masterthesis-playground/raft/corpus/topic=4__part=013__n=60.txt

[TOPIC] 4
[Stats] N=60 | Source=../data/original/reviews.tab


(1) This was 2nd time to kintamani and mount batur lake.i usually take hot seat at lake view restaurant and enjoy volcano and lake with sip of fresh fruit juice or milkshakes.this time due to cloudy weather tip of volcano cant be seen.
(2) It was a good experience but my first time ever climbing a mountain. WARNING: IT IS NOT FOR ALL SKILL LEVELS - It said that it is for beginners and experienced climbers but my mum and I struggled and is not suitable for beginners. The instructor was nice and helpful. I couldn’t appreciate the sunset because I was so tired and it was freezing up there. Bring snacks if you are going to do it because you need a lot of energy. Overall I’m glad I did it and I can tick climb up a mountain off my bucket list but I definitely won’t be doing anything like that again.
(3) We drove up to a restaurant that have a clear view of Mount Batur. It was a lunch with a fantastic view!\n\nThe chilly wind in the highland was a refreshing escape from the hours of traveling on the narrow and often congested roads of Bali. We stayed there for as long as we could to recharge ourselves before moving on to the next destination.
(4) We visited My Batur with Bali Eco Cycling tours. Enjoyed a wonderful breakfast at the lakeside restaurant. The view is just breathtaking, probably the best I've ever had the privilege of seeing.
(5) Took a while because the heavens opened and the little road going up got flooded in ten mins but for 60k it's was ok very scenic and they take you to this restaurant that has balconies that are long enough for everyone to eat whilst looking at the dormant volcano and surrounding vistas beware of the tax on the food case you fall off lol
(6) One of the best vulcano mountain located in Bali,here if you do camping you can see sunset and sunrise with the best and beautiful view of another mountain and view of Batur leake
(7) A spectacular view of the live volcano from far. Unfortunately restaurants doesn't open that early and because we're trying to catch the beauty with fog.\n\nDefinitely will try sunrise trekking soon! Glad that we've found one driver cum trekking guide this time round at Bali. He shall be the chosen one!!!
(8) We stayed at nusa dua so they picked us up at 1:30am, its a two hour ride to Base, so we started climbing at 3:30. Our tour guide was Mudi who runs his own firm. He is a local man, a village head and treks almost everyday. We wanted to do Mt batur followed by Mt agung but my wife was not so sure.\nWe prayed at base camp and started our journey upwards, we had one more lady from belgium trekking with us. My wife was not accustomed to these type of trek so she was slow but Mudi gave us short and frequent breaks reassuring us that we will reach in time. My wife felt like she was letting us down and slowing us, so she felt guilty and sorry initially.\nInitial climb is through forest, as we go higher its little steep and plenty of loose stones and mud. While climbing it needs determination and courage, on the way down its physical strength thats needed most. Trek is easy for medically fit persons. We must carry energy bars and water, though in our case Mudi took charge of all that stuff. Same sun rises every where but the view here is just out of the world. It just relieved my aching legs from pain, your heart beats faster and you enjoy the cool breeze with warm sunshine.\nMy wife was super happy she ever did it. We had breakfast with eggs boiled from the crater steam. We saw the places where eggs are kept for boiling and believe me its superhot steam flowing out. After enjoying the beauty for half an hour we started descending down, its a narrow trail for single person initially, then it's little bit wide to accomodate 2. While descending down it little hard to maintain grip as soil and stones are loose and plenty. Mudi helped my wife climb down easily through half the way. If you are hiking with ladies or kids, must have Mudi besides you. There are plenty of guides but I did my first trek with this guy and he is the man you wanna trek with, which i came to know at the end.\nI am not associated with him in any other way except as a client but i recommend him highly and unconditionly. www.mudigoestothemountain.com\nHe maintains some Toyota Innova nd Landrover to guide you around. He gives a personal touch where ever you go with him. After trekking down we went to hot springs, had a nice bath and swim and carries on for lunch to Ubud. There we stopped over at Wurung Padi Organic for a nice organic lunch and then continues to hotel. Posting here some pics for reference.\nWhile many tourists came independently its recommended to have a guide.\nPlz dont be overconfident and negligent, keep your ego low and spirits high. Its cold at top so carry jacket or windcheater with some thing to cover your ears and handgloves(especially for ladies)\nMust carry : Hiking shoes ankle high, Water, Camera, more importantly Desire to see the beauty
(9) I knew Mount Batur not gonna be easy so i and my friend prepared several trainings before going to Bali. We get up early in the morning because we stay at Kuta which is quite far from Kintamani. Our driver pick us at hotel at 2 am in the morning and drove to kintamani. We reached at the parking at 4 am and introduce to ur guider Saja and pay 350k each without breakfast 400k with breakfast. For information you need to hire local guide to climb this mountain which is for me quite expensive. Lot of people already start to hike we start at 4.10 am and walk quite fast to the top. We just stop severals time and reached the summit 1 and half hours later it still dark and we sit on the bench waiting the sunrise. It quite cold here better equipped yourself with proper gear such windbreak and gloves. Remember to wear proper hiking shoe because it going to be slippery at the last climb. We got lucky to saw amazing sunrise at 6:00 am you can see mount abang, mount agong and mount rinjani from here. After make tour along the crater we took another route to avoid another hikers and reached down at 8:45 am.
