sea level. But the cone of the mountain itself has a height of 686 meters. There are three craters here: two of them have total area about 182,000 m2, and the third - 46,000 m2.

Now the volcano is silent. But he has shown his power more than once in the past. Since 1800, there have been at least 22 eruptions of varying magnitude. One of the most destructive occurred in 1917. As a result, more than 1,000 people died, 65,000 houses and 2,500 temples were destroyed. In 1964, the volcano came to life again. The eruption was less violent, but still destroyed 16 buildings in the village at the base.

Ash emissions from the Batur crater occurred much more often. In the first half of the 20th century there were three of them - in 1926, 1929 and 1947. The last of these emissions occurred in 2000. Then the column of ash rose to a height of 300 meters. The local residents were very scared - after all, by that time the volcano had been silent for almost half a century.

To appease the gods and avoid further disasters, the Balinese held a symbolic ceremony. They sewed a huge sarong several kilometers long and wrapped it around the volcano. A huge number of people from all over the island took part in the ceremony. They came to pray and brought offerings. Whether this helped or not is difficult to say. But one thing is known: since then there have really been no eruptions.

In September 2009, the Balinese recorded seismic activity in the Batur area. Over the course of two months, it intensified, and in November of the same year, the Indonesia Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation Center joined in monitoring the volcano. Scientists even talked about a possible eruption. However, by June 2010, Batur's activity began to decline, and continuous monitoring was stopped on November 19.

Since the causes of this anomaly were unknown, scientists decided to explore the area near the volcano and went to Bali in June 2011. In the vicinity of the caldera, a characteristic smell of sulfur dioxide was felt, and on the surface of the lake, scientists found thousands of dead fish. Greenish-white spots were also visible on the water.

This event dealt a serious blow to the island's economy. The water from the lake turned out to be unsuitable for irrigation and drinking for a long time, and the dead fish deprived local fishermen of food and income. When the damage was calculated, it turned out to be one billion rupees.

In 2012 world organization UNESCO included the territory of the Batura caldera in the Global Geoparks of the World program. This has made the caldera a geological heritage site of international importance. The assignment of such status is a kind of “quality mark” for a landmark.

Climbing the volcano

Climbing Batur does not require any preparation. In one and a half to two hours you can easily reach the top, making a couple of stops along the way. The main spectacle for which tourists climb the volcano is the sunrise. Watching the sunrise in the crater of an active volcano makes a strong impression and provides an opportunity to take great pictures.

To climb to the top, you need a guide. Local guides can be found at the foot of the volcano, or you can simply book a tour in advance. In both cases, you will be accompanied by a Balinese who speaks English. Independent ascents to Batur are prohibited. There are cases where tourists were injured and lost in the forests on the slopes of the mountain.

The guides accompanying tourists to the top have walkie-talkies with them (in emergency situations they can contact and request assistance), they know the route and will guide you to the crater in the safest way. The guides will also help you carry your things and tell you a lot of interesting things about the Kintamani region.

By the way, I can also organize an excursion for you with a climb to Batur. Contact me for details and cost of the climb.

There are several routes to the top of the volcano. They begin in villages located at the foot of Batur. The main trail leads to the southern edge of the caldera. There are several places along the way where you can take a break.

Once at the top, you will see a panorama against the backdrop of Batur’s neighbors – the Abang and Agung volcanoes. The latter has a height of 3014 m and is considered sacred mountain(translated from Indonesian Agung is “ great mountain"). The Balinese believe that gods and ancestral spirits live here. Abang is a 2151 m high mountain, which is the remnant of the same huge volcano that formed the Kintamani caldera. Currently, Abang is not active, so its slopes are overgrown with forest and now the volcano has become a calm mountain peak.

The view from Batur is magnificent in the morning, during the day and in the evening. The main thing is that it is not covered by clouds. However, this rarely happens: the crater is not very high.

Local residents opened on observation deck a small cafe where you can buy cigarettes, water, tea, coffee and something to eat. Just keep in mind that prices here are several times higher than “downstairs”: a half-liter bottle of water costs several dollars. You don’t have to buy anything, but just warm up and pass the time while waiting for dawn.

One of the local entertainments is steaming breakfast from the volcano's fissures. In the depths of the vent, the temperature is incredibly high, and hot steam comes to the surface, on which you can boil eggs or bake bananas. Curious and hungry monkeys, accustomed to being constantly fed, often join the meal.

How to get to the volcano

You can go to Kintamani by bus, taxi or rented car. Buses depart from the terminals according to a specific schedule and only go to the edge of the caldera, without going down. Then you will need to travel by local minibuses, the fare of which is about 13 thousand rupees.

