Lake Batur: The Caldera Lake Below a Mount Batur Jeep Tour

A Lake Inside Two Calderas

Mount Batur sits in a double caldera, with the second formed inside the first. The calderas are believed to have formed after two major eruptions about 29,300 and 20,150 years ago. The lake fills the inner one, and Mount Batur stands about 1,717 metres above sea level.

In Toya Bungkah, a village on the shore, several hot springs tied to the volcano flow into the lake. A 2011 study found Nile tilapia, called ikan mujair locally, was the dominant fish.

Getting There

A tour with hotel pickup does the drive for you. Shared Sunrise Jeep from Ubud picks up in the Ubud area, and Private 4WD Sunrise Jeep and Transfer includes a private round trip transfer from your hotel. The Batur Volcano Museum south of the mountain is about 60 km from Denpasar. It is open daily 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM and admission is free.

What You Get and What Can Spoil It

A sunrise viewpoint looks over Mount Batur and Lake Batur, then the jeep crosses the black lava fields of the 1963 eruption. On the hot spring options you soak with the lake in view. Private Sunrise Jeep with Lake View lists a hot spring overlooking Lake Batur and Mount Abang, on its hot spring option only.

Cloud and rain decide the view. Local trekking sites say cloud cover is more frequent from November to March, so sunrise views can be muted or hidden. Rain averages 32 mm in August and 469 mm in January (ERA5). The tours here carry free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

How Big Lake Batur Is

Lake Batur is about 7.5 km long and 2.5 km wide. The Batur caldera is a UNESCO Global Geopark, certified in 2012, so the lake belongs to a protected landscape. Mount Batur has about 30 recorded eruptions between 1804 and 2000, the last in 2000, and Bangli tourism still classes it as active.

Four Tours Compared

This table compares four jeep tours by what they show of Lake Batur and how their hot spring works. Prices are per person and the lowest option, and all details come from the tour listings.

What to Expect at the Viewpoint

The sunrise point can be crowded, with many jeeps parked side by side, according to the notes on Shared Sunrise Jeep from Ubud. That listing says its Kintamani ticket comes only with transfer. One guest on Private Sunrise Jeep with Lake View expected the summit and got a viewpoint, so read the listing for what the jeep reaches.

The jeep part starts around 4:30 AM on the shared and lake view tours.

Hot Springs on the Shore

Batur Natural Hot Spring charges international visitors IDR 200,000 per adult and IDR 100,000 per child for its regular package. Every ticket includes all pools, a locker and towel service, and the water stays at 38 to 40°C. Toya Devasya has 8 natural pools and 1 Olympic-sized pool. On the jeep tours the spring is a dearer option, so check what your option adds.

Boats, Trunyan and Fish

Local boats run from the lake villages. To reach Trunyan village on the eastern side you hire a boat from Kedisan. Agree the price at the shore before you board.

A freshwater fish meal in a Kedisan warung is the usual lakeside lunch.

The Temples of Batur

Pura Ulun Danu Batur sits on the rim of Mount Batur's outer caldera and was rebuilt after eruptions nearly wiped it out. Bangli tourism records the largest eruption in 1926, which destroyed the temple and Batur village. Pura Segara Ulun Danu Batur stands on volcanic stones beside the lakeshore Pura Jati.

Batur Natural Hot Spring lies in the outer courtyard of Pura Tirta Mas Bungkah, a temple protected by village custom, so dress and behave as you would at any temple.

Three Ways Up

With no hiking, Shared Sunrise Jeep and Hot Spring Option drives to a viewpoint over the lake. With a short walk, Jeep Halfway and Walk to the Summit is $37.97 per person, drives to the halfway point and walks up to 45 minutes to the summit with a head flashlight. It takes ages 4 to 65, and the group is up to 15 people. Private Jeep Adventure with Black Lava has a Jeep + Lava + Hike option, jeep to about 1,400 m then a 45 minute walk, from $21 per person.

The full trek is longer. Batur Natural Hot Spring's own itinerary starts at 4:00 AM, reaches the summit for sunrise at 6:15 AM and descends at 8:30 AM. The UK government names altitude sickness as a risk in parts of Indonesia. The tour listings do not recommend the walk for spinal injuries, poor cardiovascular health or pregnancy.

Driest and Wettest Months

This table picks the driest and wettest months from the ERA5 averages for the lava fields, with the NOAA sunrise time on the 15th of each month. Rain is in millimetres and the 6 AM figure is the air temperature.