A Journey to Buana Ecofarm

Want to take a break away from the hustle and bustle of Kuta beach?  Chill out in the Buana Ecofarm.

Bali offers a kaleidoscope of places to go and things to do – from beaches to volcanic mountains, from super luxurious six-star hotels to simple boutique abodes, from pulsating and overcrowded town of Kuta to the artistic enclave of Ubud.  You can add to this list – a tranquil and ecologically conscious hideout far from the maddening crowd of Kuta.

My wife and I visited the Buana Ecofarm in November of 2019. We thoroughly enjoyed the nature and serenity the place had to offer.  It is ideal for family, couples, or larger groups looking for retreat centres.

Located in the northwest corner of Bali island – a four hours drive from Denpasar and two hours from Banyuwangi airport in East Java – is the Buana Ecofarm. The drive to the resort   itself was a journey in discovery of Bali – passing idyllic villages and rice terraces, climbing up winding roads overlooking mountains and ravines. Along the way, we broke journey in market towns to purchase local fruits, and savored Bali’s famous coffee Banyuatis at a tastefully designed restaurant in Munduk village, with a breathtaking view of the surrounding mountains and valleys. After descending the mountains, we drove along the norther coast of the island for 45 kilometres for about 60 minutes to reach the resort near the town of Sanggalangit.

We approached and entered the resort, sitting on 1 hectare of land, through an orchard populated with tropical and local fruit tress – such as guava, banana, mango, jack fruits, longan, orange, rambutan, dragon fruits, etc.  On the right of the entrance path is a pond where you can catch your own fish and have it cooked and served for lunch or dinner, and a raised dais where you can practice your early morning yoga or tai chi. The resort has 6 cottages of different sizes. The largest is the Griya Gayatri, a Javanese traditional wooden house or known as Limasan Jawa in local language. This can accommodate up to 10 guests. The other smaller cottages are Griya Nirmala , Griya Lakhsmi, Griya Anika, Griya Kala and Griya Hutama. Some of the cottages are old Javanese wooden houses from Central Java that have been dismantled, shipped across and reassembled on site. You step into history when you enter some of the cottages. For example, the Griya Gayatri was built in 1964 and originally owned by the head of village in Central Java. The cottage made of teak wood are still very good condition. Opposite the Gayatri is a row of three separate rooms. We stayed in one of the rooms. There is a larger single cottage ideal for honey mooners, the Griya Lakhsmi. It has a king-size four poster bed, large living room with beautiful mountain view . There is a 12 x 6 meter pool in the middle of the resort for guests to laze around and cool down on a hot day with coconuts plucked from trees in the farm.

The owner believes in blending in with local people and building up the local economy. All or most staff members are hired from the surrounding villages. Balinese are famed for their warm hospitality and we were treated like members of the household on this farm. They can cook and serve you fresh produce from the farm to your taste. For those who like wine, you can get good Balinese wine from the Hatten vineyard located just before you enter Buana.

Our stay in Ecofarm was refreshing and energizing at the same time. We look forward to visiting it again.

Dr. and Mrs Lim Mah Hui

Penang, Malaysia

Formerly a professor and banker in the US and several countries in Asia including Indonesia.

Now an author and conference speaker. Lives in Penang, Malaysia