Bukit Cinta Bali – Mount Agung Sunrise Viewpoint

This monumental and moody Mount Agung viewpoint is one of the best ways to see the glorious volcano. Bukit Cinta Bali, meaning ‘hill of love’ in Bahasa, is quite possibly the best view of Mount Agung you can get. Especially when you visit at sunrise.

This is the time of day that the volcano will have a light misty fog settled around its base and beautiful pink and purple light adorning the top of the mountain. 

To fully experience this, plan to get up early, set up your camera, and give yourself a couple of hours to watch the magic happen.

READ MORE | Looking to chase waterfalls near Ubud, Bali? Check out my guides on the epic Tibumana, Suwat, and Tukad Cepung waterfalls

READ MORE | Looking for other views of Mount Agung? Check out Lahangan Sweet, Bali

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Where is Bukit Cinta Bali

This magnificent Mount Agung viewpoint is located in East Bali’s Karangasem regency and is one of the best things to do in the area. 

Type in Bali Asli Restaurant into Google and it will take you to a cafe located right across the street from the Mount Agung viewpoint. 

From here you can either go down the street or up the street to two different viewpoints.

How to get to Bukit Cinta Bali

I visited Bukit Cinta when staying in the Karangasem region at Kubu Carik Bungalows, and I highly recommend you consider spending some proper time in this area. Otherwise, you are likely based out of the tourist hubs of Canggu, Seminyak, or Ubud. 

From Canggu or Seminyak, you can reach this magnificent Mount Agung viewpoint by starting at around 3 – 3:30 AM. The drive will take you 2.5 hours to reach the Karangasem region and take you through the busy Denpasar city streets. From Ubud, your trip will be less hectic and run roughly one hour and 45 minutes. 

If you can, stay in Amed on the coastline, a beautiful part of East Bali. You can get an extra hour or two of sleep to put you in a good mood for shooting at sunrise. Or, try out Kubu Carik Bungalows, which I can assure you will be a delightful stay and is only a 5-minute drive from the viewpoint. I’ve given another couple of options below:

Where to Stay Near Bukit Cinta Bali

KUBU CARIK BUNGALOWS | MID-RANGE

If you want even more epic views of East Bali, stay in one of the two bungalows available here. Sit on your balcony and marvel at the stunning rice fields and landscape. Plus, Kubu Carik is only a 5-minute drive from Bukit Cinta.

MATHIS LODGE | LUXURY

A little farther afield (45-minute drive), this well-designed lodge, featuring individual stone and thatched roof villas features stunning views of the Amed coastline from the shared pool.

Transportation to Bukit Cinta Bali

Rent a Scooter

The fastest way to get to Tibumana waterfall is by scooter. As the main form of transportation in Indonesia, this will get you from A to B the most efficiently.

If you plan to rent a scooter, just ask at your accommodation. Make sure you have an international driver’s license from your home country, and at least a couple of lessons on how to properly drive a scooter. The roads in Bali can be dangerous, so this will help set you up for success. 

BOOK | Cheap Bali Scooter Rental

Hire a Car and Driver

If renting a scooter is not your jam (I don’t blame you), then opt to hire a car and driver to take you to Tibumana waterfall. This service starts at $40 USD. Ask your villa owner or hotel concierge and they can set you up with one. In my opinion, it’s overpriced, so renting a car with a driver should be your last option. 

BOOK | Private Car with Driver

Take a Tour

Guided tours have yet to add Bukit Cinta sunrise to their list of destinations, but they do offer a great tour around this area and you will see many highlights, as well as beautiful views of Mount Agung. Tours include hotel/villa pick up and drop off for your convenience. Getyourgiude.com is my favourite for well-structured and reliable tour operators.

Here are my recommended tours of the Mount Agung highlights:

BOOK | Mother Temple of Bali and Lempuyang’s Gate of Heaven Tour

BOOK | East Bali: Lempuyang Gates, Tenganan, & Water Palaces Tour

Bukit Cinta Entrance Fee

There is no entrance fee for the Bukit Cinta viewpoint. This is very unusual for Bali, as most locations have at least a 15K IDR entrance fee or more. But, because this is a stop by the roadside, it remains free of charge.

