Bali Tour Guide

We arrived at trekking starting point at the bottom of Mount Batur around 4PM. I settled the payment of the local guide IDR 200,000. We have to use the local trekking guide since few years ago. I cannot take my client just by my self anymore but must use one guide from Batur trekking guide association. That day our guide was a young man with OK English.

We walked in the dark with our flashlight for about 30 minutes. After that the hike start to go up hill. Despite from the rainy season, the sky was clear and stars were visible. Nice even though the moon is hiding somewhere behind the little cloud. We stop now and then to gain back our breath. Our guide was a bit ‘ bosy’ that day. He decided when to stop and when to continue. When we were on the halfway of the mountain slope, I look down and see line of flashlight brought by other hikers, look like moving lining light. A soft drink seller kept following behind us. He talked more then the guide, but he failed to make the sale to my client. Having a coke early morning is not the best choice. He finally left us once we get nearly to the sunrise point.

We arrived at a point; they called as ‘sunrise point’, around a quarter to 6am. A good time to wait for sunrise. The sunrise was fine. The sun was behind the cloud but the color reflects from it was nice. I prepare our simple breakfast with the help of Mr.Dipayana. I call him as Mr. Tea. He has a small hut at this point where he boils water to make tea as well as boiling egg and banana for breakfast. It costs me IDR 10,000 for a glass of tea and boiling service. Mr. Tea has been doing this for almost 10 years. Everyday (except when he get sick or need to do ceremony) he hikes up the point earlier then other hiker. In average he get IDR 100,000 to 150,000 per day. Good enough money to support the school of his two children. After breakfast, we take a look at the oldest crater of Mount Batur. We saw the cave, water dripping point as well as some small holes where thin smoke coming out of it. The monkeys around the hut are getting naughty now.

My client refused my challenge to go further up to the higher point of the calderas. We then stat walking back down. We also skip other two smaller calderas that permitted to visit. There are four calderas at this mountain. Three of them can be visited and the last one is not allowed to visit by tourist. It is the most active one and consider dangerous to visit. Few accidents have been happen there so the mountain authority closed it for tourist.

We reached back to our car around 9AM. On the way home, we made a nice stop at a small temple by the lake. Just sit there silently by the side of the calm water of the lake with Mount Abang across. We also made another stop when we saw a lady cutting the grass for her cow. Her red outfit and shy smile with Mount Batur at the background make the picture become my picture of the day. Seeing the heavy load of grass in her basket, I offered her a ride back home but she refused it. I thank her by giving a pack of bread from our spare breakfast.

Click Here to see picture of this day.