Mount Batur Kintamani is also an active volcano. This is the second volcano on the island of the gods, Bali, after Mount Agung. For Kintamani itself, this mountain is the symbol or prima donna of this sub-district, which is located in Bangli Regency, Bali. Every day, from early morning until late afternoon, hundreds to thousands of tourists come and visit Kintamani to witness the beautiful natural scenery.
Generally, tourists stop at several restaurants and cafes that stand along the caldera of this mountain. You can determine your own starting time for breakfast or lunch. Starting at the beginning of 2020, there were many very famous cafe shops in Kintamani. You must visit one of these cafes if you pass through Kintamani. The cafes that we recommend include Paper Hill, Montana, and Tegu Kopi. From all these cafes, you can see beautiful natural views. You can see views of Mount Batur, Mount Abang, Mount Agung, and Lake Batur from these three popular spots.
Apart from the cafes mentioned above, there are still many other activities that you can do or visit while in the Kintamani area. For example, climbing Mount Batur, visiting Trunyan village and cemetery, and also the natural hot springs in Toya Bungkah village Kintamani offers so many choices. Of course, it would be a shame if you didn’t visit Kintamani during your holiday in Bali.
A brief description of Mount Batur
Mount Batur is one of the best spots to see the sunrise. This mountain is located to the northwest of Mount Agung (3142 meters above sea level). It is known that this mountain has a very large caldera measuring up to 13.8 kilometers by 10 kilometers. In 1949, Dutch tourist Mister Van Bemmelen also said that Mount Batur was one of the largest calderas in the world.
Mount Batur Kintamani has a high caldera embankment. The height ranges from 1267 meters above sea level to 2152 meters above sea level. So the peak of this caldera became known as Mount Abang. If you are looking for a climbing place that is a little more challenging than Mount Batur, then Mount Abang is the right choice.
Apart from that, in the main caldera of Mount Batur, a second caldera formed. This second caldera has a circular shape, and its diameter is up to seven kilometers long. Inside this second caldera, you can see a lake with a crescent shape. This lake occupies the southeastern part, with a length of approximately 7.5 km and a maximum width of around 2.5 km. This lake, better known as Lake Batur, has a circumference of around 22 kilometers and an area of around 16 square kilometers.
History and Origins of Mount Batur
According to research by geologists, two large eruptions at 29 thousand and 20 thousand years ago were so powerful that they formed two calderas on Mount Batur, namely the first and second calderas. This large eruption caused Mount Batur to have three volcanic cones in each crater. Then these cones were called Batur I, Batur II, and Batur III.
Mount Batur has erupted dozens of times. What was recorded by geologists stated that this mountain, with a height of 1717 meters above sea level, had erupted at least 26 times. The first recorded eruption occurred in 1804. Then the last eruption of Mount Batur occurred 21 years ago, precisely in 2000.
History records that the eruption that occurred on August 2 and September 21, 1926, was the largest eruption of this mountain. It was also stated that at the time of this eruption, the entire ancient Batur village was covered by the eruption of black lava. If you visit one of the cafes or restaurants in Kintamani, you will be able to see the vast expanse of lava. The hot lava from the bowels of Mount Batur has now frozen into the black lava rock.
Then, residents used this lava stone as a foundation for building houses and other buildings. Not only on the island of Bali, materials originating from the eruption of Mount Batur, both lava stone and sand, are also sent to various other islands in Indonesia, such as Lombok, Java, and Kalimantan, at quite fantastic prices.
Legends and Mystery Stories on Mount Batur, Kintamani, Bali
Each region certainly has its legends, which are still believed and attached to the people today. Likewise with Mount Batur, the legend of Mount Batur is very closely related to a legend, namely Kebo Iwa. According to legend, Kebo Iwa was a giant who loved to ask residents for food at that time. If the residents don’t give him food, then Kebo Iwa will get angry and even destroy people’s houses if his wishes are not fulfilled.
Until finally, there was a long drought, which caused the population to run out of food supplies. In addition, the condition of the empty barns made the situation even worse. The residents can no longer afford to provide food to Kebo Iwa. Seeing this situation, the giant Kebo Iwa was furious. Then it was the people’s livestock that became the target of this giant’s dinner. Not only that, even Kebo Iwa did not hesitate to eat humans alive at that time.
Then the residents, with orders from the village head, tried to destroy Kebo Iwa. They asked Kebo Iwa to make a large well by digging the ground as deep as possible. In return, the residents promised large quantities of food. As a result, Kebo Iwa was interested and agreed to the agreement proposed by the residents there.
Kebo Iwa then dug a well and even made this giant invisible from above. Currently, residents use it by putting lime and water into the well. This caused Kebo Iwa to die in the well. So, the large well that was successfully dug is now Lake Batur. Meanwhile, the mound of earth from the excavation turned into a mountain, which is now known as Mount Batur.
Conclusion
This is a glimpse of the history, legends, and facts about Mount Batur that you need to know. If you are interested in visiting this mountain, you don’t need to worry. We provide various Mount Batur trekking prices that you can choose to complete your holiday on the island of Bali.
If you want to know more complete information about Mount Batur Kintamani and its climbing, don’t hesitate to contact us via:
WhatsApp: 081933165404
Telephone: +6287861984833
Email: info@baliventur.com