Because Balikaru is powered by local people. Our village hosts, kitchen team, gardeners and temple custodians come from Belulang around Mount Batukaru, while our office coordinators in Denpasar and our trained Bali local guides support you before, during and after your day. This page simply introduces the people behind your experience — by name and talent.
Small groups, genuine contact and local know-how at the center. Our village hosts, office team, local guides and temple custodians lead the way, so knowledge stays with the people who live it — not polished into a standard, but shared as it is: warm, skilled and safe.
That’s truly hospitality, the Balikaru way.
Our core hosts from Belulang — simple, warm and proudly local. The people who welcome you into kitchens, gardens and daily life at the foot of Mount Batukaru.
Chef, musician and born entertainer — a spice master who learned his craft in the busy south and came home to Belulang, right by the hot springs and main temple. Adi leads our cooking sessions and Jamu making with easy humor and real know-how, tuning the mood, sharing stories, and making sure guests feel both excited and completely at ease.
The good soul next door — wife of Jinggo, guardian of offerings and keeper of family recipes. Nelly guides the spiritual details with gentle precision and cooks with whatever the garden gives that morning. She’s full of practical ideas for the whole team, and her calm presence makes the kitchen, the classes, and the little rituals around Balikaru feel warm and effortless.
Quietly everywhere at once — the person who checks temple attire, readies offerings, and makes sure the day actually looks as beautiful as it feels. Puja prepares spaces at first light, notices the small details, and captures the moments in photo and video. From sarongs to schedule to smile, she keeps ceremony etiquette on point while staying respectfully in the background.
From farms and market to your plate — a neighbor with her family just behind our bamboo grove. Ryan sources what’s freshest with our market partner, knows the gardens by heart, and is a trained therapist who leads our unhurried afternoon massages. She also brews a beloved jungle tonic, and in the kitchen team she’s the steady link between local produce and simple, nourishing food.
One of our younger voices — daughter of Jinggo and Nelly, from the upper part of Belulang. Bulan cares for our two bungalows so they feel naturally cozy, lends a hand in cooking classes, and tends flowers and little touches that make the place feel lived-in and loved. She brings quiet energy and an eye for details guests remember.
Head gardener and plant whisperer — propagating, pruning and replanting to keep Balikaru and the farm thriving season by season. Selfie curates herbs and spices for the cooking school and our Jamu, and during garden walks she points out what heals, what flavors, and what’s ready today. Her work is the reason the kitchen tastes like the garden outside.
Farmer, fixer and quiet backbone — the one who keeps everything running. Jinggo knows every tree in the garden, tends our rice plots, cares for the animals and handles repairs with patient hands. When work turns to gathering, he’s the first to stack wood and light the evening grill, sharing simple, smoky food with guests beside the garden — practical, kind and always ready to help.
Early-morning steady hand — out in the garden before sunrise, gathering herbs, setting up the kitchen and lending calm support across village life. Surya helps guests settle in, guides short walks and shares small stories from the valley that make the day feel familiar. He’s not loud, just present — the kind of presence that keeps things smooth, respectful and on time.
Trail helper and trek companion — son of Nelly and Jinggo, who knows the paths around Belulang and Mount Batukaru like the back of his hand. Darma preps our wilderness picnics, carries what needs carrying, spots safe crossings and keeps an eye on everyone’s pace. He also loves framing the day on photo and video, so guests take home more than memories.
Before the road wakes, the farm is already smiling back. Thumbs up after a morning of watering and weeding; Jinggo cradles a young goose while Susan watches the gaggle by the fence. Adi wipes the mortar, Nelly checks the offerings, Selfie snips basil, Puja straightens sarongs and light, and Bulan opens the bungalow windows. It’s the simple rhythm we share with guests: what grows here becomes today’s class — warm, skilled and truly local.
Quiet care from Denpasar & Nusa Dua to Belulang. The small team that confirms cars, pick ups and timings, answers questions quickly, coordinates our experts, and drivers, and keeps little surprises in sync — so your day stays calm and personal.
