1 Hidden Bali Experiences small-group tours that touch the heart of Bali Our Hidden Bali Experiences can be arranged at any time to grant you access to authentic culture that honors tradition and avoids commoditization. Building on more than 20 years of experience of leading culturally sensitive tours in Bali and based on deep relationships with local people and communities, these are intimate 3-day or 4-day tours arranged to fit your travel itineraries and led by expert guides for small groups of 2 to 6 guests. Each experience is themed around a specific aspect of Bali’s heritage, including the Textile Arts, the Festival Cycle, the Performing Arts, and the Natural World. For more information on these Experiences, please visit our website at http://www.threadsoflife.com The Textile Arts Experience The Indonesian archipelago was once the crossroads of the world. For over 3500 years, people have come here seeking fragrant spices, and textiles were the central barter objects in this story of trade, conquest and ancient tradition. An exploration of Bali’s textile art traditions grants us access to this story. Spice trade influences juxtapose with indigenous motifs throughout the archipelago: echoes of Indian trade cloths abound; imagery relates to defining aspects of the local environment; history and genealogy entwine. Uses range from traditional dress, to offerings, to the paraphernalia of marriages and funerals. Our gateway to this world is through the island of Bali, where we steep ourselves in the island’s rich traditions while based at the Umajati Retreat near Ubud. Here we will receive insightful introductions to the local culture, and visit several weavers with which Threads of Life is working to help women create high-quality textiles that balance their desires for sustainable incomes and cultural integrity. Threads of Life’s relationships with weavers over more than a decade gives this tour access to aspects of the weaving arts few have the opportunity to see. We will meet weavers in their homes amongst the lush rice fields of Sidemen, and in the ancient and storied community of Tenganan Pegeringsingan. Experiencing the weavers’ lives through these visits, and seeing their textiles, will be the highlights of a tour that offers unique insights into the forces at play in Bali’s contemporary culture.
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Hidden Bali Experiences small-group tours that touch the heart of Bali
Our Hidden Bali Experiences can be arranged at any time to grant you access to authentic culture that honors tradition and avoids commoditization. Building on more than 20 years of experience of leading culturally sensitive tours in Bali and based on deep relationships with local people and communities, these are intimate 3-day or 4-day tours arranged to fit your travel itineraries and led by expert guides for small groups of 2 to 6 guests. Each experience is themed around a specific aspect of Bali’s heritage, including the Textile Arts, the Festival Cycle, the Performing Arts, and the Natural World. For more information on these Experiences, please visit our website at http://www.threadsoflife.com
The Textile Arts ExperienceThe Indonesian archipelago was once the crossroads of the world. For over 3500 years, people have come here seeking fragrant spices, and textiles were the central barter objects in this story of trade, conquest and ancient tradition. An exploration of Bali’s textile art traditions grants us access to this story. Spice trade influences juxtapose with indigenous motifs throughout the archipelago: echoes of Indian trade cloths abound; imagery relates to defining aspects of the local environment; history and genealogy entwine. Uses range from traditional dress, to offerings, to the paraphernalia of marriages and funerals.
Our gateway to this world is through the island of Bali, where we steep ourselves in the island’s rich traditions while based at the Umajati Retreat near Ubud. Here we will receive insightful introductions to the local culture, and visit several weavers with which Threads of Life is working to help women create high-quality textiles that balance their desires for sustainable incomes and cultural integrity.
Threads of Life’s relationships with weavers over more than a decade gives this tour access to aspects of the weaving arts few have the opportunity to see. We will meet weavers in their homes amongst the lush rice fields of Sidemen, and in the ancient and storied community of Tenganan Pegeringsingan. Experiencing the weavers’ lives through these visits, and seeing their textiles, will be the highlights of a tour that offers unique insights into the forces at play in Bali’s contemporary culture.
