Kintamani is a cool, fresh retreat, bring warm clothes, as it's cold at night (1,500 meters above sea level). The fog comes rolling into Kintamani early, transforming it into a ghost town of howling 'anjing', so you'd best settle in before nightfall. The coldest months are July and August, lots of rain from October to March. Get up early to watch a superb sunrise.

There are fewer annoying locals and you're treated with slightly more respect. Still, Kintamani has more barking dogs per square meter than any other place on Bali. There's a busy market every third morning along the highway in the north part of town, right in front of Losmen Miranda.

The temples of the area look out over the crater. People come from all over the island to pray here, especially during 'odalan'. A grand old 'gong gede', one of only three on Bali, plays for the ceremony.

Accommodations

Most 'losmen' are located on the main street, Jalan Pasar Kintamani. Kintamani's best budget hotel is small, friendly, family-run Losmen Miranda with six rooms in the upper end of town. Services include free baggage storage, hot water at no charge, and a log fire. This clean, well-kept hotel and its good food are excellent value. Nothing glamorous but no bugs in the bed, and bars on the windows.

Food

There are 'warung makanan' up from Puri Astina in the market. Losmen Miranda has a pretty good fully Westernized 28-item breakfast and dinner menu, including fried noodles, veggie omelets, black rice pudding, and vegetables, eggs, and sauce. Miranda claims to have the best pancakes on Bali-banana inside, coconut on top.

Getting Away

From Kintamani to Penelokan by 'bemo', to Singaraja by bus (1.5 hours) and to Denpasar by bus (1.5 hours). The Denpasar - Singaraja bus passes in front of Losmen Miranda. For Gunung Batur, it's possible to start your climb from Kintamani at 0600 and return by 1200.

Expert local guides, available through the hotels, will lead you down the old bridle path that drops steeply from the lip of the outer crater, then climbs up and over the rim of the inner crater before descending into the innermost crater.