Baru di Bali

Indonesia is known as the world’s third largest coffee exporter; and Bali, with its numerous coffee plantations, contributes to that title. In fact, one good way to enjoy your holiday in Bali is to spent some time on a coffee plantation. This is because coffee, just like wine and tobacco, has special charisma. The growing conditions in Bali are ideal for coffee trees, and small-scale production quickly spread in the cooler, higher altitude areas of the Island.

The highland plateau of Kintamani, between the volcanoes of Batukaru and Agung, is the main coffee growing area in Bali. Many coffee farmers on the island are members of a traditional farming system called Subak Abian, which is based on the Hindu philosophy of Tri Hita Karana. According to this philosophy, the three causes of happiness are good relations with God, other people and the environment. The Subak Abian system is ideally suited to the production of fair trade and organic coffee production.

Generally, Balinese coffee is of the Robusta variety. This is the coffee that many tourists visiting the island experience and love. In recent times, with Robusta prices falling, Arabica has been planted in several areas of the Island. Robusta and Arabica are the species grown on the island. Robusta coffee is grown on the high terraced mountainsides. Arabica is grown at lower altitudes. Some of these plantings are in commercial plantations, however the bulk are beans grown by small-holders in a number of villages saddling the volcanic peaks.

    •    Robusta is coffee species that grows in the highland and lives for many years with physical characters: grow big and high, wide leaves, small round fruits, fragrant flower, many branches and can reach 5-7 meters high from the land. Favorable land for planting is cool climate, terraced land, 700m-1000m above sea level.
    •    Arabica is productive between 5-15 years old. Physical characteristics of this species are small trunks, long and narrow leaves, the fruits are bigger than Robusta, limited and short branches, can reach 1-2.5 meters high from the land, Suitable planting area at volcanic area with cool climate between 600m-1000m above sea level.
 
Another kind of coffee to be found in Bali is Kopi Luwak. Kopi Luwak or Civet Coffee is coffee made from coffee berries which have been eaten by and passed through the digestive tract of the Asian Palm Civet and other related civets. The civets eat the berries, but the beans inside pass through their system undigested. It may be disgusting to learn that this coffee is actually a ‘product’ of the civet digesting system, but the taste of Kopi Luwak is amazing. 

It seems that tourism demands have also swarmed not only Bali’s coastal areas, but also to the cooler, higher lands of the island. Visitors can find villas and suites to delightfully enjoy the greenery views of the surrounding. Yes, sitting on the veranda sipping a cup of coffee while inhaling the fresh morning breeze is a luscious way to start a day.  

The coffee plantation tours are fascinating. The main consideration is the size of the plantation. On a small plantation the visitor is likely to see the trees harvested traditionally by hand. This experience is great for the romantic craving for the past. You will see the villagers’ activity in processing the coffee and taste a cup of Bali Coffee. 

Harvesting time is twice a year between July-August and February-March. Usually the farmers harvest their coffee when the coffee skin becomes yellow to red. The best quality coffee produced when coffee seeds taken from well mature fruits (red color skin). Delicious taste and strong aroma spread out in the air if the seed is already mature. Consult your tour operators or Explore Bali (Jl. Laksmana - Seminyak) for further information about coffee plantation tours.