(10) Walking Batur for sunrise was the highlight of our holiday. The walk was enjoyable (despite the scrambler bikes everywhere) and the views were incredible. It’s cold up there so take a jacket (even if you’re Welsh) but really recommend this!
(11) Walk' is the right word for some of the way up. As long as you approach the mountain and then walk through the forest, it is a walk. Once you get out of the woods, until the top, it is mostly a steep scramble through dust or mud, over stones and rocks. The mountain is not very high, just a little over 1700m, hence average fitness should do, and it isn't high enough to get cold.\nDoing it during darkness is the standard procedure, to catch the sunrise. That is worth it. You see the Rinjani on Lombok, and the top of Agung on Bali, trying to hide behind the Abang across Lake Batur. Majestic.\nThe top might get a little crowded, mostly young people. It made me feel ancient.
(12) It was a very early start from Ubud to climb before dawn but the ultimate view was breathtaking. The walk starts easily enough but just before the top it gets quite steep and is very rocky and uneven so make sure you have good footwear and, ideally, a headlamp (you can hold a torch / flashlight but it is easier if you have both hands free).\n\nOur guides were great and I doubt that my 10 year old would have got up without their help.\n\nIt was very crowded with literally hundreds of people climbing the mountain (follow the line of lights upwards) but we still managed to get lots of photos without crowds).\n\nAmazing to see the steam rising from the volcano and the colony of monkeys that live at the top.\n\nWell worth the effort.\n\n
(13) There were about 400 people on the summit of volcano in the morning. They came from common start point and you can imagine how crowded it was. Our guide, Gede, took us through Tampuryang Temple which only few group taking this. By this route we could enjoy the trek more comfortable without rush from other group. The distance is also shorter, we took just one half hours to reach the summit. We recommend the route for those who don't like crowds
(14) Back in November I decided not to go to Mount Batur, for a multitude of reasons, but still wanted to at least climb up something! Staying in Amed, it wasn't too far from Lempuyang by Taxi.\nI arrived actually quite late... maybe around 17h... but one guide said he would come up with me.\nWe saw two other people very early on on their way back down, but apart from that, we were all alone on the mountain.\nThe weather wasn't great at all - incredibly misty - I didn't actually get to see any views at all... but even still... climbing up all those steps in the misty forest atmosphere was kind of special.\nThe monkeys weren't even out at that time.\nWe powered our way and did the ascent and descent in a couple of hours, stopping every now and then for a break.\nEven without views I would do it again.
(15) We started trekking at 330am and my two   rented jackets as they did not come prepared for the chilly weather. If you're planning to do this, come prepared in good running shoes and windbreaker. The climb up was steep and be careful of loose stones. We reached the top at about 5.15am and the view is amazing. Loved how helpful and nice our trekking guide was. The trek down is steep and rough so you have to be extra careful.
(16) Mount Agung is not an easy mountain and not that fun to walk as it just gets steeper and steeper over increasingly difficult terrain. We started the trek at Pasar Agung temple at 1:30am. 300 steps to the temple are the warm-up! Constant incline from the get-go, I suppose the fact that most of the climb is done in pitch black actually masks some of the difficulty. The outstanding views make up for the pain though and reward with the best views overlooking Bali island towards south and west. My excellent guide Ketut helped me along the way, credit to him. The sunrise was almost magical, one can see all the way to Java facing west and Mt Rinjani on Lombok towards the east. The monkeys on top are quite fun to watch. The massive crater makes you realize how big Mt Agung really is. Don't underestimate this hike/climb, one should be fairly well trained and able to climb from approx.1,800m's altitude to 3,000+ within 4-5hrs. Don't forget...need to go down again too...which is probably the most difficult part. Solid trekking poles, a good water supply and sturdy footwear really are a must for this adventure at the holy mountain. Don't go without a guide.
(17) Honest review of sunrise hike; This hike is vastly OVERHYPED. It's a nice sunrise, you can see the volcanos and volcano crater and lava fields and you can even see the milky way when you walk in darkness which was awesome.\n\nThere were LONG queues up there. We were overwhelmed by the large crowds of tourists and \guides\". The guides have absolutely NO formal outdoor education beforehand other than asking if you're ok and 'helping' you up otherwise easy paths and speak really broken english. You really don't have to get a guide and must be a special kind of genious to get lost in the ocean of people. However be prepared to get harassed by them if you decide to go without, if something happens to you they will not help you because of the fact that you went without one. At least the \"business\" provides easy income for the locals.\n\nThe hike itself isn't challenging at all and isn't too steep. The trail starts by walking on pavement and then a well beaten path the rest of the way. The only hard part is that it can be tiring to walk up and down because of the sand, especially close to the top, which can be slippery if you don't watch your step, or if you're particularly unfit. Don't walk down the landslides if you're not used to walking on mountains.\n\nYou don't need to bring or wear any technical gear or outfits (trekking poles etc.). Wearing sneakers are fine, just don't be that genious to walk up with flip-flops or sandals and cause a traffic jam.... Bring with you a headlamp or flashlight.\n\nThe queues made it take longer up and down than necessary so be prepared to spend some extra time waiting. There can be a sandstorm at the top so expect to get dirty, bring a face mask so that you don't inhale the dust and bring with you extra layered clothing because the rough winds makes it cold."
