Pura Luhur Batukaru: Arriving at the temple

Heading down the dead end road that leads to Pura Luhur Batukaru I overtook at a tour bus with 4 people in. At the parking lot I was the only visitor, and tying my sarong and sash, headed to the ticket counter to give my donation of 4,000rp. Placing this in the locked box, I passed my helmet to the 2 Balinese guys manning the office. They will lend you sarongs and sashes if you don’t have them.

The first things that strikes me about Pura Batukaru is the fresh air. You will notice the cooler temperatures coming from Kuta. Riding my motorbike, I hit a band of cooler air about 15 minutes south of the temple. It wasn’t freezing though, just refreshing and silent.
The south side of Gunung Batukaru gets a ton of rain and the ever present cloud covers means a humid climate. The stonework at the temple is covered in moss. I’m no bird expert, but my guidebook says this area is rich in birdlife, ranging from scarlet minivets, grey-headed flycatchers and barbets.
Toilet facilities are provided, but there is no food / drinks.