Only 360€ per week!
Culture Week
Lovina - Indonesia
Culture Week
Lovina - Indonesia
Culture Week is an action packed week full of exciting adventures, cultural excursions to learn about culture and getting to know locals.
Throughout the week, you will get immersed in the local culture through language lessons, cooking classes, exploring temples, visiting rice fields, soaking yourself in Holy Water at the popular springs and much, much more!
Program
Living
Lovina
Indonesia
Program Description
During the Culture Week you will be participating in various activities. You will get acquainted with the Balinese culture, study the Balinese language and explore the northern part of Bali-Lovina and its beautiful surrounding areas. You will experience a beach-break in an exotic island. You will also challenge your cooking side in the traditional Balinese cooking class. Finally, you will make a traditional flower offering and offer your creation at one of the impressive Balinese Buddhist temples: Brahma Vihara Temple. In this temple, you will get the opportunity to immerse yourself in the Hindu-Buddhism style and pray for good luck!
Aims & Objectives
The aim and objective is to introduce to authentic Balinese culture and immerse you into it. By doing so, you will experience the best and the closest you can get to this impressive culture.
Schedule
Monday
- Village walking tour to the traditional market and the Centre of Lovina
- Learning about the traditional Balinese culture
Tuesday
- Class to learn the native language
- Class on the traditional flower offering
Wednesday
- Continuing the language class to learn more!
- Learning to cook Balinese food
Thursday
- Visit to the Brahma Vihara Buddhist temple
- Visit to the Holy Hot spring
Friday
- Project meeting to discuss about the work so far
- Visit a local school in Lovina
- The participants who engage in relaxation programs in the following week will have the afternoon free to explore Lovina on their own.
Note: This schedule can be changed and/or amended depending on weather conditions, local conditions and unforeseen circumstances.
Participant Criteria & Requirements
Standard Requirements
Minimum age: –
Maximum age: –
Minimum English level: Basic
CRB required: On Signup
Passport copy required: On Signup
Resume copy required: No
Required qualification: None
Additional Requirements
Participants below 18 are required to provide parental consent letters and participants above 65 should have the medical clearance.
Additional Equipment
No specific equipment required for this program.
Location
Lovina is a relatively new name coined in the 1950s by the late king of Buleleng (Buleleng Regency) Anak Agung Panji Tisna, with a good eye for future tourism-based development. It started with a small lodge built on his own land named Lovina. After going through a struggle of ups and downs, the community finally accepted the presence of Lovina. Nowadays the name Lovina is used for the stretch of seven traditional villages, which all slightly merge into one over ten kilometers off the main road which hugs the north coast to the west of Singaraja: Temukus, Kalibukbuk, Anturan, Pemaron, Tukad Mungga, Banyualit and Kaliasem. Kalibukbuk is the main hub of this area and is often thought of as "Lovina town center".
About the Accommodation
You will be accommodated in one of our houses in the village of Tukad Mungga. Located on the street leading to the beach, 5 minute by walk. Village life is quintessentially local and you will get a good chance to experience the typical Balinese life – roosters crowing and all!
Food Arrangements
Indonesian food is tasty and diverse and you can expect to experience a myriad of flavours and meals during your stay. Typical dishes included Mie Goreng (fried noodles and vegetables), Nasi Goreng (fried rice and vegetables) or Gado Gado (mixed vegetables with a satay sauce). For those who do not eat meat, Indonesian cooking uses a lot of tofu and tempeh (soybeans), some western dishes would also be available. Breakfasts are varied and include pancakes, fresh fruit, toast etc.
Note: No alcohol is permitted in any of our accommodations.
Facilities
ATMs: There are many ATMs in Lovina center which is about a 10 to 15-minute drive from the house.
– Personal Sim card for your mobile: You can buy one at the local shop.
Activities & Events
No scheduled activities outside the program.
Sights & Surroundings
Our houses are located in Tukad Mungga village and it will take about 10-15 minute to Lovina center.
There are several cafés and beaches in the village where you can relax and hang out after your program ends.
Shopping
There are good grocery stores in Singaraja city within a 15-minute drive, 24-hour stores and plentiful small, family-run shops where you will be able to find everything that you need from toiletries, to drinks, to sanitary and other personal items you require. If you want to eat out occasionally, there is a wide selection of restaurants with high standards of international and local cuisine. Please note, prices in tourist restaurants often include 5% service charge and 10% tax – additional tipping is appreciated but not necessary.
Swimming pools
There are several swimming pools nearby the house center about a 15-minute walk from the center that you can use. The entrance at the swimming pool costs about 3 USD.
Weekends
Since the weekends are free, you can go wherever you please. Several popular destinations are The Gili Islands, Nusa Lembongan, Ubud, Sanur, Kuta and Uluwatu. These are all easy to reach by taxi.