Here are some popular ones bus routes to Kintamani:

• From Kuta. Departure at 10:00. Price – 150,000 rupees.
• From Sanur. Departure at 10:30. Price – 150,000 rupees.
• From Ubud. Departure at 11:30. Price – 100,000 rupees.

To feel free and build your trip according to your own schedule, I advise you to rent a car or hire a taxi.

Using a navigator and noticeable landmarks, you can easily reach the volcano from anywhere on the island, including from the main resort towns. Now I'll bring optimal route from Denpasar (71.8 km, approximately 2 hours drive). From others southern resorts the path is the same, but first you will need to get to Denpasar.

1. Leave the city to the east, to the Jl highway. Prof. Dr. Ida Bagus Mantra and follow it for about 15 km.
2. After this, turn left. Focus on green road sign, indicating the turn to Gianyar. If you drive straight ahead you will arrive at Kusamba and Pantai Siyut Beach will be on your right. Let me remind you that you should turn left.
3. This is Banjar Siyut road. You need to drive straight along it for about 3.5 kilometers (after 3 km the asphalt road will turn into a dirt road), and when you hit a T-shaped intersection, turn left.
4. Drive straight for 320 meters, then turn right onto Jl. Taman Bali-Banjarangka.
5. Then move in a straight line for 10 kilometers until the road hits another T-junction. There will be a sign in front of it that says “Batur Global Geopark”. At the intersection, turn right.
6. After another 320 meters you will come across a roundabout. Keep left on it. In principle, from here you can follow the signs for Kintamani and Batur.
7. After 1.3 km, turn left (signposted to Kintamani) and then follow the main road. After 500 meters, a winding kilometer-long highway begins. This means you are on the right track.
8. Once on a flat road, continue driving along it for another 17 km until you enter the territory of the Batur Geopark. You won't miss the entrance to the park - there is a tall pyramidal structure with a large sign and a red brick gate.
9. Continue straight ahead for another 300 metres. Next, be careful: you need not to miss the intersection to the village of Toya Bungkah. This is not even an intersection, but a 180 degree turn. To avoid passing by, look for a road sign indicating the direction to the village.
10. After turning, drive along the winding road for 3 km until you reach high stone gate. To the left will be the entrance to Toya Bungkah, and straight ahead will be Lake Batur.

To get to the volcano, get to the village (it's about 3 km more).

The route from all other resorts in southern Bali also passes through Jl. Prof. Dr. Ida Bagus Mantra. So you will need to get to this highway and then proceed as described above.

Distance and travel time from other resorts:

• From Nusa Dua to Batur volcano – 86.1 km 2 hours 27 minutes.
• From Kuta to Batur volcano – 80.7 km 2 hours 24 minutes.
• From Sanur to Batur volcano – 67.8 km 1 hour 59 minutes.
• From Jimbaran to Batur volcano – 96 km 2 hours 36 minutes.
• From Legian to the volcano – Batur 80.6 km 2 hours 21 minutes.
• From Seminyak to Mount Batur – 82.1 km 2 hours 23 minutes.

Gunung Batur volcano on the map

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What to see near the volcano?

In addition to the extraordinary views from the top of the mountain, in the vicinity of the volcano you can find many other interesting places for visiting. Now I will tell you about some of them

Near Lake Batur there is a settlement inhabited by the unusual Bali-Aga people. Unlike the main population of the island, which professes Hinduism, they still worship pagan spirits. Trying to be as close to nature as possible, the Bali Agha do not bury their dead, but leave them under the sacred Menyan tree. Thanks to the aromatic oils released by the wood, there is no characteristic smell here. After only bones remain of the deceased, they are placed in a certain place. You can visit this cemetery, but you need to get there by boat.

The village of Toya Bungkah is located at the foot of the volcano. It is notable for the fact that the Bali Natural Hot Spring thermal complex is located here - several pools in which the water is heated to a temperature of +38 degrees. After a long journey around Kintamani, you can relax here and relieve stress. Opens directly from the baths beautiful view to Lake Batur.

Coffee plantations

In the Kintamani region there are several farms engaged in the cultivation and production of the most unusual variety of coffee in the world - luwak. It is “produced” by palm martens - musangs, which feed on coffee berries. During digestion, only the outer shell of the grain is absorbed, and the rest is excreted. After this, the coffee beans are collected, thoroughly washed, dried, roasted and ground. They say that the taste of this coffee cannot be compared with anything else - it is spicy, very soft, with a caramel tint. IN local restaurant You can try this coffee and buy it with you, although it is very expensive (about 110-120 dollars per kilogram). The observation deck of this restaurant also offers a gorgeous view of the valley.

