Close to the foot of the majestic and still active Mt Agung, Dukuh Sibetan villagers are only too aware of their precarious existence. When the volcano erupted in 1963, sand and rocks
blanketed the village farmlands, making a return to normal agriculture impossible. One of the few crops that were able to survive in these new conditions, however, was salak- the snake fruit, already present in the area for hundreds of years. Thus, the farmers of Dukuh Sibetan became ‘seed-savers’ and have worked to make their diversity of salak species their specialty. There are now 14 varieties of this strange fruit grown by the Dukuh Sibetan people, ten regarded as rare. The locals have developed a cottage industry making Bali’s only salak wine, sweet and surprisingly tasty! The village itself is quiet and traditional, blessed with cool, clean air and a feeling of true serenity. A stroll around the village roads offers breathtakingly beautiful vistas of mountains, palm trees, ant-like villages and in the distance, the blue ocean. Dukuh Sibetan is comprised of and surrounded by, salak gardens and forest, riddled with tiny paths. A beautiful pond, full of stories and mythology, sits at the bottom of a high cliff dripping with vines and spring water. The villagers invite you to try and feel the spirit of the place.
Tenganan VillageTenganan Village - a cultural microcosmos In and around Tenganan On the east coast of Bali, surrounded by high mountains, lies an ancient fortress village called Tenganan.
Dating back to at least the 11th century, Tenganan preserves certain ways life lost to the rest of Bali. It is regarded by the Balinese as a ‘senior’ village.The uniqueness of Tenganan is evident the moment of stepping through one of the four gates in the wall that encloses the entire the village - Tenganan has a feuding past. Grey stones pave the roads and wall off the houses, each with exactly the same layout as the next. Gentle giants, the beautiful Balinese buffalo, loiter freely in shady spots. The culture of Tenganan is similarly unique, based on a philosophy of interconnectivity. This philosophy is reflected in the design of the ‘gringsing’ weaving, practiced in only two other places in the world outside of Tenganan. Gringsing uses natural dyes painstakingly made from products collected from the forest. Around Tenganan is one of the most intact tropical forests in Bali. Tenganan’s residents have their own environmental management laws based on sustainability and the aforementioned interconnectivity. The locals explain that they actively conserve biodiversity partly because such a wide variety of plants are needed for Tenganan’s regular rituals and ceremonies. Many other local beliefs and rulings distinguish Tenganan from the rest of Bali, such as equal land rights between women and men, and the forbidding of marriage outside the village.
Kiadan Pelaga Village
In and around Kiadan Pelaga Situated 1100 meters above sea level, southeast of Mt Mangu, cool and green Kiadan Pelaga is a world away from the hustle and bustle of the coastal towns.
The vegetation here is lush, and can be seen stretching away onto distant forested mountainsides. Closest to the village, however, the earth is devoted to the village’s ‘brown gold’- coffee. Seventy percent of Kiadan Pelaga’s residents are farmers. If there is little activity on the streets, you’ll see why when you enter the ‘kebun’ – the gardens - where men and women are hard at work. The kebun are extensive and diverse. Crops are mixed and matched, but far from randomly planted. The combinations of crops are chosen strategically to eliminate the need for chemical inputs such as fertlisers and pesticides. Almost everything is organic. The coffee beans, both Arabica and Robusta droop from branches, starting green, then ripening into sunset yellows, oranges and reds. Picking the red berries is quick work, but it is just the beginning of the process. Farmers then sun-dry the coffee beans, turning them regularly. When they are dry, the beans are husked. Roasting is next, in the village ovens, and lastly grinding, releasing heady aromas which remind us what all the hard work was for. Kiadan Pelaga is surrounded by forest including native bamboo, ricefields, rivers and gorges. It offers some beautiful trekking, enhanced by the local understanding provided by your guide.
Ceningan Island
Around Ceningan Island While there might not be a great number of octopi under the sea around Ceningan Island, there is an awful lot of garden.
Or more specifically, seaweed farms. Seaweed is the mainstay of the population of Ceningan and it can be seen everywhere, spread colorfully on tarpaulins, drying in the sun. Ceningan is tucked behind the bigger, touristy island of Lembongan on Bali’s east coast. Life here is hot and relaxed. The seaweed farmers get up early to go out to sea, and rest in the heat of the early afternoon. Later, as the day cools, they go out again, and their boats can be seen crowding around their plantations, like a floating marketplace. Ceningan’s residents have had to fight for this life however. A few years ago the local government proposed to sell the island to resort developers. Only unwavering local opposition stopped the plan, a win for both the community and the environment. Ceningan is small and at certain times of the year, quite dry. Water supply is becoming an issue. Yet Ceningan is extremely pretty. Exploring the island, from the coral reef on the eastern tip to the cave of nesting swallows on the western, with lots of stops for chats with friendly locals in between, makes for a wonderful day. Note that all trips to Ceningan require at least one overnight stay due to the ferry schedules. The boat trip takes one hour from Sanur, and is a pleasant and scenic ride with the locals. Don’t wear long trousers, as you’ll have to wade on and off the boat!
