On the way to Amed
After my first two days in Ubud, I drove my moto all the way to Amed. There was an easier and more straight route which I didn’t take because I wanted to check some places on the way. What’s to see from Ubud to Amed? Well, if you keep on reading I’m sure you will get some ideas 🙂
I had already proved myself I could drive from Kuta to Ubud as well as in Ubud’s surroundings and I wanted to take my driving skills to the next level. And why was I driving to Amed? Is there something nice to do there? Well, there are plenty of nice things to do in Amed. In my case, I was going to Amed as an excuse to go to Tulamben. And why was I going to Tulamben? Because after getting my Open Water certification in Australia, I felt like I also wanted to take my diving skills to the next level. I was going to Tulamben to get my Advanced Open Water certification 🙂
Mount Batur: the volcano of Kintamani
September the 24th, 2018. After waking up and having breakfast at Ojek’s homestay, I got ready for my third day in Indonesia. So far so good. I had drove my moto, checked some temples, tried some food and I was still alive. This time though I had ahead of me way more kilometres than in my previous two days. Regardless, I was filled with excitement and joy to keep on seeing the marvels Indonesia had waiting for me.
Even if in Indonesia they drive on the left side of the road, they still need fuel for their vehicles. After the last couple of days, my faithful moto was screaming for some to be able to keep taking me to places. I had seen some “different” gas stations in Australia. But it was the first time in my life that I stopped to fill my vehicle at such a place 😉
Once my moto felt satisfied, we started the drive to “Kintamani”, the village in the outskirts of “Mount Batur”. At least that was the idea lol. There were not big towns on the way but the roads were pretty well paved. As I was driving I saw plenty of palm trees, rice fields, vegetable gardens and mountains. I also saw different shops and little houses as I was passing through some small villages. Do you wanna get a glimpse from what my eyes were seeing? 😉
I decided to stop in one temple that looked pretty cool and then the “fun” started. During my time in Ubud I had already mentioned the importance of having your legs covered (with regular long pants or with a sarong) before entering the temple. I parked my moto, got my big backpack and the small one and started to walk towards the temple. A couple of minutes after wandering around, someone started screaming at me. I didn’t understand a thing about what they were saying but, when they started to point out at my clothes, I understood everything.
I apologized and kind of ran away from the temple. That situation had never happened to me in Ubud. Why? Because in every single temple I visited, as they were touristic ones, they offered sarongs. In this one though, far from any big town and in the middle of the road, there was no one offering sarongs. And that was my mistake. I forgot to cover my legs. Some people might think that’s stupid but that’s not my opinion. It was my mistake. If to enter their temples we need to cover our legs, I feel like we need to do it. I feel like we need to respect their cultures, unless they say you have to kill someone to enter a temple lol.
After the enriching experience at the temple I kept on driving for a while without any problems. I was enjoying the views and the feeling of freedom that just riding a moto can give you. I was passing small villages and, as I entered one of them, a man in the middle of the road asked me to stop. He told me there were some corrupt police officers on the road I was taking. He said they would recognise me as a tourist (it was true that so far I hadn’t seen any local riding a moto with a big backpack on his back and a small one on his chest) and they would try to blackmail me.
I hesitated for a while. It was just my third day in Indonesia so I really didn’t have a way to prove whether what he was telling me was true or not. I didn’t have any international license that allowed me to drive in Indonesia (nobody asked me for one when renting the moto and I didn’t meet anybody who had a license). I got one when I went to Australia but it was valid just for Australia and, furthermore, it was already expired.
Thinking about it, it looked weird to me that there was this man in the middle of the road just “helping out” tourists. When I asked him what I could do, he told me I could go to his restaurant and wait there drinking some tea. That’s when I realised he was lying to me. I trusted my guts, thanked him for the advise but told him I wanted to keep following my way, regardless of what would happen.
