Among its many assets, Dajuma has the advantage of sumptuous sunsets that can be admired, cocktail in hand, from your room or in the tropical garden. Thanks to its location on a volcanic cape facing due west, the sunsets are visible all year round without restriction. The past week has been particularly favorable from this point of view, with each evening a different kind of conflagration of the sky, very inspiring. Enjoy it!
If you haven’t seen this incredible show yet, be sure to do so the next time you visit us, because it’s so worth it. 25 km from Dajuma, in a verdant setting of rice paddies by the sea at Delod Berawah, imagine a gathering of specially bred – one should rather say pampered – buffaloes ready to compete in a race led by fearless jockeys encouraged by a joyful and colorful crowd. It is this typical tradition of West Bali that our clients Henning and Inez have chosen to discover this last Sunday. A nice souvenir of holidays to immortalize in unforgettable photos.
Part of the Merapi Mountains in East Java is the fascinating Kawah Ijen Volcano towering 2769m above sea level. It is particularly famous because many television channels have popularized its miners who directly extract sulfur from the bottom of the volcano and transport it with 50 to 70 kg on their shoulders through steep paths. Moreover, its crater lake is the largest acidic lake in the world with a strange milky turquoise color. A very interesting place easy to visit from Dajuma if you are not afraid to wake up early in the morning. Because the discovery of the breathing of the earth at sunrise, with its blue flames is just incredible. This excursion also gives us the opportunity, for those who wish, to help materially by a donation the families of miners whose life expectancy does not exceed 40 to 50 years. That’s what our hosts, the Lippay family, did a few days ago. A wonderful souvenir to bring back to Europe!
From June 8 to 18, like every 210 days, Bali celebrates Galungan and Kuningan again. 10 days to celebrate the return of the gods and ancestors to earth and the victory of good over evil. A magnificent tradition full of meaning, which makes the island even more beautiful with its processions and its “penjors” erected along the roads. So wish our staff and their families, after months of pandemic-related deprivation, a particularly happy and festive Galungan and Kuningan. As we say in Bahasa “Selamat Hari Raya Galungan and Kuningan!
This week, we had the pleasant surprise to receive a very nice message from Poland. It was sent to us by Professor of Cardiac Surgery Pawel Tomaszewscy and his wife Ewa who stayed with us for 12 nights in May. Let him do the talking: “Last night, after 28 hours of travel, we returned home with pleasure. We would like to thank you once again for a truly a truly fantastic stay at your resort, which was possible, first of all thanks to your greatest treasure – your staff. The rest is also fantastic (accommodation, food), but the people are the best part of Puri Dajuma.
I hope it will be possible in the future to visit this magical place with friends and family.”
Thank you very much, Dear Friends, for this testimony which goes straight to our hearts, especially in this period of economic recovery. We very much hope to see you again soon!
Balinese cuisine is renowned among connoisseurs for its flavors and variety. We can only understand its richness by immersing ourselves in the history of the island which has known many influences in this area. This week, our Chef Dedi invited two of our guests Mrs Howland and Mrs Utech from Australia to discover the secret of the famous Balinese Tum. Depending on your taste you can accomodate it either with chicken or sea-food finely minced and then mix with local spices and herbs called bumbu genep. The spice mixture together with the chicken or seafood is then wrapped in banana leaves and steamed or grilled. Just try it next time you visit us. It is delicious!
With its 3142 meters above sea level, the sacred Mount Agung is one of the very active volcanoes of Indonesia with 5 eruptions recorded since 2017. Indonesia thus has 77 active volcanoes of type A (i.e. with a recent history of eruptions) out of 130 in total. Climbing Mount Agung is a real challenge because its ascent from Besakhi temple requires 6 to 7 hours of sustained physical effort on difficult trails. However, this is what our client Heiko from Germany has chosen to do this week, a trek that is particularly close to his heart. Well done Heiko!
Who hasn’t dreamed one day of becoming Graham Greene or Herodotus – with the ability to transmit through writing, experiences and emotions encountered during travels around our beautiful planet?
Dajuma is fortunate to have as neighbors and close friends Mark Eveleigh and Narina Exelby who are well known for their book titled ‘Secret Bali’. They recently published ‘How to Become a Travel
Professional Writer’ which was listed among Wanderlust Magazine’s 11 Best Travel Books of 2022.
The couple, who are among the world’s most widely published freelance travel writers, were hired by National Geographic to teach a module of their travel writing experience. The feedback inspired them to create a program of writing retreats aimed at potential travel writers or anyone who would like to harness their creative instincts and explore new ways to immerse themselves culture and color in a more meaningful way.
Their first five nights retreat will take place in Puri Dajuma in November. A new experience for you not to be missed !
For more details, please see https://www.markeveleigh.com/travel-writing-retreats or via email narina.exelby@gmail.com
Dajuma is fortunate to be located on the edge of the West Bali National Park and the State Ecotourism Plantation of Pekutatan Village (1181ha). Last week we welcomed a group of 30 people who took advantage of a half-day of trekking around the plantation where they discovered rubber trees, coconut and banana trees, clove, coffee, cacao and vanilla trees. The process of making rubber was shown and explained to the group. The trek ended with a lunch at 300 m altitude with a panoramic view of the rice fields and the ocean. Not to be missed during your next stay!
Among all the activities offered by Dajuma, there are two that are particularly appreciated by our guests: the floral decoration and the Balinese dances. Both are regularly offered. For Balinese dances, the dance school of the village of Pekutatan has the habit of practicing this subtle art on our stage facing the Rama restaurant and the ocean. Our guests are invited to participate especially children but not only as shown in the photo. The other popular activity is floral decoration using mainly flowers and bamboo. The Balinese are real experts in the field, capable of making any decorative object, simply by cutting young bamboo skins mixed with fresh flowers. It is also an opportunity to get together to discuss village life and compare creations. Try it, we are sure you will love it!