Logistics orchestrator and calm problem-solver — the person who turns wishes into timings. Padma locks in cars, pickups and drivers, checks routes, weather and backups, and keeps leadership updated so decisions stay quick and clear. She’s often on the road to Belulang with partners to walk plans on site, meet guides and align handovers with the village team. Padma maps the route, Ayu keeps the conversation flowing — together they make moving parts feel simple.
Guest care and clear comms from the first message to the final drop-off. Ayu confirms pickup windows, shares what to wear and bring, notes dietary needs and special occasions, and stays reachable on WhatsApp for timely updates. She visits Belulang regularly with partners to meet the hosts and debrief face-to-face, closing the loop between office, experts and village. Where Padma shapes the schedule, Ayu keeps guests informed and at ease — same mission, complementary strengths.
The easy days start the night before: pickups confirmed, routes and weather checked, buffers added where traffic surprises. Morning brings a double-check — Padma reviews timings and driver notes while Ayu opens the WhatsApp thread for outfit tips and last-minute swaps. By late morning they’re often in Belulang for an on-site handover with partners and guides. If rain arrives, Plan B is already briefed; if checkout shifts, timing flexes without fuss. It’s quiet work that links Denpasar, Nusa Dua and the village so your day stays calm, personal and on time.
Trained locals who guide you safely and personally — reading trails, rivers and weather, and explaining living culture with context and care. Our Tours in Bali are available in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish and Russian (others on request), so guests can experience Bali in the language that feels most at home.
Mangku and cultural guide from a nearby village — a calm voice who explains purification and blessing with meaning, not show. Ardhika introduces the Beji (forest water shrine), the Campuhan (confluence), the role of a Mangku and simple etiquette: how to wear cloth, how to offer, when to be quiet. He keeps the pace gentle, answers the “why” behind each step, and makes sure every guest joins in a way that is respectful, safe and real.
Nature explainer and kitchen companion — coffee and tea on the slope, herbs and roots in the garden, then mortar and pan. July loves showing how leaves become flavor, how heat changes a paste, and why simple food tastes best when you’ve just picked it. In cooking classes and short walks he connects what grows here to what’s on today’s plate, patient and hands-on, with stories guests remember when they try the recipe at home.
Deeply rooted in village life, Nyoman threads past and present with ease — daily rituals, the calendar of ceremonies, Subak water sharing, and the way Mount Batukaru shapes the valley. He speaks about Bali Asli and later influences, not as a lecture but as living context for what you’ll see today. Clear, warm and practical, he helps guests read what’s around them — from temple courtyards to rice paths — and meet people with good manners and curiosity.
Wilderness specialist and keeper of small paths — reading clouds, river color and forest sound. Suryanartha leads small groups only, choosing shade and footing, naming trees and showing safe crossings on the mystical trail around Belulang and on Batukaru’s flanks. He carries quiet confidence: brief before you start, pace for everyone, turn back if the mountain says so. Guests finish tired in the good way — and a little more at home in the forest.
On the trail, the difference is the person beside you — trained locals who read weather, rivers and shade and explain living culture with context. Our tours in Bali run in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish and Russian (others on request), so stories land in the language you prefer. We keep small groups; for more depth, private guiding matches pace and interests — botany and herbs, gardens and coffee, temple etiquette, photo stops. Each outing starts with a safety brief and leaves time for simple questions. Personal, unhurried and practical: real knowledge, clear guidance, respectful manners — a day made for you.
Guided with care at a forest temple that is first and foremost a place of peace — where holy springs meet at the Champuhan (confluence). It’s a place of purity, yet also of simplicity and nature. We brief guests on meaning and etiquette so participation feels respectful, safe and heartfelt; simple steps — offerings, cloth, quiet — are shown gently by those who serve here. And outside the sacred area, Susan, our calm “mental mascot,” keeps the mood light at the gate.
Calm and clear, he leads purification and blessing so the ritual makes sense as well as feeling. He explains the water shrine and its prayers, the order of steps, when to offer and when to be still. Before you begin, he walks through cloth, flowers and simple manners; during the ritual he sets an easy pace and small pauses to breathe. Guests join in without pressure, understanding what they do — and why.
