Exploring the North, Bali

December 14th, 2022

Bali, Indonesia

Sasha & Eric Hathaway

We left Uluwatu Sunday morning after a typical night out at the bars and getting picked up by my father for a scooter ride of shame home (not my proudest moment), to make a quick pit stop at Udara for their amazing Sunday session and meditative sessions and then head up to Munduk for a weekend full of waterfalls, hikes, and a volcanic sunrise.

After an afternoon at the spa, we felt rejuvinated, the vibes were high, and the music was pumping as we began our 2 hour scooter ride from Canggu. Although the scooter ride over ended in a crash (by the gods luck I walked away with only a few cuts and bruises) the weekend did not dissapoint! 

Hunt Waterfalls: Bali is famous for insane waterfalls, and Munduk is one of the best places to stay to get to them all. Being in Bali in the rainy season means you are constantly in a battle with weather, and this is even more true up North. After talking to some locals we realized we only had about 5 hours of sun in the morning before the mountains locked in the clouds and torrential downpour started almost everyday around 1pm. This being said we only made it to one waterfall and even got the whole place to ourself! (Tip: go first thing in the morning when the entrance opens so you can beat the crowds) We chose to check out the twin waterfall or Banyumala, which was absolutely stunning and an insane experience getting to stand under this beast of water all by myself. 
 
Sunrise Hike Mt. Batur: Reds, oranges, blues, greens, and purples light up the sky and outline the tremendous, recently active, volcano before you, almost putting you in a trance as you watch the sun rise above the cloud layer. Oh wait, you can’t forget about the hundreds of other tourists surrounding you in this beautiful moment! It makes it so much more unforgettable. Just kidding, but in all honesty I was shocked by the number of people that woke up at 2:30am to embark on this sunrise hike, and although it was absolutely stunning, it really took away from the experience as the entire volcano was lined with hundreds of flashlights making the same trek you were. If you are willing to wake up early and deal with tourist hell, the views are absolutely stunning. Definitely do not waste the money on a guide, its super easy to do without one as long as you’re ok dealing with some hagglers! Insider tip: stop at the last rest station before the top to watch the sunrise and you’ll have the views to yourself! 

What to Do