Lakwatserong Tsinelas: BALI

Bali is not solely about beaches and the night parties associated with it. The well-landscaped rice paddies is part of the picture of Bali, Indonesia, and a lot more, focusing on how to commune with nature and enjoy the picturesque view.

On one morning, we were lead to one of Bali’s famous coffee plantations and enroute is the famed walkway of a terraced rice field.

TEGALLALANG RICE TERRACES

The traditional Balinese cooperative irrigation system is depicted in the rice paddies of Tegallalang. Being on the roadside location, it has become a popular tourist attraction and a favorite spot for photo shoots. Art kiosks and cafes are lined up as well near the ledge.

Approximately five minutes north of Tegallalang Rice Terraces is the Bali Pulina. The agro-tourism landmark allows visitors to experience and witness roasting the most expensive coffee in the world and that is – sourced from a cat poop.

MORNING COFFEE AND THE CIVET CATS

Caged civet cats welcomed us as we enter the vast plantation. The expensive luwak coffee is made from the beans of coffee berries which have been eaten by the Asian Palm Civet and other related civets and then passed through its digestive tract. The beans are actually not digested as they are pooped out, collected up, cleaned, roasted and ground to be one of the most expensive coffees of the world.

The actual process was presented to us by the tour guide. And even the roasting part where some in the group tried.

I am not a morning person and seldom do I have breakfast, much more have coffee as starter for the day. But this visit was a willing exception. It feels refreshing to be seated on a suspended lodge where a panoramic landscape of rice fields and towering coconut trees surround us.

Bali Pulina does not only serve coffee as they also have my favorite – cacao bean chocolates, and other herbal plants and fruits that grows in the vicinity.

This is actually my second coffee luwak plantation experience in Bali. And like any other guided tour, it ends with a sample of a variety of drinks that the plantation offers.

And these are: the lemon tea, ginger tea, ginger coffee, ginseng coffee, chocolate coffee, pure chocolate, vanilla coffee and bali coffee.

And you guessed it right – of course my favorite is the pure chocolate. But for coffee lovers, you may definitely have a hard time choosing which ones to indulge into.