Calm and clear, he leads purification and blessing so the ritual makes sense as well as feeling. He explains the water shrine and its prayers, the order of steps, when to offer and when to be still. Before you begin, he walks through cloth, flowers and simple manners; during the ritual he sets an easy pace and small pauses to breathe. Guests join in without pressure, understanding what they do — and why.
Our friendly guardian at the gate — loves kids and village life, and keeps the mood light before and after visits. Susan waits outside sacred areas and never joins the ritual, out of respect for temple customs. A wag, a look, and then back to watching the path.
In the forest below Mount Batukaru and Balikaru, holy springs meet at the Campuhan (also spelling Tjampuhan), and the air slows. Our temple custodians guide a short, quiet ritual — simple steps, cloth tied without fuss, offerings prepared, phones away. The water is cool, the gestures modest, and the feeling clear: peace, respect and a gentle reset. Many guests leave lighter, as if something was rinsed clean. Inside the sacred space we move with care.
Outside, Susan waits by the gate and keeps the mood warm. A place to pause, breathe, and go on a little steadier than you arrived.
the Family 5 · No. 1
We grew up around Belulang and Mount Batukaru, where mornings start with smoke from coconut husk, wet paths through the garden and a wave from a neighbor passing by. What we share with guests isn’t a program; it’s the way our families taught us to cook, to walk, to enter a temple and to greet the day. The kitchen tastes like the garden because it is the garden — chilies, turmeric, basil, limes and leaves picked minutes before they meet the mortar. Trails are chosen by weather and shade, not by a script. And when we explain rituals, we do it as people who practice them, not as performers. Local at Heart means keeping things simple, present and true to place, so you feel you’re visiting people, not a product.
The family 5 · No. 2
You’re welcomed the way we would welcome a friend: by name, with a seat, and with small attentions that make a day feel easy. We remember birthdays and dietary wishes, we pace the schedule to leave space for quiet moments, and we help you join in without pressure — tie a simple canang, taste a leaf in the garden, or watch the rice birds over tea. Family-Hearted doesn’t mean loud or over-familiar; it means warmth with good boundaries, care without fuss, and the feeling that someone is always nearby if you need a hand. Guests tell us the best part is not a single highlight but the calm, personal rhythm that runs through the whole day.
the family 5 · No. 3
Good days have laughter in them. We grind spice pastes side by side, compare the smell of kaffir lime to basil, and see who can keep the charcoal glow steady without smoke in the eyes. In the garden we taste leaves and guess their use; on the trail we share small challenges — a stream step, a bird call, a new fruit. Lunch feels earned, simple and bright. Fun Together is not about noise or performance; it’s about being hands-on, learning by doing and feeling at home enough to try, make small mistakes and try again. Photos end up full of grins and stained fingers, and the stories travel home inside your recipes, not just your camera roll.
the family 5 · No. 4
Calm days are prepared days. Before you arrive we check weather, rivers and routes; we match the plan to the guests, not the other way around. Briefings are clear and short, etiquette is explained in simple steps, and there is always time for questions. Drivers, office and guides stay in quiet contact so timing feels natural, not rigid. If conditions change, we adjust early and without drama. Professional & Safe means you rarely notice the work beneath the surface — only that you feel informed, unhurried and able to enjoy what’s in front of you with confidence.
The Family 5 · No. 5
We do this because we love it and because it keeps our village skills alive. Farm-to-table here is not a trend; it’s a way to honor gardens, cooks and seasons. Your visit helps fund the simple things that matter locally — seedlings, waste separation, water lines, small repairs — and supports the Subak traditions that shape this valley. Passion-Led also means training young neighbors, paying fair, and letting people share what they do best without sanding off the edges that make it real. We believe care is visible in small details: a mortar warmed before the paste, a path chosen for shade, a quiet moment at the spring. That’s the work we’re proud of.
Small-scale, truly local experiences in Belulang at Mount Batukaru — cooked, guided and cared for by the people you’ve just met.
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Jl. Batukaru | Belulang Village | Mengesta | Tabanan Region | Bali
+62 81 33 7055 030
team@balikaru.com