(18) A bunch of thugs at the bottom of the mountain charging extortionist rates why does one need a guide ? Money making trap ? Also noticed they charge Europeans double the price they would any other nationality ... Bali seriously needs to re- look this trekking association they are terrible to deal with ! We also had to pay to enter the kintamini area ... If u really keen take a guided tour from your hotel - you are likely to pay a lot less than the thugs at the bottom of the mountain !!!!!!!!
(19) Nearly impossible to hike up and down safely given the steepness and jaggedness of the climb up and down . Yes the view from the top is stunning but do not attempt this hike unless you are very fit and wearing appropriate clothing. It gets more severe as you go down . You are crawling at some points. Uphill is worse and there are no danger signs. I read a lot of people have died here either from falling or drowning.
(20) We had a driver pick us up from our homestay in Ubud at 2am. It was an almost 2 hour drive through Kintanami. When we arrived at the parking lot, we expected to be by ourselves and were to meet a guide. To our surprise, there were easily another 100 tourists there for the hike as well. We were only 2 and we luckily got a guide that would take us up the volcano. A note for those who think you're going to hike it without a guide, you're wrong. You HAVE to pay for a guide, who is a younger kid that will take you up the mountain. But there is a system set in place by the locals that they will not allow you to hike without paying for a guide. About a third of the way up, you walk into a group of rather large men that communicate with the guide to make sure that the people he is with have paid. Enough on that.\n\nThe hike is not easy. It is almost completely uphill, and at a steep grade too. You can take your time, take breaks, and you should still summit well before the sun rises.\n\nTHE SUNRISE!!! It was just as amazing and beautiful as the reviews I read on here. It is amazing to look over the ocean, see Rinjani in Lombok, and then see the sun slowly climb into the sky. We were lucky, the clouds dissipated at just the right time. You may not be so lucky...\n\nIt was sooo worth the hike, getting up early, and paying for the guide. He took us around the volcano afterwards for another 2-3 hours. We tipped him towards the end of the hike and you would have thought we handed him a million dollars. He was very careful to make sure that no other guides saw us give him money. I am sure that the others would have taken it from him otherwise. So, keep that in mind if you tip (please do, it means a little to you, but a LOT to them).
(21) I absolutely LOVED this experience. I had a private guide take me up with another friend (who I met while travelling). Though a private trip the cost was reasonable at 450,000 rupiah each which is about $45 AUD and this included a visit to coffee plantation also as well as a Karma Cleansing ritual cleanse at a sacred waterfall.\nAnyway, for the Mt. Batur experience:\nPick up from hotel in Ubud is about 2am-2:30am so be prepared to get up early. It's around an hour drive to the base of the volcano and the ascent can take between 1-2 hours depending on your level of fitness. The track is fairly rocky and sandy (remember it is a volcano you are climbing with 1717m elevation at the top) so good shoes are recommended. I did see a few people in flip-flops but I have hiked a fair amount and I really recommend good shoes unless you a masochist. Also, while I am not at my peak fitness I consider myself to be at above average fitness so don't think this will be an easy feat for a complete beginner. I'm not saying you can't or should not do it, but remember to pace yourself or you will burn out. If you need, let who needs to pass you pass. Go at your own pace and enjoy it! There is plenty of time to get to the top. Also, the entire ascent is in the dark so it adds to the challenge as it is harder to see etc. You are given a torch but I'd highly recommend bringing/getting a head torch if possible so you have your hands free for scrambling if required. (Carrying a torch throws light in the direction of your hand so makes the ascent all the more challenging with a dancing light).\nI recommend dressing in layers. You will get warm very quickly during the ascent but at the very top before sunrise it is COLD. Depending how quickly you are able to make the ascent you may be waiting for a long time in the cold. On the way down it gets HOT. Very very hot. I had on a moisture wicking t-shirt for the ascent/descent and up top put on a merino layer and a soft shell fleece as well as a beanie for warmth. I am a bit of a \coldie\" and know myself so I was prepared in bringing these and was VERY happy to have them. On the way down the sun was up and by 8am it was pretty darn hot. I stripped all my layers off back to my t-shirt, took off my beanie and put on my hat and sunnies. Recommend you bring sufficient water as the tour companies usually give you one 500ml bottle (not much). You can buy more up top but they charge a premium price. You will get a small breakfast also and while it is simple, up there, it tastes great :) Pending your appetite you may like to carry up more snacks with you. Also, if you can spare the room in your luggage and own one, a hiking pole won't go astray either. Some of the hike is very sandy/rocky and it will give you more stability. In my opinion this hike is worth the effort and the early start. The view is spectacular and I absolutely loved and recommend it. Out of my 3 week stay in Bali this was possibly the highlight. In complete Nike style, my opinion is just DO IT! But be prepared. Don't go out boozing the night before & wear flip-flops and expect it to be breeze...\n\nMt. Batur Hike checklist:\n-hiking shoes or at least joggers\n-long pants that you can roll up or 3/4 pants (it's a long wait up top for shorts)\n-warm jacket for up top\n-beanie for cold wait up top\n-hat & sunscreen for descent\n-small daypack to carry all your things (water, snacks, camera and when you take off layers etc).\n-water, snacks, camera\n-head torch (ideally)\n-ideally a hiking pole if room in luggage and if you own one (or make a make-shift one from a stick)\n\nHope you have an awesome time :)\n\nLive Love Life!"