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The entrance to Umajati Retreat at sunset Itinerary Summaries
Day 1 PM: Check in, Lecture on Textiles and Indonesian Culture, rice field walk to local heronry
PM: Check in, Lecture on Textiles and Indonesian Culture, rice field walk to local heronry
Day 2 AM: Visit Tenganan and see double-ikat weavingPM: Visit Sidemen and meet songket makers
AM: Visit Tenganan and see double-ikat weavingPM: Visit Sidemen and meet songket makers
Day 3 AM: Setia Darma House of Mask and PuppetsPM: Visit Threads of Life conservation room
AM: Threads of Life gallery floor talkPM: Check out
Day 4 AM: Threads of Life gallery floor talkPM: Check out
About Threads of Life: Threads of Life is a fairtrade business that works directly with over 1000 weavers on 22 islands across Indonesia to empower women, to commission natural-dyed textiles that express local traditions and identity, and to sell the textiles thus produced through its educational gallery in Ubud, Bali. It respects cultural practices, conserves the environment, and improves the lives of low-income textile artisans by increasing their access to markets and resources.http://www.threadsoflife.com
About the Tour Leaders: Jean Howe and William Ingram are co-founders and co-directors of both Umajati Retreat and Threads of Life. They have been in Asia for over twenty years and lived in Bali since 1993. Between 1990 and 1998 they organized cultural tours to Bali and eastern Indonesia. Their work with Threads of Life since 1998 has combined interests in traditional culture, the textile arts and sustainable livelihood. Jean has lectured on Indonesian textiles at the National Museum of Women in the Arts and the Textile Museum in Washington DC, and the De Young Museum in San Francisco. William is author of “A Little Bit One O’clock: Living with a Balinese Family.”
About Umajati Retreat: Surrounded by tranquil rice fields, Umajati is a lush garden property hosting two elegantly converted hundred-year-old Javanese teak wooden homes for up to 3 or 5 guests that provide 21st century living in 19th century houses. Each has a kitchen and several private garden spaces around a shared 15-meter swimming pool. Umajati is hosted by Balinese housekeepers and cooks who specialize in healthy and vegetarian food. Just 10 minutes north of Ubud, in the cultural heart of Bali, Umajati grants easy access to the village’s many restaurants, spas, and cultural opportunities. http://www.umajati.com
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4-Day ItineraryDay 12.00 pm Check-in to Umajati Retreat. Airport transfers or equivalent included.3.00 - 4.30 pm Lecture on Textiles and their Place in Indonesian Culture at Umajati Retreat. This fascinating
talk examines the history and traditional uses of textiles in Indonesia. Spice trade influences juxtapose with indigenous motifs throughout the archipelago: echoes of Indian trade cloths abound; imagery relates to defining aspects of the local environment; history and genealogy entwine. Uses range from traditional dress, to offerings, to the paraphernalia of marriages and funerals. The lecture includes an in-depth discussion of the ikat process and natural dyes.
4.30 - 6.00 pm Guide Rice Field walk to the Petulu Heronry. Walking northwards through the picturesque rice fields from Umajati, we enter Petulu from the north at the Pura Desa temple. This brings us immediately to the heronry where hundreds of white egrets of three species come to roost every sunset. Walking down through the village we can see and photograph the birds arriving after a day of foraging in the paddies. Continuing, we return to Umajati via the rice fields before dark.
7.00 pm Dance performance and dinner at Umajati. Young dancers from the village dance school will perform on the pool deck before a private dinner in your house.
(Left to right) Ida Ayu Puniari from Sidemen, Bali; Threads of LIfe staff Komang Sujata wearing songket at his wedding
Day 28.00 am Breakfast included9.00 - 12.30 pm Visit Tenganan, a village in east Bali famous for its geringsing double-ikat textiles made
using a technique employed in only three other places in the world. We will meet weavers in their homes, unravel the complexities of making double-ikat, and see the best pieces the weavers have to offer. During a guided walk of the village’s backstreets we will learn about the community’s history and unique culture, and see a side of this famous community that few visitors witness.
12.30 - 2.00 pm Lunch at the Seasalt Restaurant of the Alila Manggis hotel. Set in a traditional Balinese pavilion on a lotus pond, Seasalt serves both a contemporary menu and a range of Indonesian and Balinese favorites. Elegant and relaxed, the restaurant looks out on to the ocean and the resort’s beautifully landscaped coconut grove. Main dish is included in the tour; drinks and desert not included.
2.00 - 4.30 pm Visit the charming village of Sidemen is in the heart of the panoramic valley of the Unda river and home to three of Bali’s most important textile traditions. At the Pelangi workshop we will see the production of endek weft ikat. At the homes of weavers in the village we will meet women who use backstrap looms to produce the sumptuous songket supplementary weft patterned textiles used across the island as wedding dress for both bride and groom. We will also visit Ida Ayu Ngurah Puniari, author of “Kain Bebali Sacred Cloth: Meaning and Usage in Balinese Hindu Rituals” (Indonesian Heritage Society 2011), to see and learn about the deceptively simple but ritually important and increasingly rare striped bebali textiles she weaves.
