Tours Archives

NEW BUFFALO RACE EVENT

21 October 2019/in Culture, Jembrana, News, Tours, West Bali

Would you like to live an amazing experience with Dajuma? It is about the famous buffalo races called Mekepung, typical of West Bali. Jembrana and some other areas in Bali try to develop tourism from their village potential attractions. This is what the community do in Manistutu Village (one of the village in West Bali, Jembrana). They decided to promote a new version of Mekepung called Mekepung Lampit, where the race takes place not on a special track made of sand but in the mud, in the rice field exactly. It aims to show that Mekepung was originally inspired by the farmer activity in the rice field. This new event is planned to be held regularly next year.
We already announced the 2019 schedule in our February post. Since then, 2 major competitions took place. The last one will be on November 17th, crowned by the Jembrana Regent’s Cup. Imagine a circular 500 meters circuit in the middle of the rice fields where especially trained buffalos are driven by local farmers riding traditional wooden ploughs just slightly modified. Each event last around 5 hours from the preparation up to the bathing of the buffalos in the sea (or river) after the competition. This is what is shown on the picture where our guests, family Cummings from the USA, shared this rare moment with the local villagers. The next season will start in the middle of July 2020 but in between, there will be some training sessions. Welcome anytime!

WELCOME AGAIN DEAR VALRHONA!

9 September 2019/in Jembrana, News, People, Tours, West Bali

This year again, we had the pleasure of welcoming at the beginning of September, 3 groups of the famous french chocolatier Valrhona bringing together chocolate masters from the Asia-Pacific region. Aimed at exchanging experiences and recipes and visiting their cacao producers of West Bali, the gathering was also the opportunity to spend some good time at Dajuma and practice some activities such as massages, stand-up paddle and surfing. They also invited the representatives of the cacao farmers to come and taste the delicious chocolate creations made from the West Bali cacao, particularly some chocolate mousses. Everybody was so happy.

MAKEPUNG: THE AMAZING BUFFALO RACES OF WEST BALI

29 July 2019/in Culture, Jembrana, News, Tours, West Bali

Sunday, July 28th, particularly appreciated by our guests, was the second championship of Makepung (Buffalo Race) of this season (the first was held on July 14th). Makepung races become a tradition for Jembrana, the regency of West Bali. There are some unique facts behind it: 1) Only selected Buffalos which are strong and healthy can participate. They get special training and care by the owner such as special herbs drinks (Jamu). Buffaloes cannot be used to plow ricefields or other activities, 2) Championship or training cannot be held on full moon or new moon, 3) A special ceremony for the buffaloes is held before the championship, 4) The winner is not determined by the participant who reaches the finish line the fastest but by the distance that was successfully made.
A unique event not to be missed next time you visit us!

SECRET BALI: A NEW GUIDE LIKE NO OTHER…

8 July 2019/in Bali, News, People, Tours

Dajuma has the privilege to be neighbours of Mark and Narina, a dynamic couple of modern adventurers, lovers without moderation of people, culture and nature.
After a successful career in South Africa as writer, editor and photographer, Narina decided in 2012 to roam the world with Mark, exploring wherever their work takes them. She has contributed to titles including Men’s Health, The Telegraph, Fodor’s, The Guardian, High Life, CNN, Marie Claire, South China Morning Post, Getaway, Grazia and Discovery.
As freelance journalist, Mark has been travelling the world on various assignments for more than 80 titles, including BBC Wildlife, BBC Earth, Esquire, Geographical, The Guardian, CNN Traveller, Sunday Times, CNN Travel, BBC Travel and Travel Africa.
Based on their extensive experience in Bali, they have just released an exciting guide intitled Secret Bali in both languages English and French, which is readable like a novel. For those of you who already know Bali, you will be very surprised by the numbers of hidden gems, both natural and cultural, they still discovered. And for those who don’t know Bali at all, this book is just perfect to discover, off the beaten tracks, the unique atmosphere of the Island of the Gods.
Thank you Narina and Mark for your outstanding contribution.
www.narinaexelby.com and www.markeveleigh.com

DAJUMA ECO-TOURISM TOUR

17 June 2019/in Dajuma, News, Tours, West Bali

Close to Dajuma, is the State Plantation of Pulukan which is one of the preferred eco-tours of our guests. Imagine a huge 1200 ha area planted with all sorts of trees: coconut, coffee, cacao, clove trees, and the most popular, rubber trees from which the sap is extracted and treated on site in a workshop.
Our guests enjoy this 4 hours tour by 4WD jeep and by foot. It ends on top of the plantation by a revigorating lunch with a breathtaking view of the ocean. On the picture, Jeremie and Vanina from France with their guides Mertha and Sumawa, were offered rubber bracelets which present this astonishing property to automatically solder when you join their extremities. A small souvenir of a great moment of sharing with Mother Nature!

