BALI: Kopi Luwak, Spice, and Rice — From Land to Table
This photo essay traces a journey through Bali’s living landscape, following ingredients from their origins in the highlands to the table. It begins in the misty mountain air at Munduk Coffee plantation, in search of Kopi Luwak, the world's most prized coffee, where pandan, galangal, and lemongrass grow in abundance and cloves dry in the sun along the roadside.
From there, the story moves into the vibrant rhythm of local markets, where those same ingredients reappear alongside fragrant spices and tropical fruit at peak ripeness. In the rice terraces of Jatiluwih, the landscape opens into layered greens, ending with a simple meal at a small warung, where the rice on the plate is grown just steps away.
In Ubud, a traditional cooking lesson reveals the craft behind these flavours—coconut milk pressed by hand, and basa gede prepared with time-honoured tools. The journey concludes at Oneworld Ayurveda a lux Balinese retreat, where these local ingredients are reimagined in a refined poolside setting, ending with a delicate avocado mousse—perhaps from the very trees rooted in the surrounding hills.
Wild Luwak coffee in early stages of production. Kopi Luwak begins with civets selecting the ripest coffee cherries. After natural fermentation during digestion, the beans are collected, thoroughly cleaned, and roasted. This unusual process is believed to create a smoother, less acidic cup, contributing to its rarity and high value