The highest mountain in Bali is not hard to spot towering above everything else along the eastern seaboard. At 3,031 metres tall, Mt Agung gets the full benefit of the rain clouds that water its western slopes, allowing the plants to flourish and thrive a rich tropical green. Over on the less fortunate eastern side, the slopes are sadly devoid of life.

Revered as the sacred residence of the gods, and a fragment of the “central axis of the universe”, Mt. Meru, it seems only fitting that the mountain is also the cherished home of the most established of all Balinese temples, the Pura Besakih. Brave the long climb up hundreds of steps to reach the main gateway, but you are guaranteed not to be disappointed by the unparallelled views that wait for you at the top. If the weather is favourable, you will be able to catch Mount Rinjani towering above the island of Lombok. There are two trails to reach the true peak of the mountains, the one that allows you to view the temple up close is the steepest and most challenging at all, while the other begins from Pura Pasir Agung.

As you feel the incredible sense of peace in the solitude offered on this mountain, you will be surprised to discover that this mountain is actually an active volcano, with a crater that still steams to this day. In 1963, this massive peak erupted in a violent blast of ash and lava, killing thousands of people and coating the area in a layer of grey ash. From the depth of disaster came a silver lining, as the land today is more fertile than ever with huge sweet potatoes flourishing in the soil.