Bali - Day 2 Part C

Free and Easy Bali - Day 2 Itinerary 
1) Customised day tour to Bedugul and Tanah Lot
  - Taman Ayun Temple
  - Rice Terrace at Pacung (Lunch)
  - Bedugul (Bratan Lake) - Ulundanu Temple
  - Bali Botanical Garden
  - Coffee Plantation (Bali Oka Agriculture)
  - Sunset at Tanah Lot Temple
2) Fine Dining at Semiyak
3) Massage at Kuta


Bali Botanic Garden
Bali Botanical Garden also known as Kebun Raya Eka Karya is around 150 hectars. The Botanical Garden is on the highland so it will be quite cooling even if it doesn't rain. As it was raining, we only visited the sheltered areas to see cactus and orchid collection.
Unless you really love gardens and appreciate plants/nature, there is really nothing much to see there.

Cactus collection.

Cactus

Cactus and Orchid

Coffee Plantation (Bali Oka Agriculture)

We stopped over at a Coffee Plantation for the famous Kopi Luwat. Yes, the "Cat Shit" coffee.

It was raining and a bit dark, most of the servicing staffs was taking a rest while our guide still do his best to explain to us the coffee Luwat and the making process.

Taking Shelter at Coffee Drinking Hut

Kopi Luwat or civet coffee or cat shit coffee is one of the world's most expensive coffee. The civet will pick the best coffee berries and eat them.  They can only digest the fleshly pulp while the beans are not digested and being pass out.  While its in the civet stomach, there were some enzymes and some reaction such that the coffee bean yield an aromatic and less bitter coffee.

The beans were separated from the defecation, thoroughly washed and sun dried at less two times. It was then hulled and roasted into coffee bean and pounded into coffee powder.

The guide let us taste the coffee berry, there isn't much pulp and its not too sweet. The "seed" of the berry is the coffee bean.

(clockwise from bottom)
1.coffee berries that civet eat 2.Civet Defecation
 3.Coffee bean separated from the pooh 4.thoroughly washed and roasted coffee bean

Coffee Roasting

The coffee plantation offered free beverages - Coffee Ginseng, Ginger Tea, Bali Coffee, Lemon Grass Tea and Pure Bali Cocoa. The bali coffee and ginger tea was quite nice.
Kopi luwat is available for Rp. 50K (S$7+) a cup. Bali style of drinking does not use any filter, but just stirred and let the coffee powder to settle before you drink.

The coffee is good enough to drink without sugar.  It was fragrant, quite rich and smooth and is not bitter without sugar. Not really a coffee lover, doesn't really know how to appreciate this coffee which cost around S$2 per sip.