Bali Hotels & Resorts

A vintage 1970s-style VW Jeep tour is one of the coolest ways to explore central Bali. Jump on board this classic icon and travel to your first stop: the 1000-year-old Batuan Temple, which is a village and ancestral temple that’s cared for by the residents of Batuan. Your driver will then continue through local villages to artsy Ubud – the cultural heart of Bali and a hub of traditional crafts and dance. Highlights here include impressive Puri Saren Agung Palace, the arts market and famous monkey forest, where playful brown macaques dart around the ancient trees and ornate statues. A scenic drive through rice fields and sleepy mountain villages then awaits to reach imposing Mount Batur. The view of the volcano, caldera and Lake Batur is breathtakingly beautiful, so make sure you’ve got your camera ready. Next up is a drive down into the crater to the lava fields, where you’ll have time to wander through the unique rock formations. Lunch-with-a-view will be served on the edge of the crater before your journey continues to the tranquil and lesser-visited temple of Pura Gunung Kawi Sebatu – a beautiful water temple built on a natural spring and surrounded by lotus ponds and thick forest. The final stop will be Tegallalang, where giant steps have been carved into the landscape to create lush rice terraces.

• Duration: full day
• Time: 7am to 4pm
• Departing daily from South Bali, Seminyak or Central Ubud hotels
• Operates year round
• Private experience

Good to know
We recommend bringing a light jacket or jumper and long trousers as it can get cool in the mountains. A sarong will be provided to allow you to cover up for temple visits.

Watching the sun rise from the top of Bali’s Mount Batur is an unforgettable experience. A very early start awaits as we’ll need to start the climb around 4am to make sure we reach the summit in time for sunrise. Mount Batur is a 1717-metre-high active volcano to the north west of Mount Agung. The climb will take around two hours and we’ll reach the top just as the sun rises for a magical and peaceful moment high above the island. Tuck into a well-earnt breakfast and enjoy time to soak up the panoramic views over the volcanic landscape and mountain peaks and acknowledge your achievement. You’ll then head back down to base camp, where a soothing soak in hot springs will be waiting for you. This sunrise trek would be a fantastic adventure to add on to a honeymoon or beach holiday.

• Departing Monday, Thursday and Friday from South Bali, Seminyak, Ubud, Uluwatu and Candidasa hotels • Operates year round
• Group experience

Good to know
There are a number of things we recommend bringing for this trip: warm clothes, hiking shoes, long trousers, swimwear, camera and sun block. Your professional tour guide will provide a head lamp, walking sticks, gloves, hiking bag, rain coat and a small water bottle to make the climb much easier. This climb is classified as a medium level of difficulty, so a good level of fitness is required (as a guide, it’s suitable for those that enjoy hill walking).

Bali’s colourful VW 181 Safari Jeeps are a classic sight around the island. They also provide a seriously cool way to explore. Jump on board for an adventure around western Bali to see some of the island’s most famous temples and stunning diverse landscapes. Your tour begins with a trip to Bali’s most popular attraction: the ancient sea temple shrine of Pura Tanah Lot, which is perched on a rock formation offshore. A morning visit will hopefully mean you’ll have a more tranquil experience. You’ll then be driven through villages and rice fields up into the mountains to the rainforested slopes of Batukaru volcano, home to impressive Pura Luhur Batukaru, which you’ll explore on a guided tour. A drive through Bali’s most spectacular rice terraces around UNESCO World Heritage-listed Jatiluwih follows, before you arrive at Bedugul, located 1200 meters above sea level. We’ll stop at Beratan Lake to visit beautiful Ulun Danu Temple, which sits in the middle of the lake, and have a buffet lunch in the tropical gardens. On our route back, we’ll head to a colourful local market so you can experience the buzz of local life and then look around a traditional Balinese family compound, which has a distinctive design, for an insightful end to the day.

• Duration: full day
• Time: 7am to 4pm
• Departing daily from South Bali, Seminyak and Central Ubud hotels
• Operates year round
• Private experience

Good to know
We recommend bringing a light jacket or jumper and long trousers as it can get cool in the mountains.