Bali is renowned as an island retreat, offering an escape from the hustle and bustle of city life, where yoga, spiritual awareness, and açai bowls prevail.

40km north of Ubud lies Bali’s hidden gem: Kintamani. Nestled within Kintamani is Mount Batur, Indonesia’s own HC climb—a 26.2km ascent with an average gradient of 4.5%, featuring stretches over 15% in its final 5 km.

For Benny and Alex, escaping the hectic scenes of Jakarta and Manila is essential to refresh their minds.

Despite a rainy start typical of Southeast Asia, the journey began at 5 AM to dodge the mandatory early morning traffic. As they reached the foothills, the uniqueness of Kintamani became apparent. Mount Batur, one of Bali’s two active volcanoes, created an awe-inspiring landscape with rock formations and volcanic ash hues.

The climb took an hour and a half. Greeted by a cloudy sunrise before descending back into town, Alex and Benny made pit stops - tip: get the refreshing coconut water - and ended with a café visit as traffic picked up in Ubud.