60 KILOMETRES ON FOOT: from UBUD to North BALI
The idea to do walking trips across Bali popped into my head one day, quite unexpectedly.
The Balinese people seem to ride their motorbikes everywhere, even to the small shop some 50 metres (or less) away. They simply will not walk anywhere, especially the younger generations. Sometimes you see an old grandma or grandpa wandering down the village road, barefoot, but this has become quite rare. Gone are the days of walking or taking a bicycle to get from one place to another. It’s all about getting places faster.
I had heard of people going on walking holidays before and I always thought it was a strange, yet intriguing idea. Wouldn’t you only be able to explore such a small section of a country? Wouldn’t you see so much more if traveling by bicycle, motorbike or car? We had done several years of van life and loved every minute of it. The wind blowing through open windows, music playing, scenes flying by… But to walk? Probably not. Until now…
Our first walk across Bali starts from our home in the North of Ubud and finishes in Tejakula, on the Northern Coast of the island. The whole trip is approximately 60 kms and leads through the Kintamani region that is dominated by two volcanoes, Mt. Agung and Mt. Batur. We wanted to avoid main roads wherever possible and so decided to pass through the lava fields at the bottom of the Batur Caldera instead of following the high road. This meant descending the Western Caldera wall into the beautiful black lava fields before ascending the Northern wall near Sukawana and finally crossing into the North of Bali.
The idea was to take as little as possible with us and stay at local guest houses along the way. Having our two dogs with us, this added another small challenge as not all guest houses are accepting of dogs.
Day 1 leads us from our home in Ubud through the rice fields of Tegallallang, along the many stone masons of Taro and into the lush Jungle of Payangan. We eat the most delicious Nasi Campur and feast our eyes on all the greenery around us. On this first night we stay at an exquisite little guest house called Heaven in Bali, which was exactly that - a little slice of heaven overlooking Batu Karang, Bali’s second highest mountain and the surrounding mountain range. That first evening, we sit in silence as we watch the sun slowly setting, resting our feet and contemplating the fact that we just walked 22kms. The air is cool and a pack of monkeys screams in the distant Jungle. We have arrived in the real Bali.
Day 2 starts off with a faint hint of an approaching migraine and the associated nausea. A couple of Panadol and another hour of sleep finds me feeling well enough to continue the journey, and so after a hearty breakfast we set off towards the Kintamani region, another 20 odd kilometres further North. As we climb in altitude, the Jungle gives way to orange and chili plantations and the views open up. Small villages are dotted along narrow roads, dogs lazily slumbering in front of traditional family compounds. The pace of life is noticably slower here.
After a quick coffee stop at one of the many cafes on the ridge of the Caldera, we descend towards the lava fields of Mt. Batur. The moonscape-like beauty of this place is awe inspiring and as the sun sets, a deep sense of peace and accomplishment sets in. It truly is quite something special to walk through terrain as diverse as Bali’s. The last rays of sun hit the peak of Mt. Batur as we finally reach our guest house for the night. We enjoy a simple local dinner of Nasi Campur (mixed rice) and watch the stars appear in the night sky. With minimal light pollution in this area, the show is spectacular.
Day 3 sees us getting up before sunrise, as today will be the longest day on this walk, just under 25km. We enjoy a sickly sweet premixed coffee and a local chocolate bar from the small shop next door before setting off towards the Northern Caldera wall. The vibe is different down here, in the pit of the island. Dusty trucks rumble past us, filled with rocks and sand. Gumboots sit in front of dilapidated wooden shacks. Dogs with matted fur bark as we walk along the dusty road.
In the distance, Mt. Batur is lit up by the most magic morning light, a patch of vivid Marigolds is sparkling in the sun. This truly is an island of contrasts.
We ascend the Northern Caldera wall and pass through a pine forest that could be somewhere in Europe. Eventually we reach the ridge line after a steep climb, and the view opens up to the Northern coastline. Our final destination is finally within reach. We leave the volcanoes behind and slowly begin the steep, hot descend down to the Coast.
Unfortunately, there aren’t any Warungs in this area and our water supply is diminishing fast. Not having had breakfast, we are hungry and thirsty, with no shops or food stalls in sight. Forced to continue the journey down the steep mountain, now in flip flops and resting our weight on make shift wooden hiking poles from the shrubbery, we finally reach a small toko that sells Tahu Isi (deep fried pieces of filled tofu), chocolate bars and drinks which comes as a welcome rescue from an otherwise dire situation.
After another few hours of clambering down the mountain, we finally hit the main coastal road that connects Bali’s Northern villages. Exhausted and hot we find a place to eat, rest up and then make our way into Tejakula.
If this first walking trip has taught us anything, it is how amazingly resilient our two dogs are. They walked the entire 60+ kilometres with us on minimal food and water, all the while keeping their tails up and noses in the breeze.
Until the next adventure on foot!
Anna, Sean, Empat & Bulan
ACCOMODATION & ROUTE
Day 1:Ubud - Payangan (22.3 km)
Heaven in Bali
Day 2: Payangan - Mt. Batur 21.2 km
Latengaya Mount Batur Bungalow
Day 3: Mt. Batur - Tejakula 22.1 km
The Amrita Salt Farm Villas
