What exactly is an Eco Resort?

Recently we stayed at Bali Eco Stay, an amazing eco resort in Bali tucked away in an area far off the typical tourist trail. We stayed there 8 years ago for our honeymoon and were so excited to come back for a second stay with our kids and mother in law in tow. 

This place has had a place in our heart since we first stayed there. Not only for the gorgeous setting and amazing hospitality, but also for how much they care about the land and community. The property is run by westerners, but all staff who work there are from the local villages and actually own the resort itself. They were all so welcoming to us, and even invited us to a ceremony happening in their village and dressed us in appropriate ceremony wear. 

The food was all grown on site in the permaculture gardens. It was fun to stroll through and see where our food came from. I think it is so good for kids to see this as well. As a bonus, there is a massive swing anyone can use for a dramatic view of the gardens.

The swimming pool isn’t your typical swimming pool. There are a few options for a cool dip. Bali Eco Stay has its own waterfall where you can swim around at the bottom and enjoy a brisk shower from above! If that is too much of an adventure for you, they’ve also created a 25 meter lap pool in one of the streams, which our kids loved.

There is a local grandfather who comes in to to teach classes such as kite making and wood carving – I definitely want to do this next time we go. We also loved taking a cooking class and learning how to grind spice pastes together by hand to create the unique tastes in Indonesian and Balinese cooking. 

Staying at a resort like this isn’t for everyone. There is no air conditioning and very little in the way of walls. I found it more than cool enough to sleep but the noises from the nature surrounding you can be quite loud at night. There were also a lot of ants. The resort has done their best to mitigate this issue by offering air tight containers for food and reminding you to shower after massage since the ants love the coconut oil they use (my husband didn’t get this memo and woke up with many ant bites…) 

10 things we appreciated about staying at an eco resort:

1. Open air with cool breezes – no need for air conditioning.
2. They are involved and invested in the local community.
3. They grow their own food.
4. They only serve food grown on site.
5. The bathrooms have special soaps that don’t harm the waste water gardens.
6. The drinking water comes from their own natural spring.
7. No swimming pool. Take a dip in the natural swimming hole.
8. Most of the power comes from the on site waterfall.
9. There is a private waterfall
10. You leave appreciating and feeling closer to nature than you have in awhile

Does this sound like a place you would stay? What appeals about it to you or what turns you off?