Except of amazing temples, wild nature, monkeys or breath taking marine live, Bali is important for coffee growing, as well. The coffee from Bali is not as popular as coffee from Brazil, but the quality is comparable. Suitable climate and rich soil makes Bali the ideal place for growing different plants like rice, sugar, cacao or already mentioned coffee. During my travels around Bali, I have visited coffee plantage near Ubud town. More about why right Bali has rich soil for coffee growing and why all farmers from Indonesia come here, read in this Bali blog. Did you know, that Bali is proud producer of Luwak coffee? Bali holiday will not please your eyes only, but tongue too.

Bali Luwak coffee

Luwak coffee comes from Indonesia, which is well known for its ideal environment and climate for coffee growing. In Indonesia lives an animal called Paradoxurus, more known as Luwak. Luwaks live on the trees and one of their favorite food are red coffee beans. These coffee beans are fermenting in their digestive system and then gets out in the normal way (poop). Thanks to this fermentation are these beans very soft and the coffee from them is very strong, with taste of chocolate or caramel. Beans are collected by farmers from the forest ground.

cacao beans

Coffee plantages in Bali

Coffee tasting in Bali was very unique experience for me while traveling around Bali. There are plenty of coffee plantages around the island and it is up to you, where to go. Our driver took us to one he picked, while traveling around Bali. During this coffee tasting in Bali we had guided tour with local and I have learned much about coffee production and figured out why is Bali great place for farmers. It is caused by the Kintamani volcano in the national park. Thanks to volcano ash, the soil in Bali and especially around the volcano is rich and moist. The vegetation around the volcano is very booming and when someone says „rain forest“ I imagine Kintamani area. Thanks to Kintamani and equator climate, Bali is perfect place for coffee growing, bananas, coconuts and for cacao, too.

What I liked about coffee tasting in Bali

• information rich guided tour

• our personal guide around plantage

• very good English of the guide

• we were there alone, since it was off season

• the coffee tasting was for free

• I tasted nine kinds of coffee (vanilla one was the best)

• I got dry fruit with coffee

• awesome forest view from the shelter, where I was tasting coffee

• I saw Luwak and cacao on the tree

• I saw, how coffee was roasted

• I had enough time to enjoy all kinds of coffee

What I did not like about Bali coffee tasting

• Luwak coffee was expensive and was not included

• coffee plantages are out of civilization, you need car to get there

• the guided tour was very short

• coffee roasting was not real, only pretended

The exhibition of coffee plantage itself was very rich on information, sometimes I did not understand everything, because the English of our guide was on very high level. As we were walking through the coffee plantage in Bali, we were passing a girl, who was roasting coffee in front of us. On the way back, we only saw her chair and cold pan – so the coffee roasting was only pretended for us. If you have already seen all temples and tried diving in Bali too, stop by in one of the local coffee plantages and see Luwaks, see how the coffee is roasted and try different kinds of coffee. Do not forget to tip the guide or buy coffee, which you liked while tasting.

Milan Bardun – bringing the world to your homes since 2013