Kaura comes at you out of nowhere. After an early morning pickup, you glide past sleepy towns and through the island’s east coast overlooking the ocean, basking in the warmth of the rising sun within the comfortable confines of an air-conditioned van. And then suddenly, there is an uphill drive on zig-zag roads for a few minutes before coming to a stop at our destination.
It looks inconspicuous at first, but then you see the emerald green board with the words KAURA inscribed on it in bamboo yellow, colours sacred to this fertile landscape and its inhabitants. The undulating terrain makes the van’s front tyres get momentarily stuck at the entrance before the vehicle backs up ever so slightly and effortlessly moves into the premises of the unique village retreat.
Once visitors disembark, they are greeted by a cacophony of birds chirping, insects buzzing, and a bright green natural canvas as far as the eyes can see. Even the air here feels different, cool and fresh, entirely devoid of the PM 2.5 particulate matter that many of us city dwellers are always worried about. The cobblestone path takes you past the Community Educational Hub (where local children and women are given free English lessons every week) and to the open-air restaurant, which boasts an uninterrupted view of the valley and the Bali Sea at a distance.
Even though Kaura is currently preparing to unveil its unique accommodations options situated along the rice terraces of Manggis, a day trip to this untouched part of the island truly opens a traveller’s eyes to authentic Bali hospitality devoid of any fast-paced commercial trappings, allowing them to soak up their gorgeous surrounding and culture at its finest.
The endless possibilities are the best part of an excursion to this unexplored part of Bali. Whether you want to relax all day by the infinity pool and enjoy spa services, go on a village walk, trek up to a waterfall, cycle to the breathtaking Virgin Beach or take a cooking class to learn more about the high-quality, seasonal and organic local produce and how it is used to create authentic and regional farm-to-table dishes at Kaura’s restaurant, our community-led experiences enable tourists to experience village immersion in the most intimate, warm setting while also ensuring that the residents of Manggis economically benefit from their visit.
When it is time to depart this rare and beautiful setting, the villagers of Manggis would have already made an impression in your mind and heart with their generosity and utmost respect and reverence for their land and the bounty it yields them. It’s one thing to buy organic rice, vegetables, honey or coconut oil off the racks of a supermarket, it is a completely different feeling to see them being grown, nurtured and harvested by expert individuals whose livelihood is shaped by the soil they were born and live on.
Instead of mindlessly ticking off attractions like items on a to-do list, can travel be a truly life-affirming and altering experience exposing one to our shared humanity and our collective responsibility to the environment? When it comes to Kaura, the answer is a resounding Y-E-S.
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