(22) We were picked up by a driver at our hotel between 02:15 and 02:45 (Ubud area) and picked up another passengers. We then stopped at a small coffee shop on the outside of Ubud where we were offered a hot drink and waited for another bus to arrive (although this wasn’t documented in the original plan). We were in a group who some of them are really demanding and the poor guide had to manage it. I just walk and never talked with the guide as they were too busy with other people. If I want to go mt batur next time i will go with private tour company
(23) It's such a gamble to have clear sunrise, since the fog unpredictably cover the summit. There's a shortcut to get to the mountain, so it only needs 1,5 hour trekking. Tips: bring sufficient stuff include food & drink since there's a warung provide breakfast. The weather isn't too cold, so you can minimize the outfit. Don't forget to bring stick.
(24) So it was great experience to go to the top of Agung.\nWe contacted to Wayan Dartha (+6285237008513) (there many reviews here about his tours) by whatsapp. 5 minutes and we had a deal!!! Wayan agreed to organise trekking at the day before Nyepi day (while sime guides did not provide such service)\nThe driver came to us at time and everything was ok.\nIt was not easy trekking. People who have problems with knees, be carefull - it is a real challenge it such cases.\nThanks to our guide (it was sister of Wayan) - she was very helpfull during climbimg up and down.\nGenerally I can say the it was great experience - to treck in night and to see the sunrise at the top of the volcano. Views are really incredible!!! But it is really tour for healthy people, that has no problems with their legs and knees
(25) We walked up Mount Batur for Sunrise. We paid a fair price for a drive from our Ubud hotel to the base and back and for two guides to head us up. The primary guide was a good motivator for my partner who needed it from time to time.\n\nAlthough her legs ached afterwards, the stunning view of sunrise was worth every 1000 rupia and every drop of sweat.
(26) It was lovely breathing in the fresh morning air. The trek to catch the sunrise starts at about 4am and it usually takes about 2 hours to summit. Lots of stars and it's beautiful. Can't say the same about all the tourists who visit unfortunately. We encountered a bunch of rowdy tourists who were speaking excessively loudly and blasting music from speakers. If you really gotta listen to Rihanna while climbing a mountain, be considerate and use headphones amirite?!\nGetting a guide is a must for this hike and is also preferred.\nSome parts are steep so may not be recommended for people with weak knees
(27) Early morning hiking to get sunrise from top mount batur, so wonderful view sunrise with lake batur that so nice! The trekked not so difficult but you always must be careful and follow the guide!
(28) We took a day trip up to Mount Batur to catch the sunrise. Unfortunately it was too foggy... and a freezing 15-17 deg C!! Something I never expected! Nevertheless it wasn’t a trip wasted. We explored Penulisan Temple - saw some carvings from 300 BC there too!!\n\nIf you want something different from the beautiful beaches, this is a wonderful alternative.
(29) The trip started off with a pick-up at our accommodation and thereafter a short ride to the start point for the climb where we met our guides from Wayan Dartha (Whatsapp +6285237008513). There was a simple briefing with the essential equipment check before we set off. The climb started off with a simple but pious prayers to the gods by the guides and we soon started on our way with one guide in the front and another behind. This was generally the arrangement through the climb with the group of five of us led by one guide and one more at the back for safety.\n\nThe pace of the climb was manageable and the guides were very understanding and patient, accommodating to our lack of fitness...haha! We soon (about 5 hours in) reached a point where we had to decide either to summit or head to the crater rim. We decided to go to the crater rim that night because one of our team members (erm...me) was not feeling the best and so crater rim it is if we wanted to reach in time for sunrise. And so we did. The view was spectacular! The times when the fog/cloud didn't obstruct the view was breathe-taking. Along with hot drinks and simple fare breakfast, we enjoyed the view for right about 2 hours before beginning our descent.\n\nThe descent was when we were really thankful for both our guides, who held the hands of one lady each from our team and led them down step-by-step, quite literally. Patient and caring is what I would describe them.\n\nThe climb I believe was made positively more do-able thanks to the guides from Wayan Dartha (Whatsapp +6285237008513). If you're headed out to climb Agung or Batur, drop them a text and they'll make arrangements for you accordingly.
(30) Majestic view of the semi-active volcano. It leaves you perplexed especially if you are seeing a volcano for the 1st time. View is better on a sunny day and the drive up to the mountain has lots of orchards. you can enjoy your lunch whilst admiring the beauty of this natural masterpiece! It is a good place for nature lovers.
(31) Unlike most travellers, we decided to climb Mt Batur in the afternoon and apart from two other groups that we encountered along the way, we virtually had the entire area and summit to ourselves. The view was still stunning and it was so peaceful without the crowds that i'll expect at sunrise.\n\nWe came with a local guide not only because we felt that we wanted to give something back to the local economy but because we wanted to explore the caves somewhere near the crater (which he did). Also he shared many interesting anecdotes about Mt Batur and he brought us up to the summit in slightly above an hour. The trek back from the summit below was equally beautiful as the sun began to set and Batur started to bathe in the warm evening light.
