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Coffee
C Bali
Culture
Famous for its volcanic
mountains, iconic beaches and WELCOME TO THE PARADISE
coral reefs, Indonesia's resort
island of Bali has topped
TripAdvisor's best destination
list for 2017. Bali is a destination that has held the world’s attention for decades, a
paradisiacal island dropped neatly into the Java Sea. With dreamy stretch-
es of coastline and rice terraces strung across gentling sloping hills, there
is certainly no shortage of reasons for visitors to travel here.
Indonesia is actually the world’s fourth largest coffee producer, and
beans are grown across the country, mainly on the islands of Java, Sumatra,
and Sulawesi. Robusta beans are the primary export, but there is a bur-
geoning push to experiment with Arabica beans as well. For the most part,
coffee served in Bali comes from one of these three destinations, but the
island has its fair share of local growers too.
The vast majority of Indonesian coffee is produced by small-scale
farms, and there is a strong market for organic blends. In Bali, production
is centered in the Kintamani highlands, nestled between two of the island’s
most sacred volcanoes, where a colder climate and heavy rainfall create
sweet, soft flavors with notes of citrus. The unique Arabica Kintamani blend
was given a Geographical Indication (GI) certification in 2008, which gives
local growers a greater claim over their land and production methods.
The Balinese coffee growing philosophy emphasizes harmony with
the landscape, so much of the island’s product is created without the help
of pesticides or other chemicals, certified organic, and free trade. Further-
more, coffee plantations are more often than not owned and operated by
local businesses, which means that buying Balinese coffee supports the
island community in a powerful way.
And however it’s made, it’s working. There are streets full of coffee
shops all across Bali—breezy, modern spaces that fill up with young trav-
elers and their laptops each morning, cozy nooks perfect for a quiet after-
noon sip, and edgy hole-in-the-walls serving up specialty brews. From
central Ubud to the rugged coasts of Uluwatu in the South, a caffeine kick
is never too far away. However, some of the most beloved, long-running
coffee spots on the island, as well as a number of exciting up and comers,
Balinese beans undergo wet are located in and around the beachy tourist hotspot of Canggu.
processing, which means that the
shell is removed first. Then, the Popular with surfers, digital nomads, and older expats alike, Canggu
beans are left to sit for at least a is one of those lucky places where you can hardly walk five minutes with-
day before being partially dried out bumping into a gorgeous cafe. While it’s nearly impossible to narrow
and sent off to market. down the dozens of options into a must-try list, here are five of Bali’s best
coffee shops and the brews that make them worth a visit.
Bali
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