Itinerary

Departure on Day 1, Aug, 17: Most flights to Asia depart around midnight or a little after, arriving the next calendar day.

Day 2, Tues. Aug. 18: Candi Dasa Having arrived in Bali (usually about 3:15 pm), we will transfer to east Bali and our beachfront bungalows overlooking the azure Indian Ocean. Check into the hotel and unpack before our first dinner together, where we share who you are and why you decided to travel with us.

Day 3, Wed. Aug. 19: Candi Dasa BD. Good Morning and welcome to Bali!

At 7 am, the office opens and breakfast begins. Depart by minibus to our waiting boat and embark on a morning snorkeling excursion to a nearby coral reef preserve with hundreds of tropical fish: a wonderful way to fully arrive in Bali. Return to the hotel for lunch. We will have our first orientation session focusing on basic Indonesian manners and customs. Then at 3 pm, meet in the restaurant for an introduction to Balinese herbs and spices: and making bumbu, the 8 fresh and 4-5 dry spices that flavor most Balinese dishes. We will have a dinner together of nasi campur, the most common dish for the locals in Bali..

Day 4, Thurs. Aug. 20: Candi Dasa. BS Breakfast begins at 7 am, followed by a second orientation and language session focusing on the community organization (banjar) and the caste system. Our morning excursion is to the royal palace of our district, to get a sense of Dutch colonialism and its impact on Bali. Afterward, we venture on to Tirtagangga (the last Raja’s water palace) for lunch and an opportunity to dip in the pool. At 3 pm, meet in the restaurant for a workshop on the coconut, the primary product of East Bali, and a mainstay of all of Indonesia. We will watch a local expert shimmy up the hotel coconut tree, harvesting both the nut and some tender palm leaves (for offerings). Then each trip member will receive their own coconut, which is then plugged and transferred to a glass. The coconuts are then opened, when we will learn how to harvest the meat and grate the coconut. We will have grilling  briquettes, so that  everyone can cook some sate, which we will nibble on when finished.

Day 5, Fri. Aug. 21: Candi Dasa BD We all have breakfast and a final language class on bargaining, then a demonstration of how to wrap a traditional sarong. Our morning excursion is to nearby Tenganan, an aboriginal village populated by many artists, weavers (double ikat) and basket makers. We will return to Candi Dasa for lunch. Enjoy some downtime and then watch a demonstration by India Joe cooking one fish five different ways, with samples of each. Dinner is outside, under the stars—tasty and fun.

Day 6, Sat. Aug. 22: BL Transition to Ubud. After breakfast, we will check out of our hotel and travel to Ubud, stopping along the way at Bhakti Senang Hati, a social and educational NGO for about 100 disabled Balinese. It is funded mostly by serving a tasty Balinese buffet lunch to tourists, by the 20 members who reside there full-time. They lead a demonstration for us in making a traditional soup, their chicken dish and Balinese corn fritters. After lunch, we will continue on our way to Ubud and check into our hotel. The afternoon is free until the first evening dance performance.

Day 7, Sun. Aug. 23: Ubud BD Today we learn about and sample the famed Balinese Rijsttafel, as well as about one of the most important meats in Bali: Bebek be Tutu (smoked duck). Next is a morning visit to a private village home and cooked duck factory. After, we walk to Oka Wati hotel where we will see a demonstration of three ways to cook tempe and tofu (soy bean) Balinese-style. The afternoon is free to shop, return to the hotel, have body treatments or visit one of Ubud’s great art museums. In early evening, we return to Oka Wati’s for a private Rijstaffel dinner.

Day 8, Mon. Aug. 24: BL We meet at the family compound of Ibu Oka, the most famous cook on the island who makes roasted sucking pig (babi guling). We’ll observe the preparation, including the surface cleaning and stuffing. Later, we’ll adjourn to her family home for a babi guling lunch, to see what Anthony Bourdain and other celebrity chefs were raving about. Enjoy a free afternoon, then an early evening excursion to the capital city of Denpasar to explore the Kumbasari night market, the biggest in Bali.

Day 9, Tues. Aug. 25: BD After a free morning, we depart for a unique regenerative farming experience, a half-day workshop and dinner at Astungkara Way, a regenerative farming and learning center, just a short trip from Ubud.