(32) I did the sunrise trek with Pineh Bali Tours. The service was generally good: the pick up was punctual, they served several meals (before trek, during trek and after trek). They put us in small groups of maximum 4 people.\n\nThe trek up the mountain was a little bit taxing to me, as I hadn't done any training at all prior to the trip (I hadn't exercised in months!). And my boyfriend and I happened to be paired with a couple of energetic Swedish, who had to wait for us a couple of times as I caught my breath. I feel so bad for them having to wait for me, so I'd suggest that you do at least some stamina training before hand so that you won't trouble anyone.\n\nI'm a muslim, so another concern of mine is where to perform the morning prayer. I asked the tour guides, and they let me use a space in their kitchen to pray. There is no toilet or waterpipe, so you'd better have some mineral water to take your wudhu. Be sure to bring a compass :)\n\nMost companies will also provide torch lights. Our guide did lend us torch lights, but the one that my boyfriend got was so dim that he could barely see with it. In the end he decided to walk without it. So just in case, maybe it's better to bring your own light, coz I personally think it's dangerous to walk at dark due to the very rocky pathway.\n\nOur guide was very young and helpful, but unfortunately doesn't converse well in English. He was nice enough and always checked on us, but it'd be better to have someone who'll explain about the caldera formation. He simply took us to the caldera and let us take pictures. I'm a Malaysian so I can understand Indonesian slightly, so I can ask him some questions. But I had to be the one to explain to the Swedish couple what I learnt from him. It'd be nice if the guides are trained to speak English more fluently.\n\nOur tour company provided us with food and drink, but others may not. Make sure you know what you'll get. They also gave us a sample of Luwak coffee for free, so you may not need to buy it. And, there's no bathroom during the trek! Make sure you do you business beforehand.\n\nAll in all, it was a great experience. But make sure you are well prepared!
(33) Strongly recommend to get a guide for the trip. We engaged BaliTrekkingTrips and have one of the best experience.\n\nFirst of all, Thank you driver Adi for being on time and await us at the wee hours at 2am. I have heard many tours which came late and such wasted the resting time of the trekkers. So really appreciate that we were greeted on time.\n\nSecondly, we meet up with our guide Mangku who was cool and steady. Once we intro ourselves, we went straight to our trekking. I guess Mangku's thoughts was to go straight to the tip of the mountain to secure the best spots for us. Appreciate the thoughts! Throughout the trekking, Mangku was kind and often made sure that the pace for us was suitable. His command of english was very good and I was deeply impressed. We shared numerous stories throughout the trek and I must say it made us comfortable with him around. Best of all Mangku takes really fantastic photos that you cannot find in anywhere else! \n\nThis is the first time we climb Mt. Batur and we really enjoyed it. We also heard there are alot of routes to the top of the mountain and this is why we look forward to climbing it!
(34) We went early in the morning to avoid all the tourist as well as the queue to take a picture in front of the volcano. Unfortunately there was a lot of fog so we couldn’t see the volcano but it was still worth the trip.
(35) Ok, before I go any further, let me just place this disclaimer: It was relatively easy in my opinion. A regular person in good health with an average physical fitness would be more than capable of attempting this climb.\n\nNow, down to the review. Yes, you have to wake up at 2am, yes, you have to bear the chilly temperature up in the mountains, yes, you need to trek up in the darkess with just a torchlight to light your path. But the view at the end is well worth all of that.\n\nTip: bring along a jacket/windbreaker as it really was chilly at that ungodly hour. No doubt as you begin trekking up the rocky terrain, your body will start to warm up and it doesn't seem that bad but, well, don't say I didn't warn you. While I saw many other trekkers wearing normal sports shoes or even slip-on espadrilles, I very much recommend proper hiking shoes to both protect your feet and reduce the chances of slipping as you make your way up (and down) the sandy/rocky trek.\n\nIt gets pretty steep at times and definitely proves to be both a question of physical fitness and balance. However, the difficulty of it is really not that tough.\n\nI found going up to be easier than coming down, surprisingly, due to the darkness when going up. As I could not see what was ahead, I was just focused on going step by step. This is as opposed to climbing down where it will be in bright daylight and you can see each steep angle that awaits you, giving you that momentary doubt.\n\nNonetheless, I highly recommend this trek for beginner hikers as you will be rewarded with a beautiful sunrise for a trek that is not too tough. For those who like more of a challenge, there's always Mount Agung ;)
(36) Had the complete sunrise trekking tour in mid-August 2019 with my family.\nThis is hell on Earth, or something that closely resembles it....\nNo need to describe what the tour is about, because this is widely dealt with in any travel guide, and there are countless feeds on Tripadvisor and countless social media about the experience.\nI think this is something to avoid at all costs, for the following reasons:\n1) There are thousands of people ascending the mountain every night: you literally walk in a row from the beginning to the top! No privacy, no sensation of doing something in the wilderness, it feels like being on the London Underground on a busy weekday at 9:00am... You are just packed like a sardine in an endless column...\n2) You do not see the surroundings when you go up, because it is night and dark, but when you descend in the daylight you are stunned by the sorry state of Mount Batur: debris dispersed everywhere, plastic, and the inevitable traces of the passage of thousands of careless tourists every day: my environmental spirit was disgusted at the scenery surrounding me, it looked like a Calcutta slum all the way up...\n3) Every 20 seconds or so, for a solid hour and a half of ascent (and then on the subsequent way down) you are forced to step aside the trail to let pass the so-called \mototaxis\", which are old and gas guzzling trial motorcycles (or the cheap Indonesian version of it) ferrying lazy passengers to the top: the noise, the pollution, the risk of being run over by these criminals is so high, that it makes the entire trail look like a modern version of Dante's Inferno.\nLas but not least, there is no chance that the sun will eventually break into the heavy clouds and the thick, cold and humid fog that surrounds the mountain top.\nThe day we did it (Aug. 13th, 2019), there was nothing but a thick fog, which prevented us from seeing anywhere Beyond 10 metres ahead of us until we were back down at the starting point, exhausted and frustrated...\nIn a word: you wake up at 2:00am, you travel long distances to reach the strarting point and then you leave for a few hours of sorrow for which you have to pay an exhorbitant price, just to be literally gassed by a gang of criminals and you can barely speak to your companions, as you are enlisted in a 3-mile long row of slaves ascending the mountain.\nCrazy!!!!"
