In Reply to: accom posted by balifrog on Sunday, 5. September 2010 at 15:41 Bali Time:
called Ngis (about 15km north of Tabanan, lovely rice growing area) at least three times now. First time was Nyepi, did the melasti (cleansing ceremony at the beach just before Nyepi with the whole village), we drove down in trucks/vehicles in the pre-dawn morning), then other visits have been during galungan ceremonial time as well.
You must be prepared for clean but basic accommodation, no air con (you actually need a light weight jumper if you get up early in the morning) I decided to fully embrace village life and would be up at 6 am and wander down to the little morning warungs with the local ladies doing their daily purchases of tiny parcels of food provisions for the day, then help with preparing the food with Mem Emi, a lovely 70 yr old lady in her wood fire kitchen, steaming the rice over the fire, sitting on a little wooden bench chopping the shallots, garlics, chillis and drinking local home made bali kopi (coffee).
Observing and joining in with everyday life in a family compound, so interesting and made very welcome. I stayed with a rice farming family, with traditional toilet and mandi (scoop type washing) but if you stay in the home of the program co-ordinator, I think the bathroom you have has a western bathroom and toilet. The food is delicious, all made fresh by the co-ordinator's wife, all balinese food and a good selection of dishes and if you want to learn how to cook balinese that's included as well.
The co-ordinator Wayan can organise what program you would like to do, sight seeing, or joining in with local ceremonies, visit the village school etc. Nowadays I usually go cycling around either by myself or joined by pekak (grandfather) we'll pick a place to cycle to, and off we will go for the day, eating lunch at local warungs. There is also the local hot springs which is very relaxing.
It is a wonderful way to gain an insight into balinese lifestyle and culture, and they certainly are open to visitors who are interested in this type of stay, it is not a bed and breakfast one night stay arrangement, and you need to be prepared to be looked after with wonderful home hospitality, but do not expect a swimming pool (there are irrigation channels for a quick dip if you get too hot) or bar service (BYO or I think one of the village warungs does sell Bintang).
I'll be there again 1st week November and will do JBR for you.