Mount Batur Sunrise Hike

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Route: Jalur Daki Batur, Pura Pasar Agung, Sunrise Point, Mount Batur

Date: 06/08/2025
From:

Parking: N/A
Start Point: 
Finish Point: Mount Batur
Region: Batur UNESCO Global Geopark 

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Descent: 

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Mount Batur, located in northern Bali, Indonesia, is an active volcano and a popular destination for travellers and hikers. Mount Batur is part of a larger volcanic complex and sits within a massive caldera—a large, cauldron-like depression formed by two successive, colossal eruptions that occurred approximately 25,000 years ago. This “double caldera” landscape is recognised by UNESCO as a Global Geopark due to its unique geological features, including the central active cone, Lake Batur, and extensive lava flows.

Mount Batur is known for its sunrise hikes, popular with tourists visiting Bali and I, drawn like a moth to a flame, would be no different. The trek typically starts in the very early hours of the morning (around 2-4 AM) to reach the summit in time to witness the sunrise. For me, that meant a 01:30 departure from our hotel in Nusa Dua.

After a long, slightly hair-raising drive across the island, I was deposited in a small café to be fed a stack of pancakes and some incredibly strong coffee to prepare for the hike up Mount Batur. Being on my own, I was tagged on to another group before making another short drive to the starting point for the hike — a nondescript parking area below the volcano. Be sure to have a stack of cash handy, as any convenience will require a fee to be paid - around 10,000 Rupiah (approximately $1 AUD).

Our guide met us at the car park to prepare us for the hike. Technically you don't need one but you might have a hard time convincing the locals of this fact. My whole experience included the hotel pickup, drive across the island, breakfast, the guide, and the full return trip to Nusa Dua — not too shabby.

Setting off in the dark, the route from the car park climbs steadily along a paved road for a couple of kilometres — you'll likely see this later in the day once the sun has risen.

As the path steepens, you'll reach Pura Pasar Agung, a temple on the slopes of the volcano. Truth be told, you'll probably miss it in the dark. There's also a toilet here — the last one before you reach the summit. Be prepared to pay a small fee to use it.

A string of hikers ahead of us

After the temple, the track becomes much rougher and steeper as it climbs the caldera. Depending on what time you began your hike, it's probably this point where you'll start to get the first glow of the dawn.

Dawn reveals Lake Batur and Mount Abang

Mount Batur rises ahead

The path reaches Sunrise Point — not quite at the summit but close. Another 100m or so of climbing gets you to the crater rim of Mount Batur. Here, you'll likely be told to find a place to hang out while you are served another strong coffee and another modest breakfast. All while enjoying a spectacular sunrise over Lake Batur.

Mount Batur

Dawn

Lake Batur and Mount Abang

The view from Mount Batur is dominated by the shimmering Lake Batur and the elegant silhouette of Mount Abang, Bali’s third-highest peak. Surrounding it all is the dramatic rim of the Mount Batur caldera. Towering behind Mount Abang is Mount Agung, Bali’s highest point at 3,031 metres—another of Bali's active volcanoes. And if the skies are clear, you might even spot Mount Rinjani across the sea on Lombok, Indonesia’s second-highest peak after Puncak Jaya.

Mount Rinjani on the island of Lombok

The sun peeks over the low clouds

You’ll spend around an hour at the summit, soaking in the sunrise as the landscape slowly comes to life. Keep an eye out for the cheeky monkeys—they’re quick to snatch anything that catches their attention, so hang onto your snacks and loose items. Below is a selection of photos captured during the sunrise.

Long-tailed macaques hang around near the summit - for obvious reasons

The small settlement beneath Mount Abang

Lake Batur and Lombok

Mount Abang

The old lava flow inside the Mount Batur caldera

The Mount Batur viewpoint has a commanding location on the caldera rim

Clouds spill over the rim of the main caldera

Mount Abang and the much larger Mount Agung

A lower viewpoint below the summit

Sunrise in full flow

Once the sun was fully up and the crowds had begun to thin, we made a quick detour to the summit. Marked by a modest shrine, the peak offers a spectacular view straight into the heart of the volcano’s crater—a dramatic and awe-inspiring sight that’s well worth the extra effort.

The summit of Mount Batur

A small shrine sits atop Mount Batur

There are dramatic views into the volcano crater

As the saying goes, what goes up must come down. One of the trade-offs of joining an organised tour is that everyone tends to descend at the same time, creating a long procession of hikers making their way down from the summit. The dusty trail can be steep and slippery in sections, so watch your footing—and be prepared to step aside for the occasional motorcycle weaving its way down — such is the way of Bali.

Joining the chain of people leaving the summit

Plenty of people live within the main caldera

The dusty trail winds its way back down, zigzagging toward the road beneath the temple and eventually reconnecting with the path we climbed earlier that morning. Along the descent, you’re treated to more sweeping views of the lake and caldera, a final reward before reaching the patchwork of farmland that spreads out below the volcano.

Mount Abang

The walls of the main caldera

On our way back to the parking area, we wandered past a series of vibrant, green rice paddies—an iconic sight in Bali. Rice farming is deeply rooted in Balinese culture, religion, and environmental stewardship. Where possible, farmers still use the ancient Subak system, a cooperative irrigation method that channels water through an intricate network of canals and tunnels to ensure fair distribution across communities. If you're interested in seeing this in action, the rice terraces at Jatiluwih offer the most impressive and authentic example of the Subak system—you won’t want to miss them if you're exploring Bali.

Rice fields below the volcano

More rice fields

The entry gates

Eventually, we made it back to the car park, where our driver was waiting to whisk us back to civilisation — Nusa Dua in my case. The views from Mount Batur’s summit make the early wake-up more than worth it, however, I'd want to be staying somewhere closer like Ubud to make that early start a little more tolerable. That said, if hiking and scenic views are your idea of a good time, then watching the sunrise from an active volcano should forget about early beginnings.

Mount Batur