Kaura comes at you out of nowhere. After an early morning pickup, you glide past sleepy towns and through the island’s east coast overlooking the ocean, basking in the warmth of the rising sun within the comfortable confines of an air-conditioned van. And then suddenly, there is an uphill drive on zig-zag roads for a few minutes before coming to a stop at our destination.
It looks inconspicuous at first, but then you see the emerald green board with the words KAURA inscribed on it in bamboo yellow, colours sacred to this fertile landscape and its inhabitants. The undulating terrain makes the van’s front tyres get momentarily stuck at the entrance before the vehicle backs up ever so slightly and effortlessly moves into the premises of the unique village retreat.
Once visitors disembark, they are greeted by a cacophony of birds chirping, insects buzzing, and a bright green natural canvas as far as the eyes can see. Even the air here feels different, cool and fresh, entirely devoid of the PM 2.5 particulate matter that many of us city dwellers are always worried about. The cobblestone path takes you past the Community Educational Hub (where local children and women are given free English lessons every week) and to the open-air restaurant, which boasts an uninterrupted view of the valley and the Bali Sea at a distance.
