The mere mention of Bali evokes thoughts of a paradise. It’s more than a place; it’s a mood, an aspiration, a tropical state of mind.

For guests at SUNGAI JUNGLE VILLAS, there’s often a sense of something they can’t describe – an amazing feeling of being in the jungle with its gentle forest sounds, and yet also feeling the warmth and kindness from the staff that is so inherent in Balinese culture.

Known as the rice bowl of Bali, the vast Tabanan regency is famed for its magnificent rice paddies and pristine natural scenery. Stretching along the western coastline, the area maintains the feel of the real Bali and attracts travellers looking for an off-the-beaten-path experience. Framed by picturesque black sand beaches, the coastal area also offers some impressive surf breaks.

Staying with us provides a very different perspective of this incredible island: a combination of picturesque rice fields (they still cover around 20% of the island) with dense jungle found in the interior, and yet you are just 20 minutes from the hotspot of Canggu, and the nearest beaches. The lush greenery of Bali is stunning. Huge Banyan trees thrive in villages and temple grounds; tamarind trees in the northern region; clove trees cover the highlands; and bright red flame trees, acacias and mangroves dominate the south. About a dozen species of coconut palms call Bali home, with an even larger variety of bamboo species. Bali’s interior provides a home for monkeys, civets, mousedeer, barking deer and flocks of beautiful birds. Where we are, just 20 minutes from the hotspot of Canggu and the nearest beaches, little squirrels jump from frangipani to frangipani, tiny birds frolic in the swimming pool’s wet edges and butterflies and dragonflies swoop the pools.

Village tour

You will have the opportunity to be guided by the villa’s concierge/driver MADE (or another team member) through his/our beloved village of CEPAKA.

As he wanders with you through the rice fields he will give you an overview of the farmer’s way of life and you will realise that there’s a wonderful simplicity to this rural idyll. The integrated rice-field irrigation system of Bali, Indonesia, called Subak has been awarded World Heritage Cultural Landscape status by UNESCO. It is more than a traditional, organic and efficient rice-growing method. It has been deeply ingrained since the 11th century in the Balinese culture and it includes social, water management and spiritual aspects. The Balinese Subak system is a great example of a self-sustaining farming system, which has been developed to fit perfectly the Balinese landscape and culture.

He is also sure to offer an introduction to Balinese philosophy: a love of life and nature, and harmonious coexistence. And, perhaps most important, a love of laughter.

He will take you past stone ape effigies, their hands formed in a sign of welcome, and into a compound surrounded by shrines. You will learn about the spirituality of this culture. In Bali, every house, and every building, has a temple or shrine that receives daily blessings. Small banana-leaf baskets with incense sticks and offerings are a common sight all over the island.

Forest and village sounds…

By the time your stay with us is over you will have become oblivious to the cacophony created by the local geckos, frogs, roosters and crickets…all synonymous with the real Bali and to be found all over the island.

Geckos are well-known to, and loved by, people who live in many warm regions of the world. In Bali, you will see geckos in the very best hotels and restaurants on the island as they don’t differentiate between budget and 5-star properties! Be assured they will not come near you, in fact will scurry away very fast if you approach, preferring to be on the ceilings and highest parts of the walls, hunting for insects. Unlike most lizards, geckos are usually nocturnal…you can marvel at them over your dinner as they patiently wait to catch their next meal. Occasionally during the wet season, they benefit from the sudden influx of swarming flying ants that drop their wings and die in a space of minutes, providing a veritable feast for them. The staff will race to turn lights off, especially in bedrooms, as there is no predicting their arrival. It is an amazing experience, especially when viewed for the first time. These swarms are experienced worldwide and are well known for causing short-term havoc at Wimbledon.

The Tokay Gecko species occurs in northeast India, Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh, throughout Southeast Asia, including Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia Indonesia, and to Western New Guinea. This is an introduced species in some areas outside its native range. It is established in Florida in the United States, Martinique, the islands of Belize, and possibly Hawaii. Increasing urbanisation is reducing its range. Listen to them here:

Cultural performances…

We offer our guests the opportunity to book 2 little dancing girls whose performance is especially memorable for young families. It is approx. 15 minutes in duration rather than most commercial performances that test children’s concentration spans. It takes their teacher an hour to prepare their make-up and to dress them. Also from the local village, we can arrange two gamelan players who bring a cultural touch to pre-dinner canapes/cocktails and the early part of your dinner. They are a fabulous inclusion for special occasions and final nights.

In Bali, the gamelan instruments are all kept together in a bale, a large open space with a roof over the top and several open sides. Gamelan is owned by a banjar, and all are kept there together because people believe that all the instruments belong to the community as a whole and that no one person has ownership over an instrument. The open walls allow for the music to flow out into the community during practice sessions.

Giving back…

We encourage our guests to use any spare space in their luggage to bring pencils/pens and used children’s books (to 12 years) to make a real difference to the opportunities of the village’s youngsters. During your stay, you can visit the Cepaka primary school to deliver them and your children can meet some of the local children.

VIP Airport Butler Service

Arrival:

You will be assisted through immigration, luggage collection and customs by staff of the pre-eminent Just Go To Bali Airport Services who will meet you at the earliest possible point as you exit the plane, expedite in every way possible your passage through visa in arrival, immigration, luggage collection and customs and finally will deliver you to the villas’ guest services manager and/or his assistant, who will be waiting for you with your cooled vehicle (rather than having to negotiate the crowds waiting for their hotel representatives). For USD60 per passport, I would highly recommend this special way of starting your stay with us. In the case of any issues with luggage, passports, etc it is invaluable. Of course, this cannot affect the speed of luggage but if there are issues our airport butlers are in a position to investigate and also to advise progress, including carousel changes.
The charge will be added to your villa bill to be settled at checkout.

Departure:

A similar fast-track service is available also USD60 per passport at departure which additionally allows you to arrive at the airport just 90 minutes before your flight. It will also save you lifting your luggage through security screenings, and all the tedious queuing…your airport butler will take you straight to the counter where you will join the business class line (particularly wonderful if you are flying economy). Once you have your boarding passes, he will accompany you to clear Immigration (without queuing) and finally deliver you to your boarding gate or leave you at the duty-free shops (or lounge if relevant) if you prefer.

A:    Jl. Desa Cepaka No.78, Cepaka, Kec. Kediri, Kabupaten Tabanan, Bali 82121, Indonesia
E:   Bookings
T:   +61 400233468
W:  The Jungle Villas

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