A world away from bustling Kuta, the small rural villages of Kedisan and Buahan are set on the shore of Danau Batur, the biggest lake in Bali, inside a massive caldera in the central north of the island, which also contains the outstanding active volcano of Mt Batur.
Kedisan is the more frequented village of the two and is a base for boat rides to the ancient Bali Aga village of Trunyan. When strolling through Kedisan, its welcoming people love to ask you into their homes to watch them practicing Gamelon music, particularly in the evenings. From the village, you can also hire a local guide to take you to the heart of the vast crater of Gunung Batur, which sits at an altitude of 5,633 feet above sea level.
Buahan is less visited by regular travelers as the tourist buses stay away from descending the narrow, winding road down to the village because returning would only be possible at a snail’s pace due to the extreme steepness. From Buahan, you can actually observe the tourist-packed spots such as the lookout points over Mt Batur and the lake at Kintamani.
Things to Do
- Trekking: visitors to Kedisan are usually en route to climb to the crater lake of Mount Batur.
Side trips from Kedisan
- Trunyan and Kuban: a short boat ride takes you to the strange Bali Aga village where the dead are laid out to decompose instead of being burnt or buried.
Getting There
The two villages can be accessed via Penelokan, which is located 40 miles from Denpasar (2, hours, 30 minutes) and Bangli, 14 miles from the town (30 minutes). From Penelokan, it is less than two miles to the lakeside, where you either turn left to Kedisan or go right to Buahan.
Need to Know
- Worth it? If you prefer a peaceful setting to the more touristy Kintamani.
- What to do: make a boat trip from Kedisan to Trunyan, climb Gunung Batur.
- Best time to go: between April and October, outside of the monsoon season.
- How long? A day is enough to explore the villages, unless you want to climb Mt Batur.