Bukit Cinta Opening Hours

There are no official opening and closing hours for Bukit Cinta. Arrive as early as you want (I’d suggest before 6 AM) and get yourself set up to capture the Mount Agung sunrise.

Take a peek at all the best things to do in East Bali

What to Expect at Bukit Cinta Bali

Okay, you’ve made it to the beautiful sunrise viewpoint before the light has cracked the horizon. My recommendation is to arrive 15-20 minutes before sunrise. You can use a free app like AlpenGlow to determine blue hour, golden hour, sunrise, and daytime predictions. 

The weather can be uncertain at Bukit Cinta, especially during the rainy season which is from October to April. If you can, try to visit from May to September. Either way, the experience will leave you with lovely views of the landscape. 

Now, to get the best view of Mount Agung, park your scooter or car at Bali Asli Restaurant (opens at 11:30 AM), and make your way to one of two spots. The lower viewpoint is down the hill to your right just off the side of the road between the palm trees. The higher viewpoint is up the hill (obviously), and into the long grassy field.

In both cases, watch out for critters in the grasses. We ran into a very large spider in its web, hanging out between the tall brush. We were very lucky we didn’t disturb its slumber, but we definitely could have.

Watch where you step in these areas and wear a ton of mosquito repellent. Sunrise is one of the worst times of day for these bugs and you don’t want to leave this epic experience itchy all over.

If you are still at Bukit Cinta past 7:30 AM, the traffic on the road will start to pick up. If you are doing photography near the pavement, please be careful.

Best Time to visit Bukit Cinta Bali

The best time to visit Bukit Cinta is before 6 AM to set up your gear and adjust your camera settings for sunrise. The Mount Agung sunrise viewpoint has been growing in popularity, so get there first, and make it worth the early wake-up call. 

If you just can’t get out of bed, the viewpoint is still stunning during the day and evening, you just won’t get the beautiful colours and moody mist that you see in most Instagram shots.

Looking to spend some time in East Bali? Here is where to stay in Sidemen Valley

Photography at Bukit Cinta Sunrise Viewpoint

To get the best shots of the Mount Agung viewpoint, there are two main photography spots here at Bukit Cinta.  

The lower viewpoint will get you closer to the action. The higher viewpoint will give you more grasses in the foreground for those picnic-style photos.

Of course, you will want a wide-angle lens here to capture as much as the rice fields and volcano as you can. Bump up your ISO to between 200-400 (max 600), and choose a high aperture to get the landscape crisp in the shot. There are a lot of palm leaves and grasses around to frame your shot perfectly, too.

The light changes quickly throughout the morning, so make sure to stay put for an hour to get the shot you want.

What to Bring to Bukit Cinta:
Mt Agung Viewpoint

With any attraction, it’s always a good idea to prepare and bring a few items that will make your experience better. Here are my recommendations: 

More Tropical Bali Inspiration

WHERE TO STAY IN SIDEMEN BALI | Sidemen Valley is an untouched paradise in East Bali. Here are all the best places to stay in the area.

12 TOP THINGS TO DO IN EAST BALI | Discover all the epic things to see in this region including temples, stunning viewpoints, water palaces, and more.

LAHANGAN SWEET, BALI | Located on top of a mountain overlooking Mount Agung on one side and the East Bali coastline on the other. Lahangan Sweet is a must-visit location.

TIBUMANA WATERFALL, BALI | Who can resist a picture-perfect Bali waterfall? Check out this gem located a 30-minute scooter ride from the yoga centre of Ubud 

TUKAD CEPUNG WATERFALL, BALI | A unique waterfall nestled inside a mossy cave in central Bali

SUWAT WATERFALL, BALI | Suwat waterfall is tucked away in a grotto with natural falls and an epic cave

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