In the end, trusting my guts was the right thing to do. As I approached to a viewpoint where you could start to see Mount Batur and the lake it gives name to (Lake Batur), I saw a police officer. I thought about the words the guy had just told me but I remained calm. I passed him and, after ten meters or so, stopped at the viewpoint, parked my moto and went to take some pictures. He didn’t approach me or told me a word and so I was able to enjoy this amazing view without any issues. My advice on these situations: trust your guts, it will work out most of the times. When it doesn’t work out… I’m sure you’ll get a nice lesson out of it lol 🙂
After this point the road started to get very steep, both upwards and downwards. It was still feasible, but you needed to be careful and control your speed. The landscape was becoming more amazing after each kilometer and so what mother nature was offering. I remember stopping now and then awing to the views. At one point, I stopped to take this picture:
I wasn’t sure what it was until I asked some locals. It was a jackfruit tree. For those of you who don’t know this fruit, it has a very peculiar form and taste, and so another very (un)famous fruit: the durian. They look pretty alike although the durian shows a sharper and spikier surface. The reason why the durian is so “infamous” is because of its smell, which I can’t really describe, you need to smell it (and try it if you dare yourself) :). For further info: https://www.yearofthedurian.com/2013/01/jackfruit-is-not-durian.html
After learning about the new fruit, I kept on driving to my destination: Kintamani. That’s the name of the village in the outskirts of Mount Batur and that’s where I set Google Maps to take me to. The roads were becoming narrower, the temperature was increasing and the air was getting ticker. I was getting closer and closer to the lake and the volcano, but I couldn’t see the village. After turning left in one corner, the pavement of the road started to change. Instead of seeing regular asphalt I started to distinguish rocks and soil. I kind of knew what’s coming next when the colour of the soil and rocks changed from brown to black. Instead of arriving to Kintamani I had arrived to the skirts of Mount Batur 🙂
It was really hot. I parked my moto and walked around for a bit while praying for the volcano not to erupt. It was nice. It was my first time seeing a volcano. The feeling was pretty cool, even if I didn’t make it to the caldera, where you can really feel like “you are in a volcano”. But it was extremely hot and I was getting burnt and so I decided to get going. I couldn’t find the right road to Kintamani so, after wandering for a while, I made it to some sort of abandoned bar where I was able to get some shade and rest for a bit. The place was pretty well placed. I could see the huge lake with its vegetable gardens and the unmistakable shape of Mount Batur in front of me.
Once I felt I was able to drive again, I started up my faithful moto and got ready to retake many of the steep roads I had taken to make it to Mount Batur. This time though I had to take them upwards. It wasn’t easy, specially for someone inexperienced like me. Luckily enough though, I made it back to the summit safe and sound and, from there, I started to drive to my next destination: Besakih Temple.
Pura Besakih: the biggest Hindu temple in Bali
As soon as I started to hit the road again I got filled with peace and happiness. The landscape was changing but its beauty remained. The roads, taking into account that they were not joining big towns, were really good. Sometimes we tend to think we have the best infrastructures in the Western World, but I can tell you most of the roads in Bali were as good or even better than some I’ve seen in Spain. As I was driving I saw a row of kids driving their motorbikes. It looked like they had just finished their lessons for the day and they were going home. I thought it was fun to see them turning left or right, disappearing in the vast foliage while following the path to their houses. It was also fun to see them racing against me. Most of them passed me easily lol.
I eventually made it to the entrance of Pura Besakih, also known as the Mother Temple in Bali. Some officers told me I had to park my moto at some of the parking spots next to the temple and, from there, I could walk back and buy my ticket. I did as I was told and, after paying 60 K (including the borrowing of the sarong), I accessed the temple.
One of the reasons why I had decided to visit that temple was because of its size. It might be that after all size does matters… just kidding. Apparently, it was the biggest temple in Bali and I felt like I wanted to check it out myself. It also seems to be one of the most importants and holiest temples in Bali, which made my interest grow. Like in Pura Tirta Empul, back in Ubud, I decided to hire the services of a guide. This is not mandatory, even if some guys (trying to scam you) say the opposite. I hired his services because I wanted to get to know as much as possible about the temple. The guide was very kind but, unfortunately, his English was not very good. Nonetheless, after an hour with him, I was able to grasp a few stuff.
When I said apparently the temple was the biggest one in Bali, it really seemed to be the case. The temple, or the complex, has an extension of 12 square km. It is divided in 6 levels and it is formed by 23 separated but related temples. Among some of the most important ones, there are 3 dedicated to the Hindu trinity: Brahma (the creator), Vishnu (the preserver) and Shiva (the destroyer). There are also 4 temples dedicated to the cardinal points.
The first thing you notice as you walk in is an impressive mountain in the background. When you look closer you realize is not a mountain, but (an active) volcano. And it is not just a volcano, but the highest in Bali: Mount Agung. The temple is placed 1000 meters above the level of the sea. From this height you can even see the sea that surrounds the island of Bali! These “subtle” details make the whole landscape truly unique and mystical.
I happened to arrive to the temple when a ceremony was taking place. This time, they were praising the Full Moon, or, Purnama, as it is known Bahasa (the official language in Indonesia). The full moon is the perfect time for growing their crops, specially fruit. According to the belief, Chandra, the lunar God, is offering his light as a way to remind them of their own light inside. The full moon is seen as a symbol of completeness, infinite and perfect. As the sacred manta “Om” suggests, from the completeness comes the completeness. So, by making offerings on this day, more of this completeness is invoked in everyone’s life, including good harvest and abundance.
Three days before the actual Purnama, they start to get everything ready. They tend to be very meticulous with details, specially on this day. The day of the Purnama, locals go to the temple with offerings consisting of fruits, food and flowers. Women carry the offerings on their heads, something that I see as really admirable and difficult to do! They dress for the occasion mostly in white colour. White sarong and shirt for men and white sarong, corset and jacket for women. They also dress their Gods in yellow robes. The ceremony lasts from morning to midnight and, during this time, they do offerings to their Gods and perform rituals, including holy water, incese, flowers and prayers.