THE SEASON OF OLIVE RIDLEY SEA-TURTLE LAYING EGG

29 April 2019/in Beach, Eco-Resort, Nature, News, Tours, West Bali

From April to November, we are lucky to see each year the laying of sea turtles on the beaches surrounding Dajuma. The eggs are quickly brought to the sea turtle conservatory in Perancak that we support for years. After 50 to 70 days the eggs hatch in a protected place, giving birth to baby turtles. Our customers and especially children are always very excited to follow the process until the birth of baby turtles. And what an emotion when you take into your hands these beings still so fragile to put them to sea safely!

LAUNCH OF THE 2019 SEASON OF BUFFALO RACES

18 February 2019/in Culture, Jembrana, News, Tours, West Bali

The competition calendar of this picturesque attraction of West Bali has just been published by the authorities of the regency of Jembrana. Called Makepung, the buffalo races take place in the rice fields on a course of about 500 m. Hundreds of pairs of buffaloes are teamed up together with their jockeys who ride the traditional wooden ploughs that are slightly modified for the competition. The Makepung races usually start early mornings at 07:30 with dozens of pairs of buffaloes participating. Another hundred or so take part in the ‘fashion’ parade. The races last for five hours, with the buffaloes divided into three racing divisions. This year they lead up to 3 finals, known as the Governor Cup (14 Jul 2019), the Bupati Cup (22 Sept 2019) and finally the Jembrana Regent’s Cup (17 Nov 2019).
Our guests love participating in these events because it is a rare moment of sharing with the local villagers and farmers. The bath of the buffaloes in the sea after the competition is really something to see. A unique opportunity to take very nice pictures.

PLANTING A THOUSAND TREES

28 January 2019/in Dajuma, Jembrana, News, People, Tours, West Bali

Last Friday, our guests (Anna and Robert from the Netherlands) had a great experience with the villagers surrounding Dajuma. The Police in Jembrana Regency together with the authorities of Pekutatan sub-district held an event entitled “Planting a Thousand Trees”, to regenerate forests, keep the sustainability of the forests for the next generations and to prevent the disasters (floods, landslides and droughts). It took place in the forest around Pulukan Village. Authorities invited the representatives from all institutions in the whole Pekutatan sub-districts (students, medical personnel, army, villagers from each village in Pekutatan territory) as well as representatives of tourism industry. We invited our guests to join in the event and they were very excited to be involved. After finished the program we walked along the village, Anna and Robert were very happy to see the real life of Balinese village.

DAJUMA OUTING 2018

3 December 2018/in Dajuma, News, Tours, West Bali

It is now a tradition, Dajuma family had the pleasure to discover Bromo and the city of Surabaya on the occasion of their biannual outing.
3 days vacation dedicated to the discovery of one of the most beautiful sites in the world, the famous caldera of the Bromo volcano and the second city of Indonesia often cited as the economic capital city of the country. Split into two groups of approximately 25 people, they left around 6 p.m., to reach Bromo on sunrise. For most of our staff, this journey was for the first time in their life. Needless to say that the spectacular landscape of Bromo will be kept in their heart for ever. Another 3 hours drive in the comfortable bus especially chartered on this occasion and they reached the hectic and exciting Surabaya where the main monuments and attractions were visited the next days. Everybody came back safely with a large smile on their faces!

NEW CYCLING TOUR “TEMBLES”

29 October 2018/in Dajuma, News, Tours, West Bali

Is there anything more authentic than discovering a new place by cycling? At Dajuma we encourage as much as possible this way of visiting our area where, behind each curve of the small roads, there is something ubuffanbuffaique to discover. Let’s take an example with our brand new tour called “Tembles Discovery”. You start from Dajuma around 8 a.m. in our adventure jeep, the bicycles in the back. After 30 mn drive you reach a traditional Balinese village called Tembles which is the starting point of your cycling tour along the rice fields. You will visit the House of Jegog (traditional music from West Bali), the village primary school, the traditional market and the very holy Rambut Siwi Temple at the end. You are back at Dajuma around 12, ready for the lunch.