Toya Bungkah

Toya Bungkah is a lakeside village on the shore of Lake Batur in central Bali, Indonesia, in the Kintamani area of Bangli Regency. It is located immediately adjacent to the lake and at the foot of the volcanic slopes that form the Batur caldera.

The settlement functions as a small hospitality and service centre for visitors to Lake Batur and trekkers heading to Mount Batur. Lakeside guesthouses, restaurants and simple boat access are the main visitor amenities, and the village is commonly used as a starting point for sunrise hikes up the nearby volcano.

The village developed around the lake and local agriculture and fishing. Over time it has expanded modestly to provide tourism services such as homestays and hot-spring facilities while retaining a small-village character.

Toya Bungkah sits on the north-western shore of Lake Batur, at the foot of Mount Batur, in central-northern Bali. It is part of the Kintamani area and lies close to the slopes of Mount Batur and other villages around the Batur caldera.

• Trekking access: Serves as a common base for early-morning treks up Mount Batur and for short lakeside walks and boat rides.
• Hot springs and accommodation: Contains public hot-spring facilities and lakeside guesthouses that cater to trekkers and visitors to Lake Batur.

Toya Bungkah sits on the north-western shore of Lake Batur, at the foot of Gunung Batur, close to the main trailheads up the volcano. It is the principal base for sunrise climbs, and its guesthouses, simple restaurants and small black-sand beach are geared to trekkers, many of whom arrive the evening before a climb and leave after a late breakfast.

Beyond the climb, the village is a pleasant place to slow down. The lakeside road continues east through Songan to Pura Ulun Danu Songan at its end, a lakeshore temple to the goddess of the lake backed by forest and caves loud with insects and bats. Fish farms float offshore, and the black volcanic soil around the village is intensively farmed with onions, chillies and other vegetables.

The village takes its name from its hot springs. Water heated deep beneath the volcano rises along the lakeshore, and the slightly sulphurous pools make a welcome soak after a dawn climb or on a chilly highland day. Balinese also regard the springs as purifying.

There are several choices. A public bathing spot right on the lakefront is a walled pool on the rocks, filled by the spring and separated from the lake proper, and it is popular with local families. Nearby, a number of private hot-spring parks have built landscaped pools of varying size and comfort, from simple garden tubs to large resort-style complexes with lake views, restaurants and massage. Most charge an entrance fee and open from early morning into the evening. Bring a swimsuit and towel, and expect the pools to be busiest in the late morning, when the trekkers come down.

Toya Bungkah is reached from the caldera rim at Penelokan: a steep, winding road drops to the lake at Kedisan, and the lakeshore road continues north to the village, about 30 minutes from the rim in all. Most visitors come by private car or scooter from Ubud or the south, roughly 2 hours from the southern beaches, and many hotels and tour operators include pick-ups for sunrise treks.