4.30 - 6.00 pm Drive back to Ubud7.00 pm Free for dinner. Either order dinner at Umajati, or take our free shuttle in to one of Ubud’s fine
dining restaurants.
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The geringsing double-ikat textiles of Tenganan, BaliDay 38.00 am Breakfast included10.30 - 2.00 pm After a leisurely morning at the hotel, we will make a guided visit to the extraordinary Setia
Darma House of Mask and Puppets in nearby Mas. The collection consists of 5900 items, of which 1200 are masks from Indonesia, Africa, and Japan, whilst the rest are puppets from Indonesia, China, Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, and Cambodia. All are stored and displayed in four traditional Javanese antique houses such as those at the Umajati Retreat. The museum visit will be followed by a Balinese picnic lunch among the gardens of the museum grounds.
2.00 - 4.30 pm We now enjoy a rare opportunity to visit Threads of Life’s conservation room and receive a guided exploration through the archive collection of textiles. We will see the impacts of the modern world on the textile arts and learn about the challenges faced by Threads of Life in the field as it works to sustain traditions.
7.00 pm Candlelit dinner under the stars by the Umajati pool.
Day 49.00 - 11.00 am Visit Threads of Life retail gallery for a floor talk. The gallery showcases the work of the weavers
and basket makers Threads of Life works with. Each piece is curated with the names of all producers and cultural information about where the item is from and how it is used.
12.00 pm Check-out of Umajati. Onward airport transfers or equivalent are included in the tour.
Tour Prices & Room Arrangements: 4 day Itinerary (3 nights)
Size of Group
Cost per head
Sleeping Arrangements
2 people USD 660 per person
A group of 2 is accommodated in the Bugoharjo house. It has 1 air-conditioned bedroom with a queen-size bed, and a large single Chinese canopy bed in the fan-cooled Great Room that has direct access to a private bathroom.
3 people USD 530 per person
A group of 3 is accommodated in the Wates Bangbau house. It has 2 air-conditioned bedrooms: one with a queen-size bed, the other with a king-size bed or twin beds.
4 people USD 450 per person
A group of 4 is accommodated in the Wates Bangbau house. It has 2 air-conditioned bedrooms: one with a queen-size bed, the other with a king-size bed or twin beds. In the fan-cooled Great Room there is also a full-single day bed that has direct access to a bathroom.
5 people USD 450 per person
A group of 5 is accommodated in both the Wates Bangbau house and the Bugoharjo house. Wates Bangbau will take 3 people in 2 air-conditioned bedrooms: one with a queen-size bed, the other with a king-size bed or twin beds. Bugoharjo will take 2 people: it has 1 air-conditioned bedroom with a queen-size bed, and a large single Chinese canopy bed in the fan-cooled Great Room that has direct access to a private bathroom.
6 people USD 395 per person
A group of 6 is accommodated in both the Wates Bangbau house and the Bugoharjo house. Wates Bangbau will take 4 people in one air-conditioned queen-size bedroom, one air conditioned king-size or twin bedroom, and a full-single day bed In the fan-cooled Great Room that has direct access to a bathroom. Bugoharjo will take 2 people: it has 1 air-conditioned bedroom with a queen-size bed, and a large single Chinese canopy bed in the fan-cooled Great Room that has direct access to a private bathroom.
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Ferris wheel ceremony and ritual procession, Tenganan, Bali
3-Day ItineraryDay 12.00 pm Check-in to Umajati Retreat. Airport transfers or equivalent included.3.00 - 4.30 pm Lecture on Textiles and their Place in Indonesian Culture at Umajati Retreat. This fascinating
talk examines the history and traditional uses of textiles in Indonesia. Spice trade influences juxtapose with indigenous motifs throughout the archipelago: echoes of Indian trade cloths abound; imagery relates to defining aspects of the local environment; history and genealogy entwine. Uses range from traditional dress, to offerings, to the paraphernalia of marriages and funerals. The lecture includes an in-depth discussion of the ikat process and natural dyes.
