We had one day off midweek on my mission trip. I knew right away what I wanted to do!!
I booked a driver and we drove over 2 hours to a tea plantation!
In Jatiluwah, at the foot of Mount Batukaru, D’Wan Tea was Bali’s first tea garden!
We drove up into the mountains to the D'Wan tea plantation.
I used Get Your Guide, getyourguide.com to get our driver. I was VERY pleased with the company and the driver. He was friendly and helpful. I would use this company again.
What people didn't tell me on line, was to get to the plantation you have to drive through the rice plantation and that cost money....think of it like going to a National Park in the states. It cost about $3-$4 a person to enter. It wasn't horrible, but it also was not expected either.
The drive was nice. As we got higher in the mountains the roads got smaller and bumpier. It reminded me of Africa...I was loving it!
Some people said on line that you need to walk up a hill to get to the house, but our driver just revved up the van and went for it!!! It was super steep but we made it.
Once up at the house we looked around while Wawan D'Wan got out tea ready.
This was a dream some true for me. I just was taking it all in.
There was tea out drying in thin baskets.
The views were incredible.
The house was very open and they had lots of seating spread around.
It is my understanding you can also stay here. He also does large classes for tea too.
Won measured tea for us.
On line we were told we would get 4 teas and friend bananas.
We got 3 teas and no bananas. However the price was only about $12 a person.
I was so excited about the tea tasting...and we did learn about the tea. However, it was more about Wawan than his tea...
We started out with a white tea.
Then moved to a green tea. I think I might have liked this one best. That surprised me, I am not a big straight green tea fan, but this was good and not super grassy.
Lastly, we did a black tea.
He asked if we wanted lunch, we said no. But, then they made it for us, so we felt guilty and ate it.
I felt a little like a bait and switch. First it was telling us we would get more tea than we got, then it was the food. However, we embraced it and went with it.
This was all part of the experience. We were in his home, his staff made us lunch and we would eat and pay for it. This was about $12 a person too.
And the food was good too. It was red rice, chicken, veggies, and tofu.
After lunch we went to see the tea and his tea drying room.
D’Wan Tea Plantation was the first tea plantation in Bali, I know I have said it before, but I find it really cool :)
Wawan has 30,000 tea plants surrounding his
home, that is also a guest house. These
plants are among all the native vegetation.
This tea
plantation is in the Jatiluwah region. He started this plantation in 2011,
bringing tea cuttings from China, Taiwan, and India.
I am just so excited to be here and get my tea picking basket to take home.
My basket was around $12 and it will be fun for me to use in my tea classes.
When I got there and I went to buy my basket, he did not seem to want to sell it. I had to remind him that he said he sell me one. And I actually one for a friend, but decided it was best not to ask for another. Even one of the guys on the trip wanted one, but his wife said, I don't think he will sell another one, lol.
This entire experience was so fun! There were funny memories made, tea items learned, and cultural experiences I will never forget.
If you get the chance to experience cultural things, embrace it. This was so unique and authentic, I just loved it.
I purchased one of his Oolong teas.
The bathroom was very rustic, but it did have running water.
I tried to watercolor my day....
Colossians 3:23 NIV
Colossians 3:23 NIV
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,