Beyond Bali’s famous beaches and mountain hikes lies a lesser-known yet deeply enriching experience — a visit to its traditional coffee plantations. Nestled mostly in the lush highlands of Kintamani, these plantations offer more than just a cup of coffee. They offer a journey — one that takes you deep into the roots of Balinese culture, agriculture, and the ancient art of coffee-making.

Your visit usually begins with a peaceful walk through rows of coffee trees, surrounded by fresh mountain air and panoramic views of the volcanoes. Guides — often local farmers themselves — explain how the coffee cherries are handpicked only when fully ripe, often in the early mornings during harvest season.

Once harvested, the coffee undergoes a careful multi-step process:

1. Fermentation & Washing:
   The outer pulp is removed, and the beans are soaked in water to ferment. This helps remove the mucilage (the sticky layer), which gives the coffee a cleaner, brighter taste.

2. Drying:
   Beans are then laid out under the sun for several days, often on large woven mats or bamboo trays. This slow drying method preserves the rich, earthy flavors unique to Balinese coffee.

3. Hulling & Sorting:
   After drying, the beans go through hulling — removing the final layer of skin. Then, farmers manually sort the beans, selecting only the best-quality ones for roasting.

4. Roasting:
   One of the highlights of the tour is witnessing the traditional roasting process, done over open wood fires using simple iron pans. The aroma fills the air as beans slowly turn dark brown, crackling to life with each turn.

5. Grinding & Brewing:
   The roasted beans are then ground using a traditional stone grinder or modern machines, and finally brewed — often using the classic “kopi tubruk” style: strong, unfiltered Balinese coffee served hot and black.

Guests are invited to taste a wide variety of blends, including Arabica, Robusta, coconut coffee, ginseng, and of course, Bali’s famous Luwak coffee — made from beans that have passed through the digestive system of the civet cat and roasted to perfection.

But this isn’t just about taste — it’s about connection. You learn how much care goes into each cup, how generations of farmers protect this heritage, and how coffee here is more than a product — it’s a symbol of community, resilience, and tradition.

Many plantations offer scenic cafes where you can sip your favorite blend while gazing at Mount Batur or the surrounding jungle. Before you leave, don’t forget to pick up freshly packed beans or herbal tea blends to bring a piece of Bali’s essence home with you.