Day 10, Wed. Aug. 26: BD Depart Ubud and travel north to volcano country; it’s also Bali’s fruit and vegetable basket, where many spices are grown. We wind our way through stunning landscapes and past Bali’s fruit and flower market. Our first stop will be the jaw-dropping Ogoh Ogoh museum in Mengwi, followed by a stop at Junglegold Chocolate Factory, where we tour the facility. Then it’s onward and upward to the market (in Bangli?), more fun shopping for fresh spices grown in the area. Finally, we will arrive in Munduk mountain village and check into our hotel. There's free time until happy hour at the Sunset Bar, and a demonstration of Balinese cake making.

Day 11, Thurs. Aug. 27:  BD In the morning we gather for a two-hour hike to Bali’s tallest waterfall, through coffee and clove plantations. Besides numerous local fruits, you are also likely to see cacao fruit, nutmeg, and vanilla beans growing before we reach the waterfall. Then there’s an afternoon cooking class where we prepare our five-course evening meal. At 4 pm at the Sunset Bar, there is another demonstration of Balinese cake making. Enjoy the sunset, followed by family-style dinner together.

Day 12, Fri. Aug. 28: BD This morning, we will go for another wonderful walk with varying terrain through small villages and rice fields to the magical and sacred Growing Rock. Return to the hotel for lunch and some down time before our next cooking class for the evening dinner—with a different menu. In the late afternoon, there’s another demonstration of Balinese cake making. Enjoy the evening dinner, family-style.

Day 13, Sat. Aug. 29: BD This morning’s excursion will take us to a local coffee processing plant; it’s a very simple home operation. Then we will visit a small village where palm sugar is tapped from trees. Both are great spots to purchase souvenirs. After lunch, we have our third and final cooking class, farewell sunset, then dinner and a performance by the village dance and acclaimed Gamelan orchestra.

Day 14, Sun. Aug. 30:  Depart for the USA. Arrive home the same calendar day.

Included:

• AAirport transfers

• 4 nights at Lotus Bungalows in Candi Dasa

• ½-day snorkeling excursion

• Workshop about herbs and spices (making them?)

• Excursion to Puri Amlapura/Tirtagangangga

• Coconut workshop 

• Excursion to Tenganan aboriginal village

• Grill night dinner

• Transfer to Ubud

• Lunch at Senanag Hati NGO (plus demo)

• 4 nights at Ubud Wana Hotel Nyuh (sp?) Kuning

• Smoked duck cooking demonstration

• Tofu/tempe cooking class

• Rijsttafel dinner:

• Babi Guling lunch and cooking demonstration

• Astunkara Way: sustainable farm-to-table workshop and dinner

• 2 performances of traditional dance

• Transfer to Munduk

• Chocolate, palm sugar and coffee processing demonstrations

• 2 walks in Munduk mountains

• 4 nights at Puri Lumbung hotel in Munduk

• 4 dinners and 3 cooking classes at Puri Lumbung hotel.

Not Included:

• Round trip airfare. Most meals, snorkeling equipment, airport transfers, laundry, tips.

Details:

Cost: $3900.00 based on two persons sharing a room with bathroom. A single supplement is available. Minimum of 8, maximum of 12.

Roommates: Single people may sign up for accommodations desired on a shared basis; roommates can be chosen from other tour members. If a roommate is unavailable, the participant will be notified of the adjusted price for a single supplement: $405.00 The number of single rooms are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Deposit: A deposit of $500 per person is due at the time of booking. Final payment is due 60 days prior to departure. Deposit, minus a $300 cancellation fee, is refundable until 60 days prior to departure, after which 5O% will be charged. No refunds will be made after departure.

Passport, Visa, and Health: A passport, valid six months from date of entry with proof of onward transportation, is required for entry into Indonesia. You will need to get a visa on arrival, with payment of a $35 fee, which is valid for 4 weeks. If you wish to stay longer, apply to the Indonesian consulate for a 2-month visa prior to arrival. Everyone participating in this trip is expected to be in good health and able to walk at least three miles unaided. Anyone testing positive for COVID will be released from the tour.