|
The
Mount Batur itself is actually
just a small volcano, but sets in the heart of a
huge crater 14km in diameter.
Adjacent to the volcano is the
large crescent-shaped Batur
lake, all surrounded by the high
walls of the crater rim. As the
road rises steadily from Bangli
or Tampaksiring , nothing in the
surrounding gray landscape of
bushes and garden plots suggests
the presence of a volcano. But
over one more small ridge a
dizzying view awaits the ayes,
encompassing the crater and
beyond. From Panelokan, the main
road runs right round the rim
towards Kintamani, the panorama
shifting as you circle around
the crater.
The sheer size of the crater
conjures up images of the
massive eruption of the original
Mount Batur that occurred tens
of thousands year ago. The
volcano is still active today as
Balinese all over the island who
still remember the great
eruption of 1917 will ratify. It
claimed thousands of lives and
destroyed hundreds of temples.
Old people might tell you this
was "the year when the
world shook". Other
eruptions have taken place
since, forcing the local
population to be relocated,
along with several of their
temples including one of the
main Bali temples, Pura Ulun
Danau. Initially inside the huge
crater, this temple has been
relocated to the top of the
ridge overlooking it. Here it
now offers an impressive view of
Mount Batur.
For a complete panoramic view,
you can drive half the
circumference of the crater
along its upper rim. The highest
point is Bukit Penulisan. Here,
one of the most ancient of
Bali's temples contains the
remains of carvings from the
earliest Buddhist period. From
Penulisan the road continues
towards Buleleng and
Kubutambahan.
One very interesting excursion
in Batur is the climb down the
inside of the crater from
Penelokan to Kedisan. You can
then drive around the smaller
Mount Batur, through Songan.
From Toya Bungkah, boats cross
the lake to a Bali Age village
called Trunyan. This place is
notorious for its mortuary
traditions. Instead of cremating
the dead, as Balinese do
throughout most of the island,
the Trunyan community leave the
bodies to decompose naturally in
a special cemetery.
There are also hot springs and
lodgings in Toya Bungkah. From
Songan there is a beautiful trek
to Tianyar to the north coast of
the island. The adventurous
traveler may even wish to climb
Mount Batur itself.
|