Water temple of Lake Batur

At the top, at the edge of the caldera, is the unique temple of Pura Ulun Danu Batur, which, together with the village of Batur, was moved here after the devastating eruptions in 1917 and 1926. Local residents saved the most valuable thing - the Meru Tower, dedicated to the goddess Devi Danu and consisting of 11 levels. They restored the temple and placed the saved shrine here. You can visit this temple complex, and maybe you’ll get to attend the festive ceremonies that the Balinese dedicate to their deities.

Here you can see a computer reconstruction of the volcano's eruptions and the history of its changes over a period of 26,000 years. The museum also displays maps showing the locations of 129 active volcanoes located in Indonesia. Through a telescope mounted on observation deck, you can look at the top of the volcano. By the way, if you want to take a look at the village of Trunyan, then in good weather it can also be seen through a telescope.

First of all, choose the right season because from December to February the weather is humid and foggy, which will make it difficult to climb and prevent you from seeing the sunrise.

Due to the fact that Batur is an active volcano, be prepared that it may be closed due to its high activity.

You can often see stories on the Internet that guides force tourists to pay them for escorting them to the top, and that sometimes this goes as far as extortion. I fully admit that conflicts can indeed exist. However, you need to understand that independent ascents on Batur are prohibited, so if you don’t provoke the guides by trying to slip past them, then you definitely won’t have any problems.

It’s best to set off around 2 a.m.: this way you’ll have time to climb up, sit on the observation deck and see the sunrise from the very first rays, and there won’t be too many people at that time.

If you climb at night, then stock up on comfortable and warm clothes, because it will be quite cold. Shoes should be comfortable and non-slip. I also recommend taking flashlights and some snacks.

The height of the volcano is almost 2000 meters, so elderly people, parents with small children and people with problems with the cardiovascular system and musculoskeletal system should be careful when deciding to climb. Those who cannot or do not want to climb will see Batur from the observation deck, of which there are several built around the volcano. One of them is located at the southwestern foot.

On the way to the observation deck there are many cafes and restaurants where you can try local and European cuisine and relax a bit. There are also small hotels here for those who want to stay longer in Kintamani. The cost of hotel rooms is much lower than in resort area, almost all of them have their own restaurants and cafes on their territory.

Show on the map

Every time people ask me if it’s boring living for two months in Bali, I just shrug my shoulders. If Bali were an ordinary island, heavenly beaches, the perfect color of the water and the palm trees framing all this splendor, may have died of melancholy within a week.
But how can it be boring when the island is so diverse? I will no longer sing the praises of Ubud, you already know everything :))

But when you live here, in the center of the island, only one and a half to two hours on a bike separates you from the ocean, with volcanic black sand and huge, kilometer-long beaches or, on the contrary, snow-white ones, sandwiched in tiny bays.

Or from the volcanoes in the north, from mountain lakes And thermal springs on their shores.
This time my heart remained there.

As you know, there are a great many volcanoes in Indonesia. The fiery ring of the earth passes through here. Bali, of course, is no exception. We have it here sacred mountain Agung (a part-time active volcano), which is idolized by all locals, where deities live and which adds drama to absolutely any landscape, appearing majestically when the clouds clear. And since the mountain is not small, 3142 meters, and there are no high-rise buildings on the island, it is visible very often.

We are celebrating New Year 2016 in Bali again! We will be glad to see you at our bachelorette party!

Volcanoes in Bali are an integral part of the Lesser Sunda Islands, as they are of volcanic origin. On the small territory of the island there are two active volcano: Batur and Agung. Rising above the island, from time immemorial they have evoked awe, fear and admiration among local residents, who revere them as their shrines. Batur and Agung are completely different from each other: each of them has its own history, its own characteristics and legends. So when you come to Bali, it's worth going at least once to see both volcanoes and maybe even climb one of them! So, what are the volcanoes in Bali like, what are they remarkable for and how can you climb them? This is what our article will be about.

Volcanoes in Bali: location, description, photos

Batur

Bali's famous volcano Batur is located in the northeastern part of the island, and an observation deck overlooking it is included in almost all standard sightseeing tours By . The volcano is not very high: only 1717 meters, and even, at first glance, it is unremarkable... But this is not so. In fact, Batur is primarily a caldera (i.e. basin) with a diameter of 13.8 x 10 km, formed about 30 thousand years ago as a result of the eruption of a huge volcano that existed in this place for hundreds of thousands of years. Then another eruption occurred and inside the first caldera a second one appeared, with a diameter of 6.4 x 9.4 km, in which a lake and a volcano of the same name arose (the same one, 1717 m high, which we talked about at the beginning). And lastly, on the opposite shore of the lake, another “descendant” was formed ancient giant– Abang volcano with a height of 2152 m.

