Rightly touted as Bali's rural heartland. Though Gunung Batur volcano in Kintamani province gets more attention in guidebooks, Batu Karu is in fact the island's second highest peak at 2271m. It's also the prettiest, whether you choose to trek to the summit, visit the Lahur Batukaru temple (one of the Bali's oldest and most sacred) or spend a few days in one of the picturesque resorts that are scattered on its slopes, many of them eco-friendly. Though it may look wild, the lower slopes of Batu Karu are in fact a giant garden, where rice, coffee, fruits and spices grow in abundance. The Jatiluih rice terraces, which employ the ancient subak irrigation system to magnificent effect, are so beautiful as to have been declared a World Heritage Site. The upper slopes are covered in thick jungle. Trekking is best arranged with one of the resorts on the mountain's slopes; the Sarinbuana Eco Resort is highly recommended.