Several hotels in Bali are incorporating the word ‘eco’ into their publicity materials, but I’m aware of only two at present that are really walking the talk. There’s a lot more to that little prefix than just having a few trees around the place. Sarinbuana Eco Lodge and Udayana Eco Lodge are models of best practices for sustainable hospitality. And their locations are such that visitors can experience them both in completely different environments.
Sarinbuana Eco Lodge is located 700 metres up the slopes of Mount Batu Karu in central Bali, only 90 minutes from Kuta and Ubud. A haven for nature lovers, it boasts spectacular views of southern Bali and the mountain peak. The pure, cool mountain air is like a tonic here. The protected rainforest is just five minutes away. Activities include treks through the largest remaining wet rainforest in Bali, terraced rice fields, temples, the peak of Batu Karu, workshops taught by locals, food-forests and edible organic garden walks, wildlife observation with over 20 species of birds, hanging out with the lodge’s rescued monkeys and swimming in clean pools in the mountain stream. Guests are also welcome to discuss sustainability issues with hosts Linda and Norm vant Hoff, who built their first house in 1989 and married here in 1992.
Sarinbuana Eco Lodge has attracted some of the highest awards in the industry. It won the highest rating in the Natural Guide to Bali for Environmental & Social Awareness and Practice, the Wild Asia Responsible Tourism Awards - Best Eco Lodge in South East Asia for 2007- 2008 and the highest rating by Best Green Hotels.
The Lodge’s three hand-crafted bungalows sleep a maximum of ten people, keeping the crowd factor to the absolute minimum. Each low-impact bungalow was made from bamboo, coconut and other local timbers using mostly traditional Balinese designs, techniques and local craftsmen.
Delicious, healthy meals made with ingredients from the property’s organic gardens, which feature over 100 edible plants, are served in the open air dining room or in the rooms. Only natural products are used to clean the rooms, and locally produced natural soaps and insect repellants are offered for guest use. The gardens are designed using permaculture principles for sustainable agriculture, employing organic fertilizers and integrated pest management techniques. Fruit and other native trees are constantly being planted to encourage birds, bats and butterflies.
Energy saving light bulbs and low energy appliances help keep power consumption low. Water saving shower heads and an absence of bath tubs conserve water. Waste water is channeled into specially designed gardens -– vegetated leach fields which are productive gardens. No untreated sewage or wastewater is released into the environment. Solid waste is composted or recycled and the small residue of true wastes goes to an approved landfill.
“Being eco is not just about the room, it is about being sustainably connected to the Natural, Built and Social environments,” explains Linda, who created much of the property. “Our aim is to raise environmental awareness, to encourage and support our local community to financially benefit from eco tourism by low-impact activities, such as trekking in the rainforest and surrounding farmlands and sharing their knowledge with our guests by offering a variety of workshops.
“Our 9 permanent staff are all local and live within ten minutes of the Lodge. They receive in-house training in hospitality, eco-tourism, environmental management, first aid and English skills.” Seven villagers are also employed part time as trekking guides and masseurs.
In 2006, the van’t Hoffs facilitated a $20,000 nature protection for village projects swap from Seacology, resulting in a new community hall, temple & computers for the school and a new gamelan for the village children.
Linda and Norm share an impressive list of sustainability credentials and decades of hands-on experience. Visit their website at www.baliecolodge.com for more information.
Just ten minutes from Bali’s airport is one of our most charming small hotels, until now a well-kept secret. Udyana Eco Lodge is a delightful anachronism in this age of cookie-cutter lodgings. It reminds me a bit of an old hill station in Africa -– no surprise when I learned that Meryl Wilson, who designed it, spent her early life in Uganda.
Built on 2.8 hectares of land belonging to Udyana University, the Lodge is surrounded by a large conservation area which provides a tranquil buffer of forests, gardens and grazing land. On a clear day you can see every volcano on the island. And a gentle stroll around the grounds reveal some of the 50 species of birds and 86 species of butterflies that have been identified here.
One of Meryl’s goals in designing the Lodge was to demonstrate optimum water usage in the dry tropics, of which the Bukit is a fine example. In 1995 there was no plastic guttering available, so she made her own of wood and metal to channel rainwater into six large cisterns; there’s also a well on the property. Grey and black water are treated with an Enviroflow system which serves up to 90 people. All kitchen waste is composted and recyclables are collected by EcoBali. Of course, no chemicals are used in the lodge or the gardens. Udyana Eco Lodge achieved Green Globe certification, an internationally respected benchmark, in 2007 -– the only small hotel in Bali to have done so.
With Udyana Eco Lodge under her belt, Meryl and her husband Alan went on to open three more. (Having designed all four hotels, Meryl is now an expert on water and waste water systems.) Built to support nearby national parks by providing comfortable, sustainable accommodation, each lodge is designed for minimal environmental impact. Find details of Rimba Orangutan Eco Lodge in Kalimantan, Elephant Eco Lodge in Sumatra and Baja Komodo Eco Lodge in Flores at www.ecolodgesindonesia.com
Somewhere along the line, Meryl became interested in butterflies. Wanting to identify some of the specimens in the Udyana Lodge garden, she discovered that no comprehensive reference book on Indonesian butterflies existed. So she wrote one. After ten years of research, Meryl has become an expert on the subject. Her book, 101 Butterflies of Indonesia’s Lowlands, is illustrated with her own exquisite water colour paintings. It’s a very practical guide, showing the egg, larva, pupa and adult stage of each butterfly on one page. This is particularly fascinating if, like me, you are the type to wander around the garden looking under leaves and mulling over caterpillars. It also identifies which plants the butterflies prefer, so you can plant your garden accordingly to attract them. And it’s a comfortable size to sit with under the hibiscus with a cup of tea, identifying each butterfly as it wings past. I bought a book on the spot, right in the middle of the interview. 101 Butterflies of Indonesia’s Lowlands will be available at Gramedia or through Meryl at lodge@ecolodgesindonesia.com The launch is Saturday February 28 between 4 and 6 at Udyana Eco Lodge; call 361 701 098 for directions.
I’d like to compile a list of genuine eco lodges in Bali. Please contact me if you are aware of others.
’Dragons in the Bath’, a collection of Ibu Kat’s stories, is now available in paper back from
* Kuta : The Bali Advertiser office and Dijon
* Seminyak : Ganesha at Biku
* Ubud : Ganesha Books, KAFE, Threads of Life, Eve Body Treatment Centres
You can read all past articles of
Greenspeak at www.BaliAdvertiser.biz
