Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/614946
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 13 DECEMBER 2015 41 This Week Mr Victor Mangion (2nd right) and Mr Ronald Formosa (2nd left) were the first winners of the Air Malta - MaltaToday monthly competition. Each won a complimentary return flight ticket to any Air Malta destination of their choice. They were presented with the voucher by Stephen Gauci, Air Malta's Head of Corporate Communications and Adriana Farrugia, MediaToday's Head of Sales. Photo by Jason Muscat, CaptureMe Photography Into the mouth of the volcano of Mount Batur in Bali WE all know Mount Etna, our dangerous neighbour to the north. Active as it may be and charming in its own way, it is not exactly something we would call exotic. If you would like to explore a range of volcanoes, all unique to one another and some deadlier than others, then you must take your- self half way around the world to the Indonesian islands. One volcano that I would describe as exotic, spiritual and unique from most of its neighbours is the ac- tive Mount Batur, located close to the infamous Mount Agung, in northeast Bali. In my opinion it is one of the most spectacular ones simply be- cause it is a volcano that is situ- ated in a massive caldera that also harbours a massive lake. A lake in which one may bathe in, go to the thermal springs found on the banks of this lake and enjoy the many vistas available. It's a pretty straightforward place to get to and if you are not going to get there with your own transportation, there are many tours that leave from Ubud, Lovi- na and Kuta. If you do have your own transportation, just head onto the Jalan raya kintamani, Jalan raya tegal suci or the Jalan raya sekardadi, which all lead di- rectly to the Kintamani area of lake Batur. Other options would be with day drivers that will take you there and to other spots. The best option though would be to liter- ally sleep either up on the caldera rim or down next to the lake. I would push you towards the lake option, the views are simply stun- ning and a jump into the lake just after waking up is one of the most refreshing things one can do. Apart from the major attractions such as the Mount Batur trek and the Pura Ulun Danu Batur tem- ple, there is also the temple down on the lake and the second oldest settlement in Bali, which can only be reached by boat, to visit. On top of these you can relax and check out the hot springs by the banks of the lake and there are countless other chill out are- as that you can walk around and explore, then relax at. All these activities can be seen within two days, three days comfortably if you want to really take it all in. The Mount Batur trek itself is the major attraction in the area, more than Agung simply be- cause it is a more variable trek- king level than Agung. You start from down next to the lake or on another path that passes a very old temple ruin. It would take between 1 and 2.5 hours to as- cend up to the sunrise spot, de- pending on your level of fitness. The sunrise spot itself has some stunning vistas of the lake and the other side of the caldera, overshadowed by Agung behind it. In the distance, you can see the ocean and the infamous Mount Rinjani, found on the island of Lombok. Skip back a few editions of Vida to view the information on Lombok. On the other side of the sunrise spot is the volcano crater, which offers more stun- ning views and depending on the volcanic activity, a steamy and eerie effect. You will then have the options to proceed up and around the crater itself, head to the caldera lookout or simply head back down. If you venture on, you will come across a couple of hive-like spaces, cut into the rock, that emit a high volume of hot steam. Here the guides cook breakfast every morning for their guests. If you get a chance to turn your eyes away from the stunning sunrise, try and get a view of this in action. The village across the lake, called Trunyan, is Bali's second oldest settlement. It is nowa- days famous for its cemetery and the way the village laid the dead to rest. A method only found in about three or four other places in Bali. They cover their dead in a special balm that keeps the stench of a rotting body away and they then lay them to rest under a spe- cial and holy tree found only in this village and the other villages that use this same tradition. The body will then decompose natu- rally into the roots of this tree, ex- posed to the elements. Definitely a must see for those who are into learning about cultures and old traditions. Mount Batur and the lake inside it is a place that one must visit and preferably stay one or two nights. How to get there Emirates offer regular flights be- tween Malta and Denpasar, Bali with a stopover in Dubai. Flights departing from Malta on 1 Octo- ber and returning on 15 October were priced at €1,223 including tax at the time of going to print. maltatoday