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Posted by - Martin on February 1, 2005 at 5:21 am:
In Reply to: Bali Lombok trip September posted by Tony Mac on January 31, 2005 at 9:35 pm:
I was in Bali September 2004, traveling from U.S.A. It was a site trip to a Taiwan trip, so only 6 days in Bali.
September is relatively dry. This can be an especially good month for hiking up Gunung Batur, if that interests you. It is a pretty strenuous high intermediate uphill hike from the south slope. I think the trail up the east side through the forest from Toya Bunkah is less difficult, but it is still not easy. Hawkers in Batur can be quite annoying, but it is still probably worthwhile to stay in Batur, because you have to start out very early. Do sign on with a guide. Depending how strong a hiker you are, you might consider doing two nights so you can also do Gunung Abang. Do bring good hiking boots. You do not want to hike in the lava gravel with sandels.
If astronomy interests you, you might want to look for the Magellanic clouds. You want to be away from light polullution, have a clear view t the south, clear weather, moonless night. These are very faint. Good equipment to have includes a southern hemisphere planisphere, red flashlight, and binoculars. 8x30 is a good compromise between weight and capability. Good time to look is about 3 AM. Batur can be a good location. Along the beach at Candi Dasa can also be good, although cloudy weather can be a frequent frustration.
Crux and Alpha Centauri could be visible in south southwest just after sunset. The main star are bright and easy t see, but clouds near the horizon in the evening can be a frustration.
Town of Candi Dasa is nice. Beach is sort of okay. They tore up the coral close to shore to make cement, but there is gorgeous coral about 3 meters deep around islands off shore. I paid Rp 150,000 including snorkeling equipment and boat ride. Someone good at bargaining could probably do it for less.
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