Mount Abang: Bali's Overlooked Third Peak and Hidden Trekking Gem
While Mount Agung and Mount Batur dominate the conversation around Bali's trekking scene, Mount Abang (Gunung Abang) quietly stands as the island's third-highest peak at 2,152 metres — and offers one of the most rewarding and underrated trekking experiences on the island. If you're looking to escape the crowds and hike through dense jungle to a forested summit, Abang deserves serious consideration.
Geological and Geographic Context
Mount Abang forms part of the Batur caldera complex — the ancient, massive caldera within which both Lake Batur and Mount Batur sit. While Batur is the active young cone that grew within this caldera, Abang represents the original caldera rim wall on its eastern side. This makes Abang significantly older geologically, and accounts for its densely forested character compared to the barren volcanic scree of Batur.
Standing on Abang's summit, you look down directly into the Batur caldera, with Lake Batur gleaming below and Batur's cone rising dramatically to the west. On clear days, the view extends to Mount Agung to the southeast and the coastlines of both northern and southern Bali.
The Trek: What to Expect
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Summit Elevation | 2,152 m (7,060 ft) |
| Typical Duration | 3–4 hours up, 2–3 hours down |
| Difficulty | Moderate to Challenging |
| Main Trailhead | Songan village |
| Trail Character | Dense jungle, root-covered paths |
Unlike Batur's open volcanic slopes, the trail up Abang is almost entirely through thick tropical forest. The path winds through towering trees draped in moss, past ferns and wild orchids, and along ridges that offer fleeting glimpses of the caldera below. The trail can be slippery and overgrown in sections, making a guide essential — and making the experience genuinely adventurous.
Starting Point: Songan Village
The most common starting point is Songan, a small village on the northern shore of Lake Batur — one of the less-visited corners of the Batur caldera area. Songan is notable for containing Pura Ulun Danu Batur's secondary shrine complex right at the lake's edge, surrounded by dramatic scenery. Arriving here the evening before your trek and staying overnight allows for an early start.
Accommodation in Songan is simple and limited — most trekkers arrange lodging in nearby Toya Bungkah or Kintamani and drive to the trailhead early.
Why Abang Is So Quiet
Several factors keep Mount Abang off most tourists' radar:
- It requires a longer, harder effort than the popular Batur sunrise trek
- The summit is forested rather than offering an open volcanic crater — it's a different aesthetic reward
- There are fewer established guide services and guesthouses catering specifically to Abang trekkers
- Sunrise views are partially obstructed by trees at the summit (though viewpoints just below are excellent)
These are also, paradoxically, the reasons to go. On a typical morning, you may have the trail entirely to yourself — a rarity on Bali's mountains in peak season.
Combining Abang with a Batur Trek
An increasingly popular option is to trek both Batur and Abang over two consecutive mornings. Batur on day one gives you the classic sunrise experience; Abang on day two offers the deeper, quieter jungle contrast. Based in Toya Bungkah for two nights, this is an entirely feasible and deeply satisfying combination that covers two very different sides of the Batur caldera experience.
Final Verdict
Mount Abang won't give you the volcanic drama of Agung or the famous Instagram sunrise of Batur. What it offers instead is something increasingly rare in popular travel destinations: genuine solitude, wild jungle, and a summit that feels earned. For trekkers who value the journey as much as the view, Abang is Bali's best-kept mountain secret.