I’m a huge coffee freak and the aroma of a good coffee wafting through a coffee shop invigorates me like there’s no tomorrow. Whenever I travel, I do love to visit different cafes and Bali certainly has plenty of them.
Exploring Ubud, the heart of Bali and the little villages around gives you the real essence of traditional Balinese lifestyle, houses, art and culture.
The drive from Ubud market to Tegallalang Rice Terraces is breathtakingly beautiful as the road winds through lush green rice fields. The local farmers in their straw hats follow the Subak or the traditional Balinese irrigation system to cultivate rice.
There are many tempting cafes to sit and admire the view or take photos. Just laze and gaze at all the vast expanse of greenery around ….reduces stress they say. Well isn’t that why we are here in Bali…to relax and rejuvenate!
The fertile volcanic soil and the climate in the Kintamani region is perfect for coffee plantations and we went ahead to visit Bali Pulina Agro Tourism to learn about some secrets of coffee, spice and herb gardens.
I was aghast to hear why Luwak coffee is the most expensive …because its poop coffee …the ripe coffee beans are eaten by the Civets and then partly digested and pooped out.Their digestive enzymes are supposed to change the structure of proteins in the coffee beans, which removes some of the acidity to make a smoother cup of coffee. As someone aptly said “Its a shitting expensive coffee.”
Much as i love coffee, that story ain’t gonna get Mee to try a cup for sure! Would you?
A guided short tour of the plantation ended at the the open cafe or warung on stilts overlooking the rice terraces and we were served an array of lemon tea, ginger tea, ginger coffee, ginseng coffee, chocolate coffee, pure cocoa, vanilla coffee, pure Bali coffee to sample….You can order for some Luwak coffee if you wish.But I preferred to tuck in to the locally made sweet treats like fried banana fritters served with honey or a palm sugar syrup and lupis (traditional snack made of rice with brown sugar syrup and grated coconut). Be assured of such local specialities on our holidays.
After some shopping in Ubud market, it was time to head for dinner to yet another amazing cafe, an oasis on the bustling Main Road: Cafe Lotus.
As I stepped inside I could feel that the place had a mystical aura to it, maybe because it surrounds a pond of Lotuses framed by ancient lowering kamboja (magnolia) and orchids. In the middle of the pond stands the most serene temple complex of Pura Taman Saraswati.The ambience is truly magical – especially during twilight hours and in the evenings. This place just warmed the cockles of my heart !
A Balinese folklore program and delectable traditional menu makes it the most perfect location for a few drinks and dinner.
For dessert don’t forget to indulge in some artisan Gelatos at the pretty in pink shop Gelato secrets just around the corner. They take pride in their signature gelatos oozing fresh flavours of the local fruits and spices. Have you had dragonfruit cinnamon or cashew black sesame before?
What’s your flavour? Pina colada, salted butter caramel from Tejakula sea salt,chai tea, coconut pandan, passionfruit, strawberry, organic Sulawesi vanilla or durian from Sumatra ? Try one, try them all, every night in Bali.
Dr. Wanderworld 