After the offering has been made, the priest gives each one his blessing and applies holy water and a few Bija (wet rice grains) to their foreheads. That is supposed to strengthen their connections with their Gods, as the rice grains are seen as the seed of life. I remember having seen people with grains of rice on their foreheads ever since I arrived in Bali (remember I just said they start to get ready three days before the full moon) and wondered why they were doing that lol.
The temple started to be build on the 8th century, as a monk, in his revelations, was instructed to build homes for the people. It changed and grow little by little until it reached what we can see nowadays. That being said, it had to be partially rebuilt twice. The first time in 1917, due to earthquakes. The second time in 1963, due to Mount Agung’s eruptions. It is believed that the lava didn’t destroy the whole temple because it was a way for the Gods to prove their power, without destroying the whole complex but just some parts.
Just a last note on the temple: the black towers that you can see in the pictures are called “Merus”. These towers are wooden-looking pagodas with the roof made of palm tree’s leaves. They are dedicated to Hindu Gods, local deities or high geographical features (such as Mount Agung). The number of roofs is always odd, being 11 the highest and 3 the lowest. The higher the number the more important the deity to whom the Meru is erected.
I spent a little over an hour with my tour guide. We walked quite a lot and we saw plenty of shrines, people doing their offerings and astonishing views. The atmosphere was full of peace and joy and I really enjoyed my time there. If you come to Bali, don’t hesitate and go see Pura Besakih, you won’t regret it 😉
After saying goodbye to my guide I lay down on the grass and rested for a bit. It was cloudy but super hot and I felt kind of tired. I wandered around and found a kind old lady who was the owner of a restaurant and I decided to eat there. I got Mie Goreng and a big bottle of water and I paid 44 K. Not bad huh? I spoke a bit with the lady and after finishing my food I started to walk to get my moto and drove to my next destination: Tirta Gangga.
Tirta Gangga: the royal water garden
It was the afternoon of Monday the 24th, 2018, when I made it to Tirta Gangga. I paid 30 K for the entrance and, unlike in the previous places, like this one was not considered a proper temple, I didn’t need to cover my legs :). The royal water garden was built in 1946 by the king of Karangasem, Anak Agung Anglurah Ketut Karangasem.
Unfortunately, like Pura Besakih, it was also hit by the erosion of Mount Agung in 1963, which triggered several restorations. So far, I had seen two water temples during my time in Ubud. Gunung Kawi Sebatu was very nice but, compared to this one… let’s just say they are at a different level. Saving the distances, this place reminded me a little bit to some areas of the Alhambra.
Even if it was Monday, it was super crowded. The first thing I should have seen when I entered was rows of guardian figures “floating” on the water. I did see that, but mixed with plenty of “human being figures” lol. There were also polygonal stepping stones that allowed you to go on a tour around the pond. The stones reminded me a lot to the ones you can see in Crash Bandicoot.
In fact, at a certain point, I felt myself like the super famous PS character. I wanted to get a picture of myself on one of the stones, just like a guardian. Unfortunately, because it was too crowded, I couldn’t start with the first stone. I saw one next to the edge where I was staying but it was too far to just take a step and lay on it.
I waited for a bit but the situation didn’t change: the people remained taking pictures and I couldn’t start with the first stone. And so I tried to change the situation myself… I ran, jumped and… made it to the stone next to the edge. But due to the speed I got from the jump and due to the small size of the stone… let’s just say I had to jump to several stones in a pretty peculiar way to try not to fall in the water lol.
The ponds were full of golden carps. Their colour, shapes and sizes, mixed with the crystal-color water (the water is flowing free from springs), gave the view an unique touch. I was already in love with the first pond but there was more to come. I kept on walking (and awing at the same time) and then I saw a wonderful eleven-tiered fountain. The water was majestically dropping from its lotus-shaped tip, creating a calm and peaceful ambience.
There were more ponds and even a swimming pool where you could go for a bath. I didn’t do it this time but I guess the water was pretty cool and refreshing. There were plenty of statues depicting guardians/warriors. There were white bridges with dragon figures on their tops joining different ponds. I even saw some boats!
I made it to the end of the garden, where there was some short of shrine. There were some statues that looked half monster half guardian in front of it. I sat down and started to think about how lucky I was to be there. The whole complex was truly amazing. The water, the fishes, the figures, the lush tropical gardens, the feeling of peace… It all seemed like from another age, it all seemed unreal.
Unlike Pura Besakih, this place is not as big. Nonetheless, you might feel like staying forever :). Because my trip had just started and I still had 27 more days to see what Indonesia had waiting for me, I decided to get going. The sun would start to set kind of soon and I wanted to arrive in Amed before it was too dark. I caught a last glimpse from the beautiful pond and, after getting my moto, I got ready to drive to my next destination: Amed. Even if it took me sometime I was happy I decided not to follow the shortest path from Ubud to Amed. And, to the question “what’s to see from Ubud to Amed?”, I hope you got some ideas by now 🙂
