Shoestrappers

We spent just a couple days exploring (mostly driving through) Eastern Bali, despite it being one of the most popular tourist areas. Our driver (and sort of default tour guide as a result) was Pak Made, whom we had met previously. I talked to him for many hours as we wove through the jungle-covered hills. As in other parts of Indonesia the stunning glimpses of distant views peeking through the roadside foliage and buildings was as fulfilling as getting there.

We drove to the base of Mount Batur so that we could do a sunrise hike the following morning. The approach is really spectacular since the caldera is huge.

We stayed at Batu Pyramid guesthouse in the Mount Batur caldera, high on the slope that becomes the stratovolcanic peak itself. We stayed there because it was super cheap (~$25 inc breakfast and hot pool use!) and convenient to the hiking trail we wanted to take. It proved to be both of those and a nice (albeit simple) place to stay! The team of young women and men that run it were super friendly and helpful, and patiently answered all of our inevitably silly questions.

We started hiking at 4am, guided by Ibu Nyoman. Most hikes in this area start at 3am but the guesthouse is perfectly situated along the trail. It was pitch black in the woods when we started, so we wore headlamps for most of the hike. Not much to photograph until we got up higher and could see lights along the lake and the fog started to illuminate with the rising sun.

Ibu Nyoman was very sweet and patient, and didn’t blink at the steep volcanic trail. It’s a popular hike and doesn’t require special equipment, however it was quite steep so I wouldn’t recommend it for people who haven’t hiked much. Also note that many of the trails, including some sections of the one we took, are shared by motorcycles. We hadn’t read about this anywhere- locals drive up and down frequently and offer rides to tired hikers or those looking to skip hiking entirely. We had to get out of the way quickly, and hold our breath at times to avoid the exhaust.

The summit has a small crater itself and many people hike around its rim. We hiked a portion of it to access steam vents. Unfortunately while the sun rose, the fog didn’t burn off and it sprinkled a little. Still.. we were at the top of an active volcano!

We descended in the rapidly warming morning air to breakfast and a glorious soak in the geothermally heated pools.. ahhhhhh.

Much of the tourist activity in Eastern Bali radiates from Ubud, known for its Hindu temples & shrines, traditional crafts & dances, and natural landscapes. We drove through and went to two specific sites, the first of which was the Kanto Lampo waterfall. This is a beautiful place and cheap to get in ($2 apiece in 2026) so if you’re in the area check it out. However.. it is mostly human-made and teeming with social media posers so don’t expect natural vibes and tranquility unless you pick an unpopular time/date.

At the base of a series of stairs and steep paths it opens up to a deep gorge lined with lush vegetation. Unless you go at an off-time it is also filled with throngs of young people in bathing suits with their friends and/or photographers with cameras trying to get that perfect shot for a post. There are often dozens of people in line from a couple different directions. I started to crop out and use AI to remove the people in the foreground and it isn’t hard to do but.. nahh.. this is what it’ really looks like ‘s really like (with a few dozen more people just outside the frame!).

I have toyed with woodcarving since I was eight and knew that Bali was known for it so I asked Pak Made for any ideas. He took us to a woodcarving gallery in the southeastern Ubud area called Gallery Ida Bagus Marka. We were there at an off hour so it was empty except for a couple carvers outside and a couple clerks inside. The gallery is HUGE, and feels like a museum (where everything is for sale). In fact I see on the web site that they plan to have a museum at some point. The quality is stunning and the prices reasonable (at least for a western wallet). All hand carved locally.

Indonesia is especially well-known for intricate masks. Most were carved from teak and crocodile wood (the really smooth, almost ivory-colored wood). This gallery had hundreds of masks of all shapes, styles, and sizes.

I would be remise to leave out the beautiful naked women carvings since they are disproportionately displayed and.. proportionately carved. Indonesia definitely has a mix of religious conservatism and liberated erotica. Bali is the least Muslim and most erotic as you might expect, but similar carvings and other artwork are common in highly Muslim areas too (see Yogyakarta, Java post).

There’s even a collection of life-sized Komodo dragons! They’d be babies and maybe a teenager but I was absolutely amazed by the detail with which they carved every tiny scale of the skin. Too bad getting one of these back to the States was prohibitive.. and the price (appropriately) very high.

We barely scratched the surface of Eastern Bali and definitely would like to return and explore further. Ubud and the surrounding area deserve some real time so we would probably stay there for at least a few days. Even more exciting to us are the Eastern coastal mountains including Gunung Agung, the tallest in Bali at 3,031 m (9,944 ft) and the more accessible Mount Seraya at 1,166 m (3,825 ft). Of course, since so many turns reveal beautiful sights and welcoming people, any amount of time could be spent exploring!