(37) Pretty challenging hike of about 1.5 hours up the mountain in the dark. For those in my family who were fit, it was an easy climb. For those who were less athletic, it was very challenging. Scrambling up over sharp and often loose volcanic rock in the dark is pretty challenging. The view of the sunrise was absolutely breathtaking with clouds and mountains from distant islands constantly changing color as the sunrise progressed and then finally illuminating the lake with incredible brilliance. Wonderful. Then the monkey's emerged from the caldera of the volcano as if on cue to get food from all the tourists. If you are expecting solitude on the mountain you will be disappointed. There were hundreds of people that made the trek. A few pointers: 1. Don't be deceived by the relatively warm temperatures at the start. After 1.5 hours of exertion you arrive at the top to sweaty and then the wind and temp will cool you off quickly and can make it all rather chilly. Dress appropriately. 2. Starting off at 3 am will get you to the summit too early. We waited around in the cold for about 2 hours for the sunrise. Starting at 4 am will give you plenty of time to make it up the mountain in time for the sunrise.\nThe descent is better done on a slightly longer but less steep trail. Safer that way. Overall, a fantastic experience that will not be forgotten.
(38) the ladies hound you and don't say you will come back another day unless you mean it because they don't forget and they don't forget your name. once you buy something from them they will leave you alone but hey they are trying to make a living. I recommend you go to Hardy's supermarket first and check out the downstairs stalls to see how much you should pay. i bought a sarong for ten dollars at sanur beach markets and then saw the same one for about four dollars but at the end of the day what's money to us westerners .....
(39) I don't know if I was luckier than most, but the sunrise I saw will stay with me forever.\n\nI've photographed some amazing sites in my life, but nothing like the pictures I took that morning.\n\nBad points - it was expensive, a real slog to the top and no food or drink included in the price.\n\nGood points... a view like no other!
(40) Best adventure for nature lover. Good view ,nice weather ,and best treking in bali, we can see another mounts from the top of mount agung good sunrise and good sunset too.
(41) Trekking sunrise was one of the most awesome morning we had, 1,717 m trek up Mount Batur. It was challenging, fearful, busy atop but overall just SO beautiful. Our private guide, Komang, was a hero. He's hiked this trek over 1,000+ times), he cooked for us (eggs on the lava), cared for us when the going got tough or when the monkeys got frisky. He had us laughing, shared his heart & soul of his Hindu culture. He made this early morning rise, the best experience in every way. I think, if you physically fit, you should take this trip. It is worth it for the view and make sure book private tour for comfortable walk.
(42) My first ever hiking is at this mountain. I don't know whether it is a right choice? Because for a beginner like me, it's quite tough, luckily there's local who take care of our group, very helpful. It would take 2 hours hiking from bottom to the top and the view is worth it. We starting our hiking before dawn at 4 a.m. And arrived on 6 a.m. just in time for the sunrise view.
(43) 6 of us are not climbers but we did it.Feeling amazing.\nHaving 3 hours sleep is a no-no so make sure you get in bed like latest 9pm.\nDriving takes about 2hours from our villa at seminyak.We reach starting point at 4am to the top close to 6am.We took our time to get up there.\nIt's dark going up but beautiful view heading down.Get ready your camera and smile.\nHad a little snack,eggs and coca drinks while waiting for the sun rise.Too bad is cloudy on our day.\nOverall,good workout and beautiful piece of land.\n\nNotes-\nToilets is only on the starting point.\nA pair of comfortable hiking/track shoes for better support.(there's loose tiny stones and sand downhill it's a little slippery)\nMosquito repellent is NOT needed.Its cooling throughout so they be hiding.\nGrab some energy bar and enjoy your view.\nA bottle of water is good for whole journey.\nWindbreaker needed kind of chill wind on mid hill onwards.\n\nBe much fun with a groups of  .
(44) Nice Place to see. We have been there early morning. There is a small Restaurant on the cliff from where you can watch all the three Volcano's. Peaceful Place and Nice place to enjoy the surrounding Atmosphere.
(45) I am reasonably fit and workout regularly, yet I found this hike unexpectedly challenging probably due the false impression I got from some websites saying that it's the \easiest hike\" around. To do this hike, one definitely needs a pair of proper hiking shoes with good grip as the loose rocks and sands make the climb rather slippery. It certainly wasn't easy for me to remain stable throughout. As I reached the top and sat down to appreciate the view, I felt the noticeable drop in temperature (in stark contrast to the heat and sweats I felt from the climb earlier). It's therefore advisable to bring along a jacket or a jumper to keep warm. Despite the super early rise and the challenging climb, to my grave disappointment, I didn't get to see the sunrise as it turned out to be a very cloudy morning. That said, I did enjoy the climb and the overall experience nonetheless."
