You can feel the spiritual energy as soon as you roll up into the mountainous Kintamani region but when you walk on the field of black lava that’s like a beautiful scar down the side of Mount Batur volcano you truly realise the power of this place.
Watch my travel vlog here and keep reading below for more information.
Mount Batur volcano eruptions history
Legend has it, the entire area was actually one big volcano that erupted a loooong time ago creating the big “hole” which is now Lake Batur.
But the existing Mount Batur volcano has significantly erupted in more recent years: 1926, 1963, 1974 and 1994 with regular smaller eruptions.
One village on the side of the volcano was wiped out decades ago but there are still homes alarmingly close to the trail of lava that destroyed life before.
Not only has this place been home for their families for years, but Mount Batur is regarded as sacred. And I have to say, you do feel that energy when you’re here.
The air is cold but when you breathe it in you feel a cleansing clarity that you don’t get in the busy tourist hotspots of south west Bali.
In fact, it’s so cold here that you wake up to misty mountain views with beams of golden light shining through and by late afternoon the clearly visible white mist layers roll into town and you feel the temperature drop immediately, the moment the direct sun has lowered.
Best things to do in Kintamani, Bali
The Kintamani region is full of breathtaking views and cultural experiences unlike I’ve seen anywhere else in Bali.
The highlights were walking on the black lava of Mount Batur volcano, watching local fishermen in Lake Batur, feeling the powerful energy at the Ulun Danu Batur Temple, seeing the Batur Natural Hot Spring, taking part in a full moon ceremony with local Hindus and waking up to watch sunrise through the mountains.
Keep reading for more details and photos on all of this.
Mount Batur volcano, Kintamani
I was so amazed when Adef told me you could walk on the black lava from an old eruption of the Mount Batur volcano.
It’s clearly visible down the side of the mountain as the trail of burnt rocks remains where it settled after a major eruption in the 1960s.
Visually, the area is the most perfect dystopian setting so I had so much fun doing a photoshoot here with an “end of the world” vibe and could imagine a film on that theme being shot in this location.
But it had a really good energy to the place in juxtaposition to how it looked.
The local village had tried to revegetate the area with plants but the harsh landscape had made it difficult for much to survive on the lava field.
We walked around near the base, just after the entrance to the lava field but you can take a guide and hike up to the top. It’s not recommended to do it without a guide as it can be quite dangerous terrain.
Lake Batur sights
One of the best things about this area was cruising around on a vintage Vespa loaned to us by Adef, who is one of my boyfriend Jerry’s friends and the manager of the hotel we stayed. More about that further down in the article.
Locals told me the area was (a very long time ago) once one huge volcano that erupted and left a series of smaller mountains and the lake in the middle, meaning Lake Batur is actually the crater of an old volcano!
We watched fishermen wading in the shallow water farming local fish called ‘ikan mujair’.
Ulun Danu Batur Temple
Ulun Danu Batur Temple is a Hindu temple with an amazing story behind it.
It was originally a little higher up the Mount Batur volcano. But lava from an eruption in 1917 killed thousands of people living on the mountain but stopped right at the gates of the temple.
Another eruption in 1926 destroyed the village of Karang Anyar and killed 1500 people but incredible the lava stopped again just at the base of the main shrine from the temple.
So the displaced people from the destroyed village of Karang Anyar relocated to a new place and the original surviving temple from here was also relocated so people could continue to worship it.
Later that year when the area was declared safe, a new temple – the one standing here today – was built.
As you can see in my video we were there during the heat of the day but the powerful spiritual energy there was felt so strongly that I just had to stop and take it all in.
It wasn’t until later that I learnt this story and it all made sense. Isn’t it funny how you can understand a place by intuition before you even learn the story?!
Batur Natural Hot Spring
We only visited this place for a short time to admire the view as we didn’t have swimming clothes with us.
The Batur Natural Hot Spring is billed as Bali’s only natural healing spa. The heated mineral water fills several pools here and at the neighbouring Toya Devasya wellness resort.
Hindu full moon ceremony
I felt so lucky to be invited to a Hindu full moon ceremony with Adef’s family. Watching the full moon rising over the mountains was one thing but experiencing the local tradition felt so special.
The local extended family was so welcoming to Jerry and I, neither of whom are Hindu, yet they lent us traditional clothing to wear for the ceremony and warmly welcomed us to take part.
We joined them to take offering to shrines for loved ones who have passed away at their family complex before joining the community at one of the main temples in town.
Some men played the traditional gamelan instrument and everyone put offerings of fruit, flowers and incense up on shrines as offerings to the gods.
This is a daily practice for Hindus across Bali but the full moon has heightened purification powers so they come together to do this in ceremony.
Sunrise over the caldera
I’d say it’s essential to stay at one of the hotels overlooking this impressive view so you can wake up to this incredible view out your window.
My Indonesian boyfriend Jerry and I were invited to stay at Caldera Hotel & Restaurant, a new hotel managed by our friend Adef, who was keen to show us the best sights of the region.
Caldera means ‘ring of fire’ so the name of the Caldera Hotel pays great homage to the region it’s located.
Book a stay at Caldera and tell them I sent you đŸ™‚
We had so much fun shooting photos and videos here marvelling at this impressive view and admiring the colourful gardens.
Thanks for joining me on this highlights recap of Kintamani region of Bali.
If you’re planning a trip there, definitely remember to take warm clothes because it’s a lot colder than the coastal areas of Bali. Like, really cold. Even in a normal jumper we were cold so bring all your layers and a sarong to use as a scarf.
Be sure to watch my vlog here if you haven’t already at the top and if you like it, please subscribe to my YouTube channel and feel free to reach out on Instagram too if you have any questions.
Cheers, Roxy
