Certainly a principal attraction if you’re looking for a remarkable trek is Mount Batur (also known as the Kintamani Volcano), an active volcano situated at the centre of two concentric calderas, North-West of Mount Agung. The incredible panorama, to be admired from its 1717 metre peak, convinces thousands of visitors annually to make the 5 km hike amidst lava flows and fumaroles to admire the enchanting light of sunrise with its stunning colours from the summit of the crater. An evening departure is suggested so you can arrive in time to enjoy a tea or coffee and a snack in smoking rock niches in one of the typical local huts, while you take in this incredible natural spectacle. Leaving from Lake Batur, a lake on the Southeast side of the volcano, formed in one of the calderas on the side of the mountain and a key water source for most of the island, it takes about three hours to reach the summit. Then you can wind around the summit crater, heading progressively downward until you eventually reach the starting point. Healing waters can also be enjoyed in the town of Toya Bungkah in Batur, taking a dip in the hot aquifers under the lake. However, this is not to be done alone, an expert guide is highly recommended.
Chinese New Year welcomes the arrival of the Year of the Dragon
Although predominantly Hindu, Bali is home to an important Chinese community which on the occasion of the New Year organizes uniquely aesthetic events with a mix of Chinese traditions, Balinese charm and fusion cuisine.
Written by Balinese scholar Professor I Made Bandem and American art historian Bruce W. Carpenter, this stunning study of masks as an ancient art form is a richly illustrated book, with over 1000 color images by photographer Doddy Obenk.
It is one of the sacred dances of the of Bali Island, with a mystical meaning. The ceremony is intended to ask for salvation from a catastrophe or epidemic. The Sanghyang Dedari is different from other Balinese dances, because Sanghyang requires the dancer's body to be possessed.