(46) I will highly recommend this trek as we thoroughly enjoyed it.\nAlso we went through Krishna Bali Trekking Tour as suggested by a friend. Arpa (our driver) and Rasia (our guide) were amazing and provided great service (pick up from and drop to the hotel, and guide plus breakfast).\nWe were picked up from our hotel at 2am and we started the trek at 3.45am.. it was an amazing experience climbing a live volcano mountain in the dark with a torch. Not a very difficult climb; very exciting and quite doable.\nWould advise carrying a light jacket as it can get quite breezy and cold. And it is better and more convenient to do this trek with a guide.\nGo for it, guys!
(47) Batur sunrise hike is the best activity to feel the grandness of this active stratovolcano - it blew my mind when I knew it's active and imagined it would erupt suddenly - but folks, no worries, it's very safe. The last eruption was back in 2000. It's approachable but definitely NOT an easy hike especially towards the top of this sacred mass.\n\nUsually starts at 3 or 4 am, you will kick off the journey at the altitude of approx. 1,100m - and be prepared to hike for two hours non-stop on the steep slope full of volcanic rubbles, so a pair of trekking poles would be helpful. You may have the luck to see the sunrise at the height of 1,717m after all those determined efforts, with the backdrop of Mount Rinjani (2nd highest volcano in Indonesia) - which is 120km away sitting on the island of Lombok!
(48) Trek was rather tiring but it felt very fulfilling. Do take note that it's not suitable for children or elderly as it'll be very taxing for them. Bring waterproof clothes as if it rains, you will be very uncomfortable if your clothes as soaked since it's cold and windy up there. (Which was what happened during our trek) We did not see the sunrise due to the rain but the descent thereafter was beautiful as the weather cleared. Recommended for avid trekkers!
(49) Yes, the sunrise view is extraordinary, and without a doubt, I'm very glad that I made this trip. However, the \hike\" is not only very steep, but the \"path\" is all rocks so very slippery... hard to position your feet without sliding, and when you're on the side of a volcano looking straight down, that's not the best feeling.\n\nI should clarify that I am an active person, so fitness wasn't an issue. For me, it was just the fear of falling that made it most challenging. The entire way up and down, I was convinced I was going to break my leg or worse. Thankfully my guide, Jero, was absolutely wonderful... VERY patient with me, held my hand for balance and support, and on the way down even wanted to carry me through the hardest part, which I couldn't let him do.\n\nI agree with all of the other reviewers about the need for good shoes, especially ones with thicker soles so you don't feel every rock the way I did in my Bensimon sneakers (I hadn't brought anything sturdier on vacation). Overall, the key before you go is just knowing what you're getting yourself into, which I didn't really.\n\nIn the end, I defied my own expectations and did something I didn't think I could. I am so grateful for that, and the sunrise really is spectacular."
(50) Amazing\n\nVery well run and so clean\n\nTo see the animals in there natural environment was amazing\n\nWould recommend this to anyone it's a bit of hike but well worth it
(51) The mountain is nice but nothing special. The trip sadly endet with my worst experience in indonesia. We wanted to walk up alone without a guide (which is totally unnecessary for this path because it's obvious and easy, there are so many tourists you couldn't ever lose the way). but after one sec we were walking up, local men were stopping us and telling we can't walk up alone and when we told them we want to walk alone without guide, they were laughing at us and insulting us as stupid, we continued but they followed us with their scooter and just took pictures of us. These people were so rude, we really felt scared and unsafe! So all in all it's just a touristtrap for them to make money!
(52) Both my wife & I trekked up MB in Jan on our Honeymoon. On our arrival at the foothills it was raining with strong winds. Our guide Wayan who has been doing guiding work for past 5 years brought us up the trek. Overall it was a very easy trek even with my low level of fitness comparing to other treks like mount kinabalu, mount rinjani. On a rainy day, the summit wasn;t that interesting as there was no sun rise but the scenery overlooking the lake was still a big wow !!!
(53) A must climb even if you can't summit. It has many life lessons to teach if you listen to nature and the elements around you.
(54) During our stay on Bali we visited Kintamani during a private tour for lunch. As we had no time to climb the mountain we enjoyed the wonderful landscape from a restaurant terrace with a view over the Gunung Batur (1717 m) being the second Holy Mountain of Bali, the Batur Lake and the Gunung Abang (2153 m). Unfortunately it was a hazy day but worthwhile the visit! The restaurants in Kintamani provide the amenities mentioned.
(55) Top of the day trip, a nice soak at Batur Lakes Hot Springs. Well worth the drive north from Ubud and down the mountain to the lake. Great views across the Lake from the hot springs and very relaxing. Travelers from across the world were there, and all happy to char about experiences and attractions. Well worth the time to take the drive. You won't be disappointed .
(56) The view was nice and the weather was cold when we visited the Kintamani area. The Mt Batur was nice, but not the resto that we visited. Most of the restaurants were ripped off as they sell the view of the mountain more than their foods.
(57) My name is George Hondris and my wife June recently went to this Luxurious Hotel to once again enjoy their hospitality and food.As we suspected we were not disappointed service & food was excellent. Unfortunately I picked up a stomach bug FROM MY PREVIOUS DESTINATION which precluded me from eating. Once the Managing Director ascertained about my ailment, he personally arranged for a pot of Ginger Tea to be delivered to my room. I tried the drink with treportatiion and was surprised to find that it was very pleasant. What a lovely guesture from a very very busy man.He made several attempts to communicate with me during the time of our stay unfortunately i was out of action.
