Gunung Batukaru (meaning Coconut Shell Rock) situated in Bali’s Tabanan Regency is rightly touted as Bali's rural heartland. Though Gunung Batur in Kintamani province gets more attention in guidebooks, Gunung Batukaru is in fact the island's second highest peak at 2,276m and is also the prettiest.  Whether you choose to trek to the summit, visit Pura 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, this peak is definitely worth a visit.  If attempting to summit this heavily forested mountain be sure to note that you won’t be treated to a panoramic vista at the top due to the tree line that obscures the view. Though it may look wild, the lower slopes of Batukaru are actually a giant garden within a rainforest, where rice, coffee, fruits and spices grow in abundance. The incredibly scenic Jatiluwih rice terraces that make up the surrounding lowland employ the ancient subak irrigation system to magnificent effect as to have been declared a World Heritage Site.