Only 360€ per week!
Culture Week
Pejeng (Ubud) - Indonesia
Culture Week
Pejeng (Ubud) - Indonesia
Get ready for an action packed week full of exciting adventures, cultural excursions to learn about Balinese culture and getting to know the rest of the group!
Throughout the week, you will get to learn the basics of Balinese language, explore Ubud and its surrounding areas, learn how to do a Balinese Batik painting and finally immerse in the Balinese culture by receiving a real exposure.
Program
Living
Pejeng (Ubud)
Indonesia
Program Description
Indonesia is one of the most interesting countries in the world for cultural learning and experiences. Bali is renowned for its diverse and sophisticated art forms, such as painting, sculpture, woodcarving, handcrafts, and performing arts. Bali boasts one of the most diverse and innovative performing arts cultures in the world, with paid performances at thousands of temple festivals, private ceremonies and public shows. Culture Week is packed full of exciting adventures, cultural excursions and interactions. It includes language lessons, visits to various temples around Bali, a walking tour of Ubud and the famous Monkey street, local art and cooking classes, traditional dance shows and flower arranging classes.
During the Culture Week, you will be participating in various activities and will get acquainted with the Balinese culture, study the Balinese language and explore Ubud and its beautiful surrounding areas. Through this week you will experience a traditional Balinese show and challenge your artistic and creative side through traditional Batik Painting and also try out your skills as a cook with a traditional Balinese cooking class. Finally, you will make a traditional flower offering and offer your creation at one of the most impressive Balinese temples: The Holy Tirta Empul Temple. At this temple, you will also have the opportunity to immerse yourself in Holy Water and pray for good luck.
Aims & Objectives
To introduce you to the 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
On Monday, you will have breakfast and then get an introduction to the Bali traditions and culture. Then you will go on a walking tour of the popular Monkey street and Ubud market. After the visit, you will have lunch and then join a class on introduction to Balinese culture. You will then have an early dinner and leave to witness the traditional Balinese dance show.
Tuesday
8.00 Breakfast
9:30 Balinese Language Class
12:00 Lunch
14:00 Village Walking tour (Visit rice terrace, an art village and beauty hills by walking)
17:30 Dinner
Wednesday
8:00 Breakfast
9:30 Balinese Language Class
12:00 Lunch
13.00 Batik painting class
17:30 Dinner
Thursday
8:00 Breakfast
09:30 Cooking class
12:00 Lunch
14:00 Balinese flower offering Class
18:30 Welcome and Goodbye dinner
Friday
8:00 Breakfast
9:00 Spiritual Tour: we go to visit the famous temple " PuraTirtaEmpul " the holy water temple and you can enjoy a shower with the Holy Water(Late Lunch at the house /Possible to get some snack or drink in the temple)
13.00 Lunch
15.00 Project meeting
17:30 Dinner
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
You will be accommodated in one of our houses in the village of Pejeng Kaja. Located on the outskirts of Ubud, village life is quintessentially local here and you will get a good chance to see typical Balinese life – roosters crowing and all!
About the Accommodation
The accommodation is located in Pejeng Kaja which has shared rooms for participants including all facilities as well as enough space for them to interact and enjoy their time in Bali. There are two centers in Pejeng which are specially furnished for the participants’ accommodation namely Santi Rahayu and Melati.
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. Tea, coffee and purified water are available at the house. We do not recommend drinking tap water.
Facilities
Our houses are located in Pejeng village and it will take about 15-30 minutes by car to reach the center of Ubud depending on the traffic.
There are grocery shops in the village and 24 hours mini-marts are available in Ubud center.
Shopping
There are small local shops which will take 5-10 minutes by a walk where you will be able to find everything that you need.
Restaurants and Cafes
If you want to eat out occasionally, there is a wide selection of restaurants with high standards of both international and local cuisine. There are several cafes in the village, where you can relax and hang out with other participants in your spare time. It takes about 5 minutes by car or 20 minutes by walk to the center of the village.
Swimming Pools
Our swimming pool can be reached in 10 minutes by walk and is available for all the participants. There is a juice bar at the swimming pool where you can buy meals, snacks and drinks.
Gym
There are several gyms around Ubud area.
Clinic and Hospital
The clinic UPT Kesmas is open 24 hours, is located in Tampaksiring about 4 km away. It takes about 10 minutes by car and the hospital Ari Canti hospital Rumah Sakit is about 8 km from the center and it takes 15 minutes by car to reach there.
Activities & Events
No scheduled activities outside the program.
Sights & Surroundings
Since the weekends are free, you can go wherever you please. Several popular destinations that you can reach by taxi are:
The Gili Islands, where you will find small resorts and huts for tourists looking to get away from the bustle of Ubud. The islands are a popular destination for snorkelling and diving due to their abundant marine life.
Nusa Lembongan, 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 snorkelling are amongst the most popular activities that visitors can enjoy.
Lovina, located between the Bedugul mountains and the sea, it is popular for dolphin watching, trekking, hot springs and its gorgeous coral reefs.
Sanur, 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, a beach known for its surfing opportunities and party atmosphere.
Uluwatu, 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.