4.30 - 6.00 pm Guide Rice Field walk to the Petulu Heronry. Walking northwards through the picturesque rice fields from Umajati, we enter Petulu from the north at the Pura Desa temple. This brings us immediately to the heronry where hundreds of white egrets of three species come to roost every sunset. Walking down through the village we can see and photograph the birds arriving after a day of foraging in the paddies. Continuing, we return to Umajati via the rice fields before dark.
7.00 pm Dance performance and dinner at Umajati. Young dancers from the village dance school will perform on the pool deck before a private dinner in your house.
Day 28.00 am Breakfast included9.00 - 12.30 pm Visit Tenganan, a village in east Bali famous for its geringsing double-ikat textiles made
using a technique employed in only three other places in the world. We will meet weavers in their homes, unravel the complexities of making double-ikat, and see the best pieces the weavers have to offer. During a guided walk of the village’s backstreets we will learn about the community’s history and unique culture, and see a side of this famous community that few visitors witness.
12.30 - 2.00 pm Lunch at the Seasalt Restaurant of the Alila Manggis hotel. Set in a traditional Balinese pavilion on a lotus pond, Seasalt serves both a contemporary menu and a range of Indonesian and Balinese favorites. Elegant and relaxed, the restaurant looks out on to the ocean and the resort’s beautifully landscaped coconut grove. Main dish is included in the tour; drinks and desert not included.
2.00 - 4.30 pm Visit the charming village of Sidemen is in the heart of the panoramic valley of the Unda river and home to three of Bali’s most important textile traditions. At the Pelangi workshop we will see the production of endek weft ikat. At the homes of weavers in the village we will meet women who use backstrap looms to produce the sumptuous songket supplementary weft patterned textiles used across the island as wedding dress for both bride and groom. We will also visit Ida Ayu Ngurah Puniari, author of “Kain Bebali Sacred Cloth: Meaning and Usage in Balinese Hindu Rituals” (Indonesian Heritage Society 2011), to see and learn about the deceptively simple but ritually important and increasingly rare striped bebali textiles she weaves.
4.30 - 6.00 pm Drive back to Ubud7.00 pm Free for dinner. Either order dinner at Umajati, or take our free shuttle in to one of Ubud’s fine
dining restaurants.
Day 39.00 - 11.00 am Visit Threads of Life gallery for a floor talk.12.00 pm Check-out of Umajati. Onward airport transfers or equivalent are included in the tour.
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Tour Prices & Room Arrangements: 3 day Itinerary (2 nights)
Size of Group
Cost per head
Sleeping Arrangements
2 people USD 455 per person
A group of 2 is accommodated in the Bugoharjo house. It has 1 air-conditioned bedroom with a queen-size bed, and a large single Chinese canopy bed in the fan-cooled Great Room that has direct access to a private bathroom.
3 people USD 360 per person
A group of 3 is accommodated in the Wates Bangbau house. It has 2 air-conditioned bedrooms: one with a queen-size bed, the other with a king-size bed or twin beds.
4 people USD 305 per person
A group of 4 is accommodated in the Wates Bangbau house. It has 2 air-conditioned bedrooms: one with a queen-size bed, the other with a king-size bed or twin beds. In the fan-cooled Great Room there is also a full-single day bed that has direct access to a bathroom.
5 people USD 305 per person
A group of 5 is accommodated in both the Wates Bangbau house and the Bugoharjo house. Wates Bangbau will take 3 people in 2 air-conditioned bedrooms: one with a queen-size bed, the other with a king-size bed or twin beds. Bugoharjo will take 2 people: it has 1 air-conditioned bedroom with a queen-size bed, and a large single Chinese canopy bed in the fan-cooled Great Room that has direct access to a private bathroom.
6 people USD 265 per person
A group of 6 is accommodated in both the Wates Bangbau house and the Bugoharjo house. Wates Bangbau will take 4 people in one air-conditioned queen-size bedroom, one air conditioned king-size or twin bedroom, and a full-single day bed In the fan-cooled Great Room that has direct access to a bathroom. Bugoharjo will take 2 people: it has 1 air-conditioned bedroom with a queen-size bed, and a large single Chinese canopy bed in the fan-cooled Great Room that has direct access to a private bathroom.
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Terms & ConditionsAvailability and Costs The 3-day or 4-day itineraries are available whenever the Umajati Retreat has free rooms and when our expert guides are available. Room availability can be checked on umajati.com. To inquire about arranging a small group tour, please send an email inquiry to [email protected] with your preferred dates and the number of guests. Unfortunately, we are not able to convene groups for individual travelers and ask that you contact us once you have a group of 2 to 6 guests. If the number of group members changes, so will the total price for the group tour and the price per head for that tour.
