Paradise cost

Among its programmes, Begawan promotes a return to growing Bali’s heritage rice with regenerative methods designed to rejuvenate soil quality. Despite rice paddy planting beginning only last year, there’s a clear appetite for this approach. “Trust is gained, not given,” says Dewi. “We started with one farmer and less than a hectare.” By the fourth cycle in August, the project spanned five farmers and two hectares. Demand is already high among luxury hotels like The Legian Seminyak and Potato Head, which serve traditional Balinese dishes made with Begawan rice, providing farmers with a stable income – and visitors with a taste of the land.

Guests staying in one of the six villas at Desa Hay in Canggu might notice slippers made from coconut husks, no plastic amenities, and air conditioning that turns off when the doors to the private garden are opened. But what they won’t see are the 100 energy efficient solar panels that power the hotel, the recharge wells and wastewater processing, the recycling and composting of waste, and the sponsorship of local NGOs.

“It is about being involved and sharing our sustainability vision whenever and wherever we can,” says general manager Yohanes Barlianto, an advocate for greener hospitality and a regular participant of industry panels and government meetings on creating a premium yet eco-friendly experience for guests.

The Potato Head group was the first to tackle sustainable hospitality head-on. Owner Ronald Akili’s philosophy around sustainability spans not just the environment but also sustaining culture and community for generations to come. “Mass tourism has been so destructive, and has taken away so much from certain destinations – but it has the potential to be something positive,” he says. “If we don’t change how we do things now, the next generation won’t have anything left.”