Something to do in Bali (Ubud) - Segara Windhu Coffee Plantation

Let's call this place a novelty something to do if you happen to be around Ubud in Bali.

By the way, because it is in Bali, it is by definition touristy. There are other Luwak coffee places/plantations in the area as well. Just planting an idea.

I am not a coffee drinker. But even I have read about the most expensive coffee in the world - Kopi Luwak (or civet cat coffee). The coffee that is made from coffee beans that are supposed to be super delicate after going through the digestive system of civet cats.

We got a minibus that day and we asked the driver to recommend something interesting to do. He recommended Segara Windhu Coffee Plantation. So you know, Segara is a touristy kind of place.

When we got there, we had a guide from the place. To be honest, the place is definitely not a coffee plantation. It is a place set up specifically for tourists. No different than a tourist stop like the Big Merino.

We had a little tour. Walked through a garden. Saw the coffee beans and the coffee trees/plants. Went past a place where a lady was "processing/roasting" the beans.

The highlight was seeing the civet cats. To be honest, somewhat sad. One civet cat was kept in the cage. Another civet cat was sleeping on a place nearby in open air. The civet cat stayed around because its mate was kept in the cage :( It was most interesting for the kids. We could get very close to the civet cat as well. A really gentle creature who got used to being around people I guess.

At the end of the walk, there was an open air hall with a large platform overlooking over the valley below. Really pretty sea of trees.

We had a luwak coffee tasting in the open hall. A single luwak coffee cost A$6-8 if memory serves. And we also ordered the tasting board where the coffee was infused with different flavors such as ginger, lemon grass, lemon, vanilla etc etc. The luwak coffee had a sour undertone. The different flavors were nice but nothing earth shattering unlike the first time I had bubble tea in my life Ha..... Prices ? Certainly not cheap by Bali standard but we had the super power of being the stupid tourists. Expensive by Bali standard but bearable by Australian standard.

My conclusion was drinking the luwak coffee was a been-there-done-that once in your life experience. I would imagine the different luwak places are inter-changeable. However, the highlight for me was seeing the civet cats up close.

So if you are looking for something different to do near Ubud in Bali, luwak coffee tasting is an idea.

PS... Segara is in whoop-whoop so definitely need to hire a car or Grab to get there.