Backpacking in Indonesia

Some days ago we wanted to go to the Jatiluwih Rice Terrace near the central of Bali. The Jatiluwih Terraces are UNESCO World Heritage and really worth to see.
So we slept in Munduk, which you can good reach from Lovina (Beach,Party Place).
Munduk is a nice place, with the most photographed tempel - which is really nice (50.000 rp) - , waterfall, lakes, nice views and hikings. But its a bit colder than in Lovina, because its more mountainous, so espically at night it can be quiet cold.

İn the morning we just packed our few things. We had not much with us, because we let our baggae in Lovina where we also rented our scooter. Than it would take almost one hour to the Terraces. On our way near the rice fields, we saw a branch-of with a tag which says "Organic Farm and Café". This sounds very inviting first, because organic is always a good choice and we thought it might gave something good to buy there. Also i really wanted to drink a real, pure Coffee from İndonesia, because İ heared that the Coffee in İndonesia is very good and famous but until that, İ mostly drank that instant Coffee, which they sell most of the time.

We drove trough and a woman greeted us which also gave us a menu card. The surrounding was not a big farm, rather a garden with a few herbs, plants and they may had some vegtables. The interior was very hip, with a mordern touch of simplicity. The owner spoke quiet good english and then we took a look in the menu.
We had to know this in the beginning, this is a touri hipster place which is not fair priced.
Nevertheless we made that detour and i really wanted to try that Coffee. So İ ordered it and this was it. The prices were high, a cup of coffee (40. 000) cost me nearly 50.000 rp, because they made some extra charge for 10% service and 11% tax, which we never had to pay before. So the Coffee was not that bad, i noticed that it had a higher quality but the taste wasnt that special and not very aromatic.
All in all it was just another clever marketing trick, who sells normal organic products which other farmer also do, for a overpriced price. Just because they know how to pack it into a hipster thing. So some tourist feel comfortable to stay there, cause thats the hip, healthy Bali they imagend and believe that this is something special they doing there. Everyone can of course have his/her own attitude and taste for this but we think its not a fair or even better thing, just some good marketing. İf you willing to pay such prices or even like that kind of ambiente, it might be something for you. But I wouldn't recommand at all to go there.

Our tour goes on and we drove by a coffee plantation. On the tag stand "free tasting", we was curious to try some of the tea and coffee sorts they offered there and took a look inside.
As we passed the entry, a nice guy from the stuff came by and guided us a tour trough the coffee plantation.

Different sorts of coffee and tea

İt was quiet interessting because he showed us difftent herbs, fruits and coffee who grows there and of course the civet cats who poo out the coffee beans, which a special process of ferment is, which made it to one of the most expensive coffees in the world. The coffee beans are cleansed under fluent water to remove it from the bacteria. Then it will be dryied and then the coffee beans will be opend. Now they are roasting them for 45minutes.

Cevit cat coffee 'raw'

Cat coffee, cleaned and dryed

Roasting

Blending

At the end of the tour you will be ask to try one big cup of the serveral sorts they have or to try the Luwak coffee (50.000).
We choose the option of free tasting for every flavor their offered. Every tea and every coffee has a lot of sugar in it, which is tasty but also
falsify the orginal flavor. Some of them were very delicous!!!

If you are infront of the 'entry' of the Rice Terraces you have the option to turn right or straight ahead. It's nice when you don't go straight first, because to the right is a really nice Waterfall where you can refresh yourself.

Jatiluwih Rice Terraces

Back on our scooter for our last stop the Rice Terraces of Jatiluwih.
You have to pay entry for the Terraces. We didn't because we think nature is for everyone and everyone have the right to enjoy it. If its for a good purpose we gladly give money. But in indonesia its often not for the small people rather for the big fishes and we didnt want to support that. So we just drove by like a dumb tourist. We just greeted when they say "Heello!".
(İn indonesia it seems like they want money for everthing. Some of the indonesian make a lot of money with really overprice entryprices and also tours they offered, but that we treat in another article)
Then we came to the fields. It was quiet amazing. İt is a pleasure to see them when the sun reflecting the glassy water were the rice plants stucked in. In the terraces are a lot of hikingways through the fields which you pass by foot, bicycle or even with the scooter. İts a beautiful pictural view.

When you going along the way you may will come to a temple. İts always helpful to buy your own sarong, because espically on Bali are a hugh amount of tempels, which most of them wanted you to dress with kneehigh cloth or with a Sarong. So its good to have a scarf which you can whrap around you. Otherwise you just rent it for 15 000 or less, which dont hurt. In my opinion the tempel was very nice and magical to see. Most of the tempels on Bali are really beautiful and have a special mystic vibe.

Along your way you can take a rest from time eat some food that you have taken with you and enjoy the atmosphere.

So if you planing to go to Bali or even are in Bali, i can recommend to see the Rice Terraces.
Stuff like "organic farms" in touristic areas are often a clue for hipstermania and unreal prices.
I also recommend to do the free tasting because its really interessting and tasty!

Hope you enjoyed this article.
I would be happy if you resteem, upvote and comment if you have any questions but also i would be interessted if you have made own expierence with this topic!