That is, it turns out that the Batur caldera is a huge territory, once occupied by one huge volcano, and now by two small volcanoes and a lake formed as a result of the eruption of the first. This entire area is often called Kintamani, after the name of the region of the island in which it is located. The endless expanses of Batur will open up to you already at the observation deck located on the edge of the caldera: Abang Volcano, Lake Batur (the largest in Bali) and the Batur volcano itself, covered with black spots of frozen lava. This lava is traces of its eruptions, the most destructive of which was in 1917, and the last in 2000.

By the way, the Batur volcano has three craters, which sometimes disturb local residents with tremors and ash emissions. To solve these problems, local residents resort to ceremonies to appease the spirits of the volcano, of which there are a huge number. This place is considered special; it’s not for nothing that 27 temples were built along the perimeter of the caldera: the Balinese believe that Batur unites the spirits of all 4 natural elements: earth, water, air and fire.

Agung

Volcano Agung is located in the east of the island and is its highest point - 3014 m. Its history is not as eventful as that of Batur. A total of 4 eruptions were recorded during observations, the last of which occurred in 1963-1964. It was also the most destructive: the eruption claimed the lives of about 2,000 people and left tens of thousands of islanders homeless. Before it, the height of Agung was 3142 m, but as a result of large-scale destruction, a piece broke off from the top and the volcano became more than 100 m lower.

If we compare the volcanoes in Bali, Agung is the largest of them, which on a clear day can be seen from almost everywhere. Its name translates as “great mountain”: according to, it is sacred place, where the gods and spirits of ancestors live. All villages, courtyards and temples of Bali are oriented towards the sacred mountain. So, for example, if in the north of the island the temples are located in the southern part of the courtyard, then in the south they are in the northern. It is on the slope of Agung, at an altitude of 1000 m above sea level, that the main and largest temple complex of the island is located - Pura Besakih, consisting of 30 temples located on several levels. Balinese from all over the island make a pilgrimage here: to the temple that is closest to the gods.

The Balinese worldview is characterized by the absolute completeness of the picture of the world, because the island is his whole world, and if demons live in the ocean, people live on the earth, then the habitat of the gods is a formidable mountain, which makes itself felt when the gods are angry. This is how the volcanic eruption in 1963 was perceived, which coincided with the sacred rite of spiritual purification - a great holiday held in Pura Besakih once every hundred years. The Balinese believe that this happened because the gods were angry that the wrong day had been chosen for the ceremony. True, in some miraculous way, the temple itself was not affected by the destruction... Since then, the volcano has no longer worried the local residents, however, the Balinese know that the gods do not sleep, and the sacred mountain does not sleep with them.

Climbing volcanoes in Bali

If you don't already know, you can climb the volcanoes in Bali and watch the sunrise above the clouds, this activity is very popular among tourists. After all, from the top there is a fabulous view of the awakening island, and besides, who wouldn’t want to conquer a volcano and look into its crater? Usually the ascent occurs at night. Firstly, because it's easier: you don't have to go under scorching sun; and secondly, dawn is an incredibly beautiful time of day, especially if you watch it from such a height.

As a rule, the climb to Batur begins at 4 a.m. and lasts about 2 hours. Climbing Agung is a real challenge, which will take from 4 to 9 hours. There are several routes leading to the top of the main volcano of the island: a shorter one and a longer one. The first one starts from the village of Selat in the south and takes about 4 hours. It will take you to the crater, but it will not be possible to reach the very high point volcano The longer route starts from Besakih Temple and will take at least 7 hours. This is the path along which pilgrims climb Agung, and it is the one that leads to the very top. If you choose it, then you need to start climbing no later than 10 pm, or even earlier, in order to spend the night halfway and continue the climb with new strength. Having climbed Batur or Agung, do not think that you have overcome the longest and most difficult part of the route... The descent will be no less exciting and, most likely, will take even longer. Don't let that put you off though, what you see at the top will definitely be worth all the effort!

You can see the volcanoes in Bali either with a tour group or on your own. If you choose the second method, do not refuse the services of local guides who will attack you already in the parking lot. It's better to pay them and be sure that you won't get lost at night and won't be late for dawn. Also find out in advance if groups are currently running. During the rainy season, for example, ascents are extremely undesirable. And, of course, stock up on warm clothes (it will be very cold when you get up), comfortable shoes, flashlights, food, water and go on an adventure!

Perhaps volcanoes in Bali are an inexhaustible topic. Ask your Balinese guide and he will tell you many legends and beliefs associated with them. Yes, you yourself will understand why they have such a strong influence on the worldview of local residents, once you find yourself next to them and feel their power. And if you have the desire and time, be sure to climb Batur or Agung: you will see the island from a bird's eye view, and also get unforgettable experience for life!

And finally, a short video about climbing Mount Agung Volcano: