What if you could enjoy travel that attempts to minimize its impact on the environment and local culture, so that it will be available for future generations, while contributing to generate income, employment, and the conservation of local ecosystems. That would be sustainable tourism, and it is 100% possible in Bali!

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Bali is beautiful island with lush, green rice paddies, beautiful beaches and a unique and complex Hindu culture. But thanks to a thriving tourism industry and Bali’s increasing dependence on it as a source of income, some areas of Bali have transformed from peaceful paradises with manageable tourist numbers, into heaving hot spots with overcrowded streets, choking traffic, a ridiculous choice of retail shops selling products none of us need, and an embarrassingly large choice of accommodation catering for all budgets.

Is The Growth Sustainable?

Many believe the current trajectory is not sustainable, with coastal erosion, water shortages, lossof agricultural land, poor waste management, and the Balinese cultural identity all under threat. But fortunately there is good news! Sustainability can go hand in hand with economic growth. There are an increasing number of local farms and tour operators that are recognizing Bali’s precious environment, agriculture, culture and way of life are under threat, and are doing their part to preserve it before it is too late.

So What Can You Do?

As avid supporters of sustainable tourism in Bali, we have put together a list of activities and tours that we love, which are responsible, local and sustainable. These are just a few:

1. Eco Tour At The Green Village

The Green Village is a master-planned community set along the rural landscape of Bali’s Ayung’s river. Everything in the houses, from the window frames to the staircases, tables, chairs, floors, and even the cabinets and the walls, are made from bamboo. The amazing craftsmanship in these homes exemplifies what is possible with the fast-growing, renewable material.

Take a tour of the village to learn more about this amazing eco project. Visit the bamboo factory and see bamboo being harvested, treated and crafted into building materials and furniture. Or stop by the Kul Kul farm to learn the art of permaculture and sustainable farming.

This is onehour and 45 minutes’ drive from Sea Shanty Villa!

2. Big Tree Farms

From less than an acre of land for potatoes in June of 2000, to over 40,000 acres as premier producer of sustainably grown crops in Indonesia, Big Tree Farms is, well,big in sustainable culture.

Besides the plethora of fruits and veggies being grown here, I personally love their amazing work with bamboo. Their entire headquarters was specially crafted, and is now being dubbed the ‘bamboo cathedral’!

Co-founder Frederick Schilling says, “Sustainability is not just agriculture; it’s not just growing organic food. Organic and sustainable are two totally different things and that’s one of the comments we make with this building. Sustainability is people; it’s planet, it’s health, it’s economy, and so it’s got to be a holistic approach.”

The Big Tree Farms’ products are made based on need and desire. If the workers themselves don’t need or won’t eat it, it’s not made. Some of the products they are making include coconut sugar, CocoHydro, Tru Ra cold processed whole plants, and cocoa.

Visit the factory and take a tour –it’s just an hour away from Jimbaran.

3. Balinese Cooking Class

Not all Balinese food may suit your tastebuds, but it’s without a doubtthat this tiny island houses some of the greatest food out there, and its tropical dishes are increasingly popular.

You can sign up for cooking classes with Bumbu Bali, an award-winning Balinese restaurant and cooking school. Classes are helmed by Heinz von Holzen, a famed chef and cookbook author. You’ll be introduced to the exotic history behind traditional Balinese dishes, shop for ingredients yourself, and even get to make popular dishes, such as fried rice, grilled chicken and lamb stew. By the time the lesson is over, you’ll be able to return to your home country with your Balinese Master Chef certificate.

It’s so close by – a quick 20-minute drive from our villa!


4. Waka Experience

Escape the bustle of Bali’s main roads and enjoy a day trip through authentic Balinese villages. Imagine being picked up by a Land Rover supplied with picnic baskets! You’ll venture through a stone quarry used for generations by the locals, and then visit an agricultural village where you can enjoy native coffee and a soft trekking through the rice fields. Afterwards, you’ll be served a Balinese lunch in a rainforest restaurant and then visit a sacred mountain sanctuary and royal temple of the Tabanan dynasty from the 11^th century!

The WakaLandCruise is about 30-minute drive from the Sea Shanty Villa.

5. Threads Of Life

An amazing fair-trade business that “works with culture and conservation to alleviate poverty in rural Indonesia”. You can watch as locals use natural dyes and materials to weave exquisite baskets and heirloom-quality textiles, oryou can take a class and learn a traditional weave for yourself!

Threads of Life work with thousands of women from 11 different islands; this helps them find their roots and revives the techniques of weaving. The use and full support of natural dyes also addresses environmental conservation.A fun, creative activity where you walk away with a souvenir that has forever impacted the lives of women throughout Bali.Go off for the day; it’s only an hour-and-a-half away, and come back to dinner made at the villa!

Keep your eyes peeled for part two of this sustainable tourism series, with five more reasons for you to be booking your next vacation to our island!

Book your next holiday through  The Sea Shanty Villa.
We will be delighted to host you in our little piece of paradise. 

Edited by Nedda Chaplin
Images from The Sea Shanty Jimbaran

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Big Tree Farms
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