Bali Volcano Sunrise – Mount Batur

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It’s dark and I’m standing in the streets of central Ubud. What should be a peaceful night is shattered by the incessant barking of the neighbour’s dog, who’s decided I’m a terrible threat to his territory. It makes the wait for my pickup for a sunrise trek slightly fraught, at 4 a.m. I’m not exactly corpus mentus just yet – and I’ve been attacked by dogs before in Asia. I stand my ground, knowing not to show fear – but hoping the ruckus doesn’t attract the more aggressive street dogs, and my tactic works. The little mutt eventually retreats into his garden and soon a mini bus jam-packed with tired tourists pulls up with a screech of brakes.

Sunrise Mount Batur

Mount Agung rises out of a sea of clouds.

I’m up this early to climb Mount Batur, an active volcano near the centre of Bali, for its famous sunrise. The activity is popular with tourists from around the island, with transport coming all the way from the beaches of Kuta and beyond, so despite the early hour, there’s a stream of speeding mini buses racing along inner Bali’s narrow, twisting roads towards the base of the volcano. In classic Bali style, we drive at breakneck speeds through villages and countryside, swerving piles of building material deposited in the road, slow trucks and other tour buses – and I’m thankful for the bonus of a working seatbelt. As we ascend to the crater lake rim, we overtake an open-topped truck full of school kids, standing packed together like sardines – they must be freezing in the chilly night air. Even our veteran Balinese driver, no stranger to Bali’s mad roads, tells me it’s crazy, explaining there was an serious accident recently in similar circumstances where a truck full of kids rolled with fatal consequences. He tells me they’re also heading for the up for the trek, its a popular destination for school expeditions.

Mount Batur night walk

My friends ready to start their night hike!

We pull into a large car park full of buses and taxis in the dark and I meet up with some friends. Torches are are handed out and we’re split into groups, each led by guides. There’s not much chance of getting lost though, as we set off on the sandy path out of the village there’s literally hundreds of other people going the same way – a sea of torch-lights illuminating the way ahead. The path is easy going for the first hour as we slowly ascend. I barely have time to set up my tripod on a quick rest stop before we’re off again but I do capture a rather grainy image of the rather mesmerizing stream of lights climbing to the summit.

Mount Batur Night Walk

Hundreds of walkers ascend Mount Batur under the starlight.

From now on it’s steep going and the soft volcanic soil is loose and slippery. Conversation stalls as everyone is breathless, an half an hour of climbing later we arrive at a large rest stop with food stalls overlooking the crater and Lake Batur. It’s a great view – twilight is upon us, the horizon changing colour and town lights shimmer on the lake as the moon shines overhead. There’s just time for another few tripod shots – but unfortunately its windy making for blurry images with the long exposures, and before there’s time to correct it, we’re ushered onwards, we don’t want to miss the sunrise!

Mount Batur night walk

Lake Batur at Night

The final half hour stretch is very steep and slippery, and I lose my footing in the dark a number of times, hampered by my tripod. To add insult to injury, my bag zip decides to break leaving my camera kit precariously exposed to falling out, so I wear it on my front to minimize the risk. We finally reach the bare summit, and sit out along little shelves cut out of the soil, with some mats to sit on, as the guide collects tea for us from a nearby stall. The view is already amazing – the sky is quite clear aside from a few clouds, and the awesome cloud bank below rolls over the landscape, islands of hills popping up from this woolly sea as the volcano of Mount Agung to the right towers over everything else.

Sunrise Mount Batur

The moon bids farewell as dawn crests the horizon.

Sunrise Mount Batur

Mount Agur

The summit gets increasingly busy as more groups arrive, mainly westerners of all types from backpackers to smartly dressed elderly groups. People take their seats and sip on coffee, dig into their breakfast or wander around taking photos as we wait for the sun to arrive. I’m mesmerised by the cloud sea, I’ve seen this phenomenon before at Mt Bromo in Java, and in the Himalayas, but it never gets old. There’s plenty of space to use the tripod, so I take advantage, unfortunately the barren summit doesn’t provide many interesting foregrounds aside from plants, and I have to be wary not to obstruct in the view for other visitors.

Sunrise Mount Batur

Mountains pop out of the cloud sea like islands.

Sunrise Mount Batur

The sun finally begins to poke out from behind the clouds and they turn out to be a blessing, forcing the light into amazing god rays shining out over the cloud sea. We’re blessed with a magnificent sunrise – and we’re quite lucky as of course it’s all weather dependent, a lot of others saw my photos and said I got a particularly good morning for it. I use the inbuilt panorama mode on my camera to try and capture the epic sense of scale, but you’d really need a GoPro or super big panorama to really do this justice. I use my wider angle lens for classic landscapes and my zoom to focus on details in the scene. After I’ve got plenty of shots, I sit back and enjoy the moment properly and just admire the view.