The Gili Islands – In these islands, you will be able to find small resorts and huts where you can relax. This location is also popular for snorkeling and diving due to its abundant marine life.
Nusa Lembongan – This is an island paradise with one of the clearest waters that you will ever see and it is also a place where you can find peace and completely relax. Surfing, diving and snorkeling are amongst the most popular activities that visitors can enjoy.
Ubud – This is an ideal location if you are expecting to walk through rice terraces and ravines. Ubud Monkey forest is also a very popular tourist destination which is sacred as it houses the Temple of Death.
Sanur – This is a stretch of beach in Southeast Bali that contains villa resorts and Zen Villas. Historically, it was used as the landing site for the Dutch invasion troops during the Dutch invasion in 1906 as well as being the entry point into Bali for the Japanese during WWII.
Kuta – This is a beach known of its surfing opportunities and party atmosphere.
Uluwatu – This is a temple built at the edge of a 70-meter high cliff at the edge of the sea and inhabited by monkeys.
Transportation
From this location we do not provide free transport to other locations.
Quick Facts
Name: Republic of Indonesia
Population: 255,461,700 (2015)
Capital: Jakarta
Language: Indonesian (official)
Currency: Indonesian rupiah (IDR)
Time zone: UTC +8
Country Information
Indonesia, a Southeast Asian nation made up of thousands of volcanic islands, is home to hundreds of ethnic groups speaking many different languages. It is known for its beaches, volcanoes and jungles sheltering elephants, tigers and Komodo dragons. On the island of Java lies Indonesia's vibrant, sprawling capital, Jakarta, and the city of Yogyakarta, known for gamelan music and traditional puppetry.
Bali
Dubbed the Island of the Gods, Bali is one of the more than 17,000 islands that make up the Indonesian archipelago. Due to its location off the coast from the mainland and unique culture and religion from the rest of the country, Bali is often treated as a destination of its own, “if you’ve only been to Bali, you’ve never been to Indonesia”.
With its pristine beaches, its unspoilt waters ideal for surfing and diving, its lush mountains, its never-ending rice terrace and volcanic hillsides, its spiritually-infused culture and more, Bali has quickly become a must-visit and it often makes its way on everyone’s bucket list.
Flores
Flores is located in the East Nusa Tenggara province of Indonesia. It has adventure, eco-tours, and mountain climbing interspersed with visits to prehistoric heritage sites, traditional villages and cultural events. It has some of the world’s most exotic marine life. And if you want to see the famous Komodo Dragons alive, this is the only place in the whole world which gives you the experience. You can visit the Komodo dragons in their natural habitats in the Komodo National Park islands. Here you will witness the natural treasures still trying to survive in their purest forms.
Flores is a multi-religious and multi-cultural island where 60% of the people are Christian, 20% Islamic and 20% Hindus and Buddhists. The holidays for Flores are similar to the general Indonesian calendar.
Flores, though one of the main islands in Indonesia, is still trying to keep up with the rest of the country. Evidently, its exceptional natural treasures need more care and its warm hearted people need more support.
Climate
Temperatures are pleasant, varying from 20-33 degrees celsius year-round. The monsoon season strikes in November and makes its way until March, bringing in humidity and a significant amount of rain. However, this usually does not stop people from visiting, as the rain usually begins in the late afternoons and evenings, meaning the daytime remains sun-filled. From June to September, the weather is dry and there is not too much humidity in the air.
Culture
Indonesia is a haven for customs and this can be seen in every corner of the islands. Not to mention the fact that these islands themselves have their own traditions and customs which are different from one another.
A good example of this can be experienced in Bali, where small offerings containing flowers, rice and even cigarettes (sesajen) are found in every house, restaurants, stalls and even at the check-in desks at airports. The offerings are set with burning incense sticks and sprinkled with holy water three times a day before every meal.
There are roughly 20,000 temples spread around the island of Bali and, because the Balinese are masters of sculpture, the temples are guarded with statues of gods and goddesses.
Keep, in mind, however, that the Hinduism you will see in Bali is often different than the one seen in India.
Transportation
By bus
Perama buses are the most famous company that will transport you around Bali and other parts of Indonesia. Another popular company is Trans Sarbagita, which are comfortable and air conditioned and stop on bus stops on road curbs. We highly recommend booking at least one day in advance to make sure there is a seat for you. Moreover, there are shuttle buses (called “Bemos”) between Bali’s most popular destinations.
By Taxi
Taxis are a common way to get around. Blue Bird/Bali Taksi are regarded as one of the most reliable companies. Taxis are metered and the drivers are often able to speak good enough English to understand you. They also have a waiting service, which means they will wait for you while you go sightseeing and take you back home (for an extra charge, of course), if you wish to.