(58) I joined an organised trip as part of a mixed group of 6 people who were a nice bunch from different parts of the world. I negotiated a price with one of the tour agents in Ubud for 350K IDR the day before. Pick up from the hotel was at around 2 a.m. We then stopped for a breakfast snack at 3 a.m. followed by a further 10 minute drive before starting the hike. You need a reasonable level of fitness and good walking shoes / trainers. Only the locals will do it in flip flops! You’re given a torch as it’s dark, and your guide leads you up which takes about 2 hours to reach the outer crater at a height of 1717m at the top. You have to climb over loose rocks and the last stretch is volcanic gravel so it’s quite slippery.\nProvided the weather is good you’re rewarded with great sunrise views of nearby Gunung Abang and the lake which fills the crater. Batur last erupted in 2000, and you can still see some of the old lava flows too.\nTake a jumper for the top as you will start to cool down. Your guide will also provide you with another simple breakfast at the top before you tackle the descent, which probably takes about the same time as you get a bit of a “people jam”, as although it was November and low season, there was still a few hundred people doing the climb.\nAfter finishing a few in the group opted to pay an extra fee to see coffee plantations and visit a hot spring, but I opted for a drop back to the hotel in Ubud which was about 9.30 a.m for a well earned nap!\nOverall it was a great experience and I’d highly recommend.
(59) We did this climb (the one that started at 3.30am at the Guides office, you are at the lookout by 6.15am and then you walk the crater for another hour, back down by 10.30am).\n\nAs we had a car, we organised it ourselves at the Guide office between Kedisan and Toya Bungkah so we would not get ripped off by the local guys following us on their motorbikes (everywhere you go in the area). We paid 250,000rp each, but later found out that we could have got it cheaper at our hotel, oh well. Our guide actually earned every cent as I nearly fell 3 times and he caught me.\n\nThe last hour of the climb is straight up and I got a bit of vertigo and needed to stop to rest a few times (and I thought I was fit). Another guy followed us the whole way carrying bottles of soft drink, it almost made us feel guilty, like we had to buy one, but I don't drink soft drink and he didn't talk at all so, with guilt, we ignored him.\n\nOur guide was friendly and told us his life story how he loved and lost and will never marry as he will never find true love again. His girlfriend ran off with another man 1 week before they were going to marry. I found this a strange story for a Balinese as I believed all Balinese just had to marry and have children but interesting.\n\nI didn't bring a jacket with me and a light rain started at 5am, when we reached the top I was sooo cold, my guide lent me his jacket and just came back to me every 5 mins to get a cigarette from the pocket (he smoked the whole trip up, which was one of the reasons I had to stop a few times as I cannot exercise and breath in cigarette smoke.\n\nThe sunrise was disappointing as we had cloud cover so we moved on further up the mountain and sat on hot rocks to dry our clothes, then the fog rolled in and viability was zero so we had to go back down, even though we had paid to go around the top for another hour for breakfast (no money back though, and no breakfast), we had to wait for our guide as he had his breakfast, this was annoying as we wanted to just get moving.\n\nAll in all, I would never do this climb again but having reached the top I did feel an exhilaration and sense of achievement, especially surviving the chain smoking guide. I did want to climb more mountains, I think \Everest' blurted out of my mouth at some stage, must have been delirious.\n\nI was surprised to see dogs at the top, very skinny ones, I wished I had more than bananas on me. On the way down we came across 2 very large monkeys they enjoyed my bananas.\n\nThe last hour across the lava fields really hurt my legs as you are walking a slight downhill but your muscles have been used to going a steep uphill. It is very slippery on the way down and don't wear good shoes as they get blacked by the lava.\n\nMake sure you take a light jacket and sunblock, we didn't think of this and I got burnt in the morning walking back to the car, the sun was quite intense, which was so strange as it had been so cloudy at the top.\n\nAfterward I slept until our checkout at 12noon, and I really could have slept longer, I don't know how people do this climb and then do other activities.\n\nSuggested what to bring:\n\nHat\nSunblock\nLight jacket\nlight top long sleeve, that you can take off when it gets really hot in the morning\nwear a t-shirt\nLong lightweight pants\nsmall backpack for water and snacks\nYour guide will have torches"
(60) My wife and I woke up at 3:30 for a departure from our hotel Ayu Kintamani at 4:00. There are two parts: 1km of flat (or low slope) and 1km of steep. As written in the title, it was my first trek and I am not that athletic (I play golf, if you see what I mean :) Our guide \jack\" was very nice with us and hand held me in the difficult parts. We also made some stop and go. I did appreciate the dark sky full of stars (I have seen 4 star tows!)\nYou should also know that there are a lot of loose stones and you can slip easily due to the volcano sand. So take your time and climb step by step. But once you are at the top, you forget all the pain you felt when climbing. The weatther today was perfect, no cloud at all. I enjoyed the best sunrise ever. The two volcanos (Mt Agun and Mt Rinjani in Lombok), the Batur lake and the landscape completed this beautiful painting. We have taken breakfast with 2 boiled eggs cooked on the volcano steam...\nOne piece of advice: wear appropriate shoes as it is sometimes very slippy and some hot sweater as the top of Mt Batur is freezing cold."