Batur Volcano and Lake
Batur is a volcano in Bali and the lake of the same name, which was formed by volcanic activity. It is one of the main attractions of the island and is a popular tourist attraction.
General Information
If you feel like going higher, be prepared for cold, damp fog or scorching heat. There will probably be both. Travel agencies offer day tours, sometimes including visits to Besakih and Penelokan. This is the easiest way to see everything, but you’ll arrive at the same time as hundreds of other tourists. Consider staying overnight at a mountain resort or one of the inexpensive guesthouses. If you plan to climb one of the peaks or spend a full day in the mountains, it’s best to stay the night before nearby and start early in the morning.
.Batura’s volcanic activity in historical times was moderately explosive, with lava flows reaching the waters of the lake, this can be seen in the frozen basalt flows. Sometimes there were casualties, so during the 1963-1964 eruptions 16 houses of a nearby village located in the valley were destroyed.
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Currently, the volcano is classified as active and there are occasional tremors and fumarole activity. The last significant emission occurred in 1999-2000. Then the ash emission reached 300 meters in height. In June 2011, locals observed the release of sulfur dioxide gas, and many dead fish were observed on the surface of Lake Batur.
.Around Lake Batur
The road from the south rises through rice fields, through coffee plantations and orchards for about 600 meters, sometimes cutting into open pastures. Tropical forests block the view until you climb to an altitude of 1,300m to the narrow edge of a huge crater (also called a caldera) 11km in diameter and about 200m deep. The pastel-blue sickle of Lake Batur occupies the eastern third of this huge bowl, and the bare rocks of the mountain itself are mottled with the sweat of old lava. The village of Penelokan, whose name translates as “place to watch,” does offer a magnificent panorama, but is itself rather unsightly, especially when a cold, damp fog obscures the view of the surrounding countryside. The vendors here are the most annoying in Bali; tourists have been complaining about them ever since they started visiting the place. The hustle and bustle reaches its peak at lunchtime, when tourist buses let people off near restaurants serving Indonesian-style breakfasts.
A little east of Penelokan (towards Suteru and Rendang, at the turnoff to Besakih) you can find an even better view of the caldera, also without as much hype.
.In August 1994, the Batur volcano woke up and its eruption was incredibly powerful. As a result, some of the mountain trails were blocked, so it is recommended to go to the mountains only accompanied by a local guide and only in groups. Travel agencies specializing in outdoor activities and hiking will provide you with everything you need. A steep zigzag road descends to Lake Bemos, and motorcyclists are ready to give anyone a ride to Kedisan, a village on its shores with modest guesthouses.
.On the western shore of the lake, where the road winds between frozen clots of lava, is Toya-Bungkah, a town known for its hot springs. Their supposedly healing water is channeled into a public pool, hot as a good bath. You can also enjoy bathing in thermal water at the Natural Hot Springs Complex, located in the shady gardens of Toya-Bungkah. Competing with local guesthouses and modest restaurants is now a large, Chinese palace-like hotel with its own fiberglass pool fed by the hot springs.
.Toya Bungkah provides a convenient anchor point for the two-hour climb to the summit of Mount Batur (it takes longer in the heat). It is best to start before dawn: some groups, accompanied by a guide, set off at 3.30. Guides, local or from Kintamani, can offer options for longer climbs. At the end of the route, on the edge of a volcanic crater, you’ll see the Pura Batur temple; destroyed by the 1926 earthquake, it has been rebuilt on its original site. The only street in Toya Bungkah is lined with unsightly concrete houses and hangars, and is enlivened only by Pura Ulun Danu, a new temple built of black volcanic stone in 1926 and still expanding. Kintamani, attached to Baturu, is notable only for its market, which opens on Monday and Thursday mornings.
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The road leading to the north coast passes very close to the 1,745-meter-high Gunung Penulisan Mountain. After walking up 350 steps, you will reach its summit, crowned by Bali’s tallest and oldest temple complex, Pura Tegeh Koripan. Some of its buildings date back to prehistoric times. At the very top, in a simple walled-off area, there are beautiful stone statues and panels depicting gods and rulers; some of them date back to the 10th-11th centuries. The climb up here is quite strenuous, but well worth the effort, especially in clear weather, when, in addition to seeing the temple, you can enjoy an incredibly beautiful view of the mountains and the northern coast.
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