Other things to do in this area
If and that's a big if it is passable, the road which circumvents the base of the crater is very much worth a drive. You get some very different perspectives of the mountain from here. From Toya Bungkah the road loops north around Mount Batur, through Yehmampeh, past another important temple called Buki Mentik and then up again rejoining the caldera ridge road between Kintamani and Batur villages. This road is though often so damaged as to be impassable except on foot. You can walk the whole circuit but it is a long trek - about 18 km if you start from the caldera road.
Downhill cycling tours from Kintamani back to Ubud are offered by several operators on the island including Bali Sobek (http://www.balisobek.com/), Bali Adventure Tours (http://www.baliadventuret...) and BikeBali (http://www.bikebali.com/). This is a relaxing way to explore the pleasant mountain and hill country between Kintamani and Ubud. The tours normally commence mid-morning from Kintamani, include a lunch stop, and the total duration is 4-5 hours. Expect to pay about Rp 400,000 per person including all equipment, water and lunch.
Toyo Devasya
Soak in these hot springs right by the lake side in the village of Toya Bungkah. Very relaxing, and a great way to warm up on the frequent chilly days up here.
climbing mount batur
A climb to the summit of Mount Batur - 1,700 metres and still an active volcano - to watch the sunrise is a great experience for more energetic travellers. This is an easy climb of about 2 hours, and local guides abound. You do not need to be in peak physical shape to complete this trek. Which parts of the mountain are safely accessible change according to local volcanic activity.
All guides will be members of the Association of Mount Batur Trekking Guides which has an office in Toyo Bungkah village tel: +62 366 52362, 3AM-1PM, from where the treks commence. Book at the office or ask to see proof of membership to avoid problems later, and expect to pay Rp 300,000 to 400,000 per person. The association runs a cartel on climbing the mountain, and even if you have successfully scaled Everest, you will be harangued to hire a guide for this fairly low key, simple trek. While it is not compulsory, if you do not hire a guide you may be confronted at the start of the climb and the guides are known to become aggressive and confrontational. If you are climbing at night without a guide you will need a route map as you will cross many paths leading elsewhere and sometimes the correct path is the least obvious.
Use your common sense with the weather, but bear in mind that the paths become very slippery when it is raining, and climbs should be avoided altogether in the depths of the wet season December to Februay especially.
There are two commonly used ascent routes. Both are about the same length, but by far the best is from Toya Bungkah itself, as more than half of the climb is through pleasant shady forest. See a map of this route which is also available as a GPX file for import into your mapping app. The alternative route from Pura Jati is across ancient lava fields, there is no shade whatsoever, and underfoot conditions can be harsh. Longer treks of up to 10 hours are also available. These get you right off the beaten path, and will appeal more to serious trekkers. One rewarding option is to scale Mount Abang on the south eastern edge of the outer caldera. Ask at the guides association office. To avoid the hassle of constant harassment by touts in the area asking high prices to guide you, book before you arrive in the area. Most hotels in the area do packages including accommodation in the area or book with your hotel and be driven up in the middle of the night.
C.Bali Tours, Front of Segara Hotel, Kedisan Village Drive down to Lake Batur and turn left, [2] offer reasonably priced trekking tours and even offer the service of 'using their name' to avoid being hassled while approaching the mountain. Just tell the touts that follow you that you already have a booking with C.Bali and then pop into Segara hotel to get a fixed price package packages include accommodation in their hotel. If you don't stay at Segara Hotel the C.Bali team don't mind, they are a Western company and don't like to see tourists paying inflated prices or being hassled, sometimes bullied.
Pre-dawn climbs timed to reach the peak at sunrise are popular, and also give you the best chance of avoiding the cloud which often envelopes the mountain from mid-morning onwards. From the peak of the mountain the views in all directions are quite splendid. The sun rises over much higher Mount Agung to the east, while the northerly aspect back towards the crater rim road takes in a large volcanic ash slope with several steaming, active cones. A popular little gimmick from the guides during the climb is to cook an egg on lava-heated rock. Fun, but also a stark reminder of just how active this volcano is.