Bukit Mende is one of those hidden gems that come around once in a blue moon. Up till now it has only really been known to locals, and was “discovered” by outsiders only very recently. Not much is known about the place other than some photos of amazing views that have popped up on social media. We therefore took it upon ourselves to seek out this mysterious hilltop in order to bring you, our readers, some more information about it. Of course, WE were very interested and champing at the bit to check it out as well!
To locate Bukit Mende was not easy. We followed Google Maps and it still led us astray, which was very frustrating. Not to worry, though, because we still managed to find it ok.
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Table of Contents
- So where IS Bukit Mende?
- What to expect at Bukit Mende
- Where to stay for Bukit Mende
- Can I take a tour?
- Don’t Forget Your Travel Insurance
So where IS Bukit Mende?
Bukit Mende is in the Kintamani area, but is quite a distance removed from anywhere you might already associate with Kintamani.
To get to Bukit Mende, head up to Kintamani from Ubud via whichever road you like until you read the Batur Caldera Rim. From there, take the road west along the rim, past Pura Ulun Danu Batur, and make like you are heading for Singaraja. Once you reach Pura Puncak Penulisan you will veer to the right, ignoring the majority of traffic that go left toward Singaraja. Up to here Google maps will still be leading you the right way.
The next couple of intersections will be correct as well, however once you make the turn left off of Jalan Subaya-Siakin, Google gets a little bit confused. Road names don’t really exist out here so even we can’t give them to you, however at the very next fork in the road Google will send you to the left, which is the “High road”, when in reality you will want to take the right, which is the “low road”. This road is a very steep downhill road that at times is in a very bad state of repair. You will also want to be on a scooter as most cars would not be able to pass through. The good news is that this road will take you all the way to Bukit Mende.
If you are unsure of the way or think you are lost at all, most of the locals will understand (maybe) the name Bukit Mende. Just note that it is pronounced “Manday”, and the locals in this very remote area hardly speak typical Indonesian, instead having their own local version of Balinese. They are very friendly and willing to help where they can, though.
What to expect at Bukit Mende
When you arrive at the Bukit you will be met with a small dirt carpark opposite a local temple. The trail head is unmarked and disappears over the edge of the carpark, where it leads down onto the ridge line that at times seems to simply disappear into the clouds. Take this path and watch your footing as you go.
The track onto Bukit Mende follows the ridge line for a relatively short distance before heading upward at a very steep angle. On a clear day the views are absolutely amazing, and on days when there is a bit of cloud about it can seem almost surreal as you get the feeling of “walking on air” as you hike along a very narrow strip of land though the cloud.
At the top of the ridge you will find a pole sporting the Indonesian Flag. This is a staple on nearly every ridge, mountain or high point in the country and is something that we love about hiking in Indonesia. On this occasion, although it is on the highest point, the trail goes on and the view gets even better!
Head past the flagpole, past a small hut and take the left fork that stays the course along the top of the ridge. This will lead you into a pineapple orchard perched on top of the mountain. The track will end right on the very tip of the ridge where you will have the most amazing 360 degree panorama of the entire coastline and surrounding hills.
We would put this down as one of the most beautiful and scenic places that we have visited in Bali, and is certainly a place that is on the list to return to as soon as possible.
Where to stay for Bukit Mende
Keep in mind that this is one of the most remote areas in North Bali, and you will understand why there are not too many options of places to stay anywhere near Bukit Mende.
For this reason we stayed down on the coast. After the nearly 3 hour ride up from Nusa Dua, then staying at Bukit Mende for a couple of hours, we were not too keen for the 3 hour ride home that same day. With that in mind I came up with an itinerary for a two day round trip that turned out to be awesome and took us to parts of Bali we would never otherwise visit. Keep an eye on future articles for that full itinerary!
The place we stayed down at Tejakula was Pranjaya Villa. We cannot recommend this place enough. It has four cute villas in the complex all facing the fantastic pool in the middle. It was cheap, should have been expensive, is 100m from the beach and can sleep up to 8 people in the four villas. We will certainly be returning and it is now our place of choice to stay whenever we are in North Bali.
Below we have inserted a quick map from Booking.com for you to see what else is in the region, in case you would rather stay back at Kintamani, or continue on toward Singaraja.
Can I take a tour?
The short answer is no. There are no tours as the Bukit itself is hardly known to anyone outside of the local village. Plus there is the issue of getting a car into the location of the trail head. You CAN get tours to Kintamani, which we highly recommend for places like Mount Batur, and perhaps from there you can hire a scooter and check out Bukit Mende yourself. Do it while you can, because once this place becomes popular you will have to line up in order to walk down the narrow path out to the ridge.
Remember to keep a look out on this site for a great itinerary for North Bali in the near future. Also featuring another Bukit that is fun for a totally different reason…..
Don’t Forget Your Travel Insurance
This might be stating the obvious, but if you are going exploring off the beaten path, and even on organized tours in Indonesia, make certain to have your travel insurance up to date. There is not such thing as being over prepared, and in the end it is great for your peace of mind.
Personally we always go with SafetyWing. They are the best in the business, their customer service is outstanding, and they will cover a lot more activities than most other insurers.
For more information check out our link here. Alternatively you can click on the banner we have supplied in the sidebar of this post.
Cheers and happy hiking!
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