A Breathtaking Morning View from Mount Batur, an unforgettable experience
Kintamani is known for its greenery and beautiful panoramic of the Volcano Mount Batur and Lake Batur. I will take you for a whole day tour of Kintamani Bali, including the natural beauty from Mount Batur, the hot spring, a local restaurant overlooking the lake, and where to buy fresh Kintamani oranges.
Kintamani is a highland area in the north of East Bali. The main tourist attraction is the volcano and the lake. Indeed, the mountain offers a breathtaking and incredible view. Do not miss the opportunity to experience the amazing sunrise. Set the alarm for a morning trek and be the first to capture the moment when the sun starts to rise.
The Best Time to Climb
I’ve been here trekking with my husband. That was my first experience climbing an active volcano in Bali. We departed from Jimbaran at 02.00 am and arrived at 03.30 am. Hundred of people climb Mount Batur each day. During our last visit, there are a few groups consisting of 20 people managed by tour companies that accommodated this adventure.
If this is your first time traveling to Bali, you can book this adventure managed by a professional tour agency or company. You can choose a private adventure or join a group of 10 – 20 people assisted by an experienced English-speaking guide. The best time to climb is during the dry season when you can experience the clear sunrise and reach the top with no worry.
We started to climb at 04.00 am sharp so we would have 2 hours to go before sunrise at 06.00 am. We still enjoyed the coffee 30 minutes earlier. There are many local warungs open 24 hours every day should you wish to have an early breakfast as the fuel to climb up. They provide snacks, coffee, tea, soda, mineral water, and also cup noodles.
What To Bring – Hiking Essential Checklist
Make sure you wear proper hiking footwear and clothes like; hiking pants (please avoid denim materials), a rain jacket, wool socks, and non-cotton t-shirts since it retains water or sweat. Also, the most important thing is a backpack to carry your hiking tools.
What to pack for hiking; a pocket torch or flashlight, multitool, mineral water, snacks, chocolate bars/biscuits, personal medical kit, sun protection, a hat, sunglasses, and cell phone for navigation. You can also bring your camera, should you need to capture the mesmerizing sunrise from the top.
Mount Batur, The Journey
At first, the trek began with an easy straight route, with no rocks, which wasn’t too bad for the 15 minutes step. Sometimes we stopped to take a breath and sip water. Bringing your bottle of water is essential since you will not find any local warung unless you reach the top of the mountain.
In 30 minutes, the path became steeper and a bit slippery. I almost lost my breath (LOL). Then you will regularly stop and sip more water. You need to follow the marked trails since you are not familiar with the area. Those who feel that they cannot, will stop and cause traffic. When people have to wait in queues, it may risk others, they don’t know when to put their feet to step, especially in the dark. Watch your step, walk carefully, and do not let anybody pressure you to walk faster. If this happens, just let them pass. Your safety is more important.
It was almost 05.55 am and we finally reached the top. I can see from the distance the gradation, deep orange with shades of purple and red are slowly replaced by the bright golden orange. The captivating sunrise is starting to be revealed from the top with the mists. At this spot, we need to be aware since there are a group of monkeys starting to greet the visitors to get the leftover breakfast.
Resto Apung
After experiencing the spectacular view, we were heading to Resto Apung 20 minutes drive from Mount Batur. Apung means floating, so indeed the restaurant floats in The Lake Batur. We can dine overlooking the sparkling water of Lake Batur. The restaurant is friendly for families with kids. Visitors can choose to dine indoors or outdoor.
This is one of some local restaurants in Kintamani that provide local cuisine from the Kintamani regency. The traditional and authentic dish from Kintamani is “Mujair Nyat Nyat”. Mujair or known as freshwater tilapia fish is a fish species that originally lives in saltwater.
This fish will taste good if processed with unique ingredients and spices. Bali is good at food processing and has its unique way of selecting special ingredients and spices to create a flavorful taste in every dish.
Nyat Nyat means shrinking. It’s a cooking method; cooking until the spices are shrunk and are fully absorbed into the fish. Most Balinese cook with unique ingredients and spices called “Base Genep”. You can enjoy this dish easily in Kintamani.
The restaurant opens daily for lunch and dinner. No reservation is necessary, but you can reserve a few days earlier should you wish to book more than 1 table in case of a busy weekend or public holidays. The parking lot is quite spacious. It accommodates around 12-15 vehicles, so the customers can easily find a space. Besides the signature dish “Mujaer Nyat-Nyat”, they also offer a variety of appealing choices like; french fries, noodles, fried rice, pancakes, etc.
Picking and Buying Oranges
Everybody loves oranges. This fruit tastes sweet, a bit savor, and juicy. But, have you ever seen orange trees? When you’re in Kintamani, make sure to make your stop at the orange plantation. You will see the impressive view from the orange garden along the way. You may bring your family. The kids will love the activities of picking, harvesting, and tasting the fresh oranges from the garden.
Visitors are allowed to buy directly from the farmer. You can pick your own or just simply buy the best quality chosen by the farmer on the display. The cool temperature of the highland makes Kintamani the best producer of fruits and vegetables in Bali, especially fresh oranges.