Sunrise Mount Batur Sunrise Mount Batur

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Sunrise Mount Batur

The school groups we’d seen earlier finally arrive – sadly for them they’ve already missed the best bit. There’s a few scout groups and regular school kids, who seem knackered after racing up only to miss out! Once the sun’s fully up, we head back down the mountain. First we stop at some natural hot springs where a cheeky macaque monkey colony hangs out – getting fed by the tourists. As usual, they’re as crazy as ever, climbing on people, trying to steal food and there’s some cute babies clinging onto their mums. I keep my distance, having learned to respect these unpredictable imps during my travels – entertaining to watch though. Now the sun’s up, we admire the views down into the crater below as the cloud slowly rises with the heat.

Sunrise Mount Batur

One of the school expedition’s latecomers, holding aloft the Indonesian flag.

Sunrise Mount Batur

Food stall with a pretty decent view…

Sunrise Mount Batur

The crater below, with Lake Batur at the back.

Mount Batur monkeys

Mum protective of her baby, warily eyeing the tourists from a distance.

It’s a hot walk for the next few hours as we quickly descend the slippery soil path and return on a different road down the mountain, passing plantations and locals riding up in trucks – in ceremonial dress – the guide tells me that there are some shrines up Mt Batur where ceremonies are conducted. Back at the car park, we get a good view of the volcano and all fall asleep as we hurtle back to Ubud – it’s nearly midday and we’ve already been up for 8 hours. Before I part ways with my friends, they take me to a nearby pizza restaurant, Umah Pizza – what better breakfast than a tasty massive pepperoni pizza and a cocktail! I had a good nap that afternoon, I can tell you! I would love to return to focus entirely on photography, take my time, get those night shots with the tripod and scout out some better locations for the landscape – one day!

Mount Batur locals

Friendly locals pass by in trucks, heading for a ceremony up the mountain.

Mount Agung

Interesting hill with Mount Agung peeping out of the cloud in the background.

Bali plantation

A plantation, not sure of the crop as I haven’t seen these covers before. Feel free to enlighten me!

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Back at the car park, we get a good view of Mount Batur’s distinctive cone.

Bali Ubud Pizza

Tasty and super cheap pizza at Umah Pizza, central Ubud.

If you’re interested in doing the Mount Batur climb yourself, there’s a few things to be aware of. It was a tiring morning – the final hour of the climb is demanding, it can be slippery with loose soil and rocks, and it’s steep. I would advise less fit or mobile travellers to give yourselves extra time to get up there, taking the time for plenty of rests. You can find tours for this everywhere on the island and the differences are negligible, they all use the same pool of guides from the mountain. As the guides have a stranglehold on the trip, doing it yourself is difficult as they supposedly deny take issue if you try to go it alone. But its a pretty cheap tour anyway. Be prepared for it to be very busy too and be stuck in queues ascending and descending – fortunately the summit is spacious enough to comfortably fit everyone. Take some warm clothes, it’s chilly until the sun comes up, and don’t worry too much about food and drink, if its not provided by your tour company there’s lots of sellers up the mountain to sort you out. And finally, your views will be weather dependent – I got lucky, but maybe spare yourself enough days for a few attempts if you get cloudy weather on your first try. But when it works out – its definitely worth it!

More images from the morning – click on them to enlarge:

Travel Article – New Zealand Coromandel Peninsula Visit

Last November, I revved the engine on my ageing camper van and tore down the highway heading out from Auckland, New Zealand’s biggest city, to visit the often overlooked Coromandel Peninsula. A picturesque stretch of coastline dotted with some of the countries’ best beaches, it also offers great walking, marine activities and some unique and unusual attractions. Considered by many Kiwis to be a highlight of the North Island and a popular local holiday destination, tourists often skip it – but I wanted to explore and see what the fuss was about. You can drive around the peninsula in a long day, indeed some tour buses do. But to do it justice you really need to take at least three or four days to enjoy the highlights – especially if you have to deal with New Zealand’s notoriously fast-changing weather! I’ve also created a Google Maps route with pins in case you’re interested in visiting yourself, you can trace my route and see where some of the photos were taken – click here.

