Malaysia

Bug spray is a must: there are some mosquitoes in the forest, and I encountered hordes of flies on the hilltops. They’re aggressive and they can bite! Kintamani is the only place in Bali where I’ve seen such annoying flies.

On the plus side, I went on a Saturday and the whole trail was surprisingly uncrowded. It was a really nice contrast to the huge crowds at Mount Batur nowadays. I only met one foreign couple with a guide, and a handful of friendly local teenagers.

The steeper sections of the trail have some ropes to grab. They aren’t necessary, but they can be helpful if you want to give your legs a break.