The phrase “It’s about the journey, not the destination” has always felt a bit cliché to me—overused and tossed around in inspirational posts. But after yesterday’s adventure to Ulun Danu Beratan Temple, nestled in the highland town of Bedoegoel, I think I finally get it. Though not quite at the summit, Bedoegoel sits nestled in the upper elevations of the central mountains, a highland town surrounded by ridges and volcanic lakes. To get there, we took our trusty little 110cc Honda scooter on what turned into an unexpectedly intense climb. What should’ve been a scenic one-hour ride became a slow-motion uphill battle. At one point, I nearly sent us into a ditch and had to pull over to let the engine cool down and regroup. As we stood on the roadside catching our breath, a kind man in a pickup truck slowed down, rolled down his window, and asked, “You ok ok?” It was such a small gesture, but it really stuck with me. The Balinese people are known for their hospitality, and in that moment, it showed.
Our bike chugged up the mountain and we made it…. Right into the worst traffic I have seen in such a rural area. After all that open mountain air, the sudden congestion threw me off. I am not the most experienced scooter driver to begin with and I was out of my element. The constant honking, cars all around us, bikes passing us effortlessly; I wasn’t even sure who they were honking at. Thankfully, another Balinese man pointed us in the right direction when I stopped to ask him about parking to the temple. He saw that we couldn’t easily turn around due to the traffic, and without hesitation walked into the middle of the road to stop the flow of traffic giving us a narrow window to make a U-turn. Another gesture that stayed with me. We finally arrived
Ulan Danu Beratan Temple is located almost 4,000 feet above sea level and was built in 1633. It is dedicated to Dewi Danu, the Balinese goddess of lakes, rivers, and water. This temple is more than just a tourist spot, it is one of the most important temples in Bali, specifically tied to agriculture and water systems which are central to rural Balinese life. The surrounding Lake Beratan is also considered a sacred, with many locals believing it holds spiritual energy which supports fertility and balance. Although it’s called the ‘hidden gem of Bali’ we discovered it is not so hidden.
After about two hours of exploring the temple and its stunning surroundings, it started to sprinkle. No big deal, I thought—just a little rain. But within minutes, that sprinkle turned into something heavier. I glanced up at the clouds and thought, uh-oh… this is going to be a wet ride home. One thing this highland town is known for is its strawberries, and we had originally planned to stop at a local spot called Bali Strawberry Farm and Resto. Despite the rain, we decided to stick to the plan. It was only about ten minutes from the temple, so we hit the road—and sure enough, the rain picked up fast. Within minutes, we were both soaked. Luckily, I had brought a rain jacket, unluckily Winter hadn’t, and despite my offer, she did not want to take mine. Soaked and shivering, we finally pulled over and decided to stop for some food and wait out the storm, hoping it would ease up before the ride back. The way home was not relaxing either: a mostly downhill ride, wet roads, moderate traffic, and an old scooter with sticky breaks. A real recipe for adventure, or disaster. But we put that aside to enjoy our meal (hopefully not our last).
We enjoyed the strawberry smoothies as we watched the dark clouds on the horizon. Listening to the rain pick up and ease off. After about 30 minutes, the rain eased just enough to ride safely. We mapped our route—just over an hour—and set off down the mountain. The windy roads offered both spectacular views and a challenging ride. Unfortunately, the clear skies from the restaurant didn’t last. We rode right back into the rain. Within minutes, we were soaked again—so drenched I could feel the water washing down both legs. At one point, part of the mountain road had been reduced to a single lane due to a recent mudslide. We slowed down, kept our balance, and carefully navigated through it. Finally, after what felt like a small victory, we reached the village of Angri. I’d ridden these roads earlier in the week and was familiar with them. That brought a bit of relief—we were in the home stretch. We finally reached our homestay around 5:30pm. I was cold, soaked, and exhausted… but mostly relieved.
Ulan Danu Beratan Temple was certainly beautiful, and absolutely worth the trip. Both ways had its unique challenges and tested all my limited scooter skills. But more than anything, what will stay with me is the journey itself. The climbs, the rain, the strangers who stepped in to help, and the quiet moments in between. Those are the memories I’ll carry with me long after the roads have dried.