Coromandel Peninsula Cathedral Cove

Cathedral Cove, Coromandel Peninsula

Arriving late afternoon after a nice straight drive through the flat farmlands of Waikato, the windows open in the hot spring weather and some classic tunes on the stereo, my first stop was the attractive campsite Tapu Camp in the tiny village of Tapu. After passing through the small town of Thames to pick up supplies, the road here winds along a narrow and twisting road just meters above the sea, passing rocky beaches and through hamlets with hilly forest and roadside cliffs on the right and great views across the Firth of Thames on the left– the landmass of the Whatakawai area just visible across the ocean. I’d found the campsite through the useful WikiCamps mobile app (CamperMate is the other popular choice), and it didn’t disappoint. The main camping field sat right on the edge of a deserted beach with lovely views and seabirds out in full force. Strolling along the beach I even found a protected nesting area for some waders where a mother sat on her eggs, the Department of Conservation in fine form as usual. Some dramatic clouds made for a great sunset and the sea breeze kept the mosquitos at bay as I tucked into fish and chips bought from the very local pub across the road.

Coromandel peninsula

Sunset at Tapu

The next day was a stunner and I continued north, following the winding coastal road admiring the views and dodging trucks and huge boat trailers before climbing steeply inland, the summit opening out to a great viewpoint overlooking the north of the peninsula. The usual mix of New Zealand tourists were present – older couples in massive campervans, backpackers with ageing cars and campervan hybrids (like me), wealthier groups in shiny rental cars and Kiwis out for the day. Winding down the hill I soon arrived at the nice little town of Coromandel.

Coromandel peninsula

Coromandel Town

I popped into one of the trendy cafés for a much needed caffeine fix and pottered around looking at the old buildings on the main street. The helpful man at the Tourist Information recommended the nearby Driving Creek Railway to me. It’s a popular attraction so I called to reserve a place and a five-minute drive later I arrived at the visitor centre at the base of a densely forested hill.

Coromandel peninsula

Driving Creek Railway

In the grounds, I explored the rather eccentric station populated with sculptures and watched a video about this mini narrow gauge railway’s inception. A labour of love for over thirty years, the creator Barry Brickell (who sadly died earlier this year) had constructed much of this railway by hand (with a little help) as a personal project and eventually opened it to the public. He’s now bequeathed it to the community so they can continue to enjoy the steep trip up the mountain through the forest. One of the cute little trains trundled into the station and I took a seat.

Coromandel peninsula

The other train crosses on a double bridge of the Driving Creek Railway.

As we chugged up through the forest for about half an hour, the entertaining driver alerted us to the many sculptures hidden along the route, and a number of times we glimpsed the other train as the narrow one track system only passing at certain points. We were dropped off at a viewing tower at the hilltop boasting an impressive vista reaching out to the sea, with the peaceful sounds of the forest drifting up from below. Although I wouldn’t normally go in for this kind of attraction, I actually really enjoyed it and what an achievement from one man!

Coromandel peninsula

The view from the Eyefull Tower, the railway’s destination.

Hopping back in the van, I drove to the other side of the Coromandel peninsula, which involved some grumbling engine sounds whilst ascending a long and steep climb to a viewpoint followed by a plummeting descent. I wasn’t the only one struggling, but thanks to the wise Kiwi passing places I wasn’t held up by the poor huge trucks straining up the hill. A lovely rocky coastal drive followed with white sand beaches lined with green Pohutukawa trees, entering flowering season with their distinctive red bristles adding colour to the scene. I stopped briefly at the harbour town of Whitianga.

Coromandel peninsulaIt seemed too touristy and developed for my liking, but I enjoyed the peaceful views from the flower-lined shore of Whitianga Harbour, a large inlet where kayakers battled the strong wind on the flat water and shags perched on rowing boats. Continuing southward inland, I crossed rolling hills and green farmland as the shadows drew longer, arriving at the small touristy coastal town of Hahei and checking into the pleasant Tatahi Lodge Resort, a lodge/hostel with luxurious facilities for a backpacker like me. After a tasty pizza and lager at the busy brewery restaurant Pour House Bar, I drove up the steep road behind to see Hahei’s famous sight – Cathedral Cove, where a large cave in the white rockface links two beaches. The striking bright cliffs and rock formations in the sea were immediately visible from the car park and I arrived just in time for an amazing orange New Zealand sunset as the large sun dipped beyond Hahei.

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Sunset at Cathedral Cove, Hahei.

By this point in my trip I was quite tired from days of driving and non-stop action, so I wasn’t planning to do sunrise at Cathedral Cove the next day and treat myself to a lie-in. However, I roused when I heard some of the hostel head out around 5:30am and thought, hell, you only live once, let’s have a look. The weather was clear and I arrived at the clifftop car park just as the sun crested the horizon, the cliffs bathed in golden light. Hoisting my camera gear and some water, I set off on the path down from the cliff top to the Cathedral Cove beach. It was a nice walk and a steady descent through forest, brushland with windswept trees and some final steep steps down to the white sand of the cove, if a bit tiring at 6am with no breakfast or coffee inside me!

Coromandel Peninsula Cathedral Cove

The arch of Cathedral Cove as seen from the car park viewpoint.

My early bird behaviour was rewarded though, as the beach, usually swarming with tourists, was practically deserted. Aside from another friendly photographer and a couple, I had the serene place to myself. After photographing the huge arch and taking in the peace and quiet as the sea lapped on the sand, I walked through the arch (it was low tide, it’s partially submerged at high tide) and came across a strangely shaped spire on the other side, and some snorkelers kayaked ashore from a motor boat which had arrived. The cove sits in the protected Te Whanganui-A-Hei marine reserve with plenty of sealife opportunities to spot for those with the budget. The photographer I’d met told me he was enjoying some time off to explore the hidden gem beaches of New Zealand and had already spent three weeks travelling the coast in search of them, giving me some insider tips on some well hidden spots.

Coromandel Peninsula Cathedral Cove

Coromandel Peninsula Cathedral Cove

The rock spire at Cathedral Cove.

Coromandel Peninsula Cathedral Cove

Cathedral Cove archway, you can just see a tiny person on the left giving it some scale.

A steep climb back to the carpark had me ravenous, solved by a hearty English fry-up at Hahei Beach Café. The next stop was the Coromandel’s other big attraction, the Hot Water Beach. Only a twenty minute drive from Hahei, this long beach boasts a particular spot where a thermal spring flows from inland into the sea. People dig holes in the sand here with shovels (which you can hire everywhere in Mercury Bay) to enjoy a personal hot pool – though finding the perfect place where the sea water mixes to make the temperature just right is difficult. As I expected, it was crazy there, with every inch covered in people digging, sitting in holes or playing in the sea. As the day was scorching, I failed to see the attraction in sitting in the boiling water, dipping my feet into a few was enough – the temperature ranged from scorching to tepid, but it was a cool thing to see – only in New Zealand!

Coromandel peninsula Hot Water Beach

Chaos at the Hot Water Beach.

On the way back to the other side of Coromandel peninsula I made one last stop – one of the top rated beaches in the world – New Chums. It was a half hour detour into the heart of the countryside to the settlement of Whangapoua and then a half hour walk along the coast and through the forest over a small headland to reveal a pretty, long white sand beach lined with forest and cliffs. The Department of Conservation wisely keeps the car park far from the beach so it’s unspoiled, and high tide prevents you from crossing the headland for hours at a time. The Pohutukawa trees’ red flowers at the beach edge were in full bloom here and it was a nice peaceful spot with lots of cubby holes for the visitors making it seem much quieter than it was.

Coromandel peninsula New Chum beach

New Chum beach

I concluded my trip on a leisurely drive retracing my route all the way back to Tapu, making frequent stops at lay-bys and viewpoints to soak in the coastal views and sunny weather. It’s a wonderful area to potter around with something nice to look at every few miles. Back at Tapu Camp I rejoined some French friends I’d randomly ran into at Hahei and we enjoyed some beers in front of another moody sunset as the clouds rolled in. Now that’s what New Zealand’s all about.

Coromandel peninsula

Another moody sunset at Tapu.

One day I hope to revisit Coromandel, it’s a beautiful place with lots of variety in coastline and there’s still much more to see, like the wild north which has some great walks and the plentiful east coast beaches. On a larger budget there’s also tons of activities like cruises, kayaking, snorkelling and some fine seafood restaurants. But you don’t need to spend much to enjoy Coromandel Penisula, there’s plenty of budget options and campsites, although it’s wise to book in advance in the busy summer. The trip was certainly one of my highlights of the North Island, so if you go to New Zealand, at least take a day or two roadtrip there and don’t miss out!

Coromandel peninsula

Pohutukawa tree with its red flowers

I’ve shared a Google Map with the route I took and pins showing where the points of interest and photo locations were, you can check it out by clicking here.

Here’s a gallery with some more photos from the trip – just click to enlarge.

Brisbane at Night

In 2014 I lived and worked in Brisbane, Australia for over four months. Brisbane is a wealthy city and has some great architecture and public spaces. In particular, at night excellent artificial lighting creates an entirely different atmosphere to the sunny Australian daytimes. Here’s a collection of photos I took wandering around at night, mainly around the attractive South Bank area, and some from festivals such as New Year and Chinese New Year. I’ve always been attracted to interesting lighting, lines and shapes and this city brought them all together nicely!

To enlarge an image and enter the slideshow view, just click on it.