Included in Tour Price• Lectures, classes and activities as specified in itinerary• Tours and guides as specified in itinerary• Local transport as specified in itinerary• Arrival and departure airport transfers, or the equivalent to other Bali destinations• Hotel accommodations based on shared occupancy• Breakfast, and other meals as specified in the itinerary• WIFI throughout the hotel
Not Included in Tour Price• International or domestic airfares and baggage charges• Indonesian visa fees (US$ 25 on arrival)• International departure taxes (150,000 Rp or about US$ 17)• Travel insurance. We recommend you buy travel insurance that includes emergency medical evacuation cover.• Other incidentals or items of a personal nature, and optional activities• Drinks at scheduled meal times, including alcoholic and soft drinks • Meals not listed in the itinerary
Payment, Cancellation and Refund PolicyUS$ 100 non-refundable reservation deposit per person is required at time of booking to secure your place.Remaining balance per person is due before 30 days prior to the start of the tour.• Cancellation received on or before 30 days prior to the tour start: Loss of US$ 100 per person reservation fee.• Cancellation received after 30 days prior to the tour start: Loss of 100% of total tour cost per person.Cancellation requests must be made by email to [email protected] or in writing to Threads of Life, Jalan Bisma 3, Ubud, Bali 80571, Indonesia. The date of trip cancellation is the date on which the written cancellation is received. No refund will be made for failure to attend or if you voluntarily leave a tour for any reason after the tour has begun. No refunds will be given for any accommodation, transport, sightseeing, meals or services not used during the tour.
PaymentsMethod 1The preferred method is by secure online credit card payment via PayPal. You do not need a PayPal account to pay by this method. All PayPal payment fees will be covered by Threads of Life. Once you have registered for the tour you will be sent an email invoice via PayPal for the Deposit, and later for the Balance. Method 2Payment may also be made by bank transfer in US dollars to the following account of Threads of Life in Indonesia. Please make sure that you pay any bank transfer fees so that the full amount is paid into the recipient account. Bank: Bank Internasional IndonesiaBank Branch: Ubud, BaliBank Address: Jalan Raya, Ubud, Bali 80571, IndonesiaBank Tel: (62) 361-976595Bank Swift Code: IBBK IDJACorrespondent Bank: JP Morgan ChaseCorrespondent Bank ABA Number: 021000021Correspondent Bank SWIFT code: chasus33
Account Name: William Paul IngramAccount Number: 2-195-082390Account Currency: US Dollar
HealthFor peace of mind, please consult your physician regarding medication and vaccinations suggested for travel to Indonesia.
Itinerary ChangesThe tour organizers reserve the right to change the itinerary for any reason whatsoever, including logistical problems, acts of God, or to take advantage of a special event.
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InsuranceTravel insurance is strongly recommended for all participants. Travel insurance should, at minimum, provide coverage against personal accident, personal liability, medical expenses, and emergency evacuation. (An emergency air medical evacuation to Singapore can cost upwards of USD 30,000.) Medical care facilities in Indonesia are significantly different from the West and medical evacuation is extremely expensive.
Limitation of LiabilityBy agreeing to the Terms and Conditions of this tour, participants agree that Threads of Life and Umajati Retreat cannot be responsible nor liable for any injury, loss or damage of participant’s property, or disruption of program due to circumstances beyond the control of Threads of Life and Umajati Retreat, such as but not limited to flight cancellations, delays, or acts of God. Any extra cost due to circumstances beyond the control of Threads of Life and Umajati Retreat will be the responsibility of the participant.The Group Leaders only act as agents for the owners, contractors and suppliers providing services and cannot be responsible nor liable for any injury, loss or damage of participant’s property, or disruption of program due to circumstances beyond the control of the Group Leaders, such as but not limited to flight cancellations, delays, or acts of God. Any extra cost due to circumstances beyond the control of the Group Leaders will be the responsibility of the participant.
Contact InformationMailling address: Threads of Life, Jalan Bisma 3, Ubud, Bali 80571, IndonesiaEmail: [email protected] Office: +62-361-976581 (during office hours of 9 am – 6 pm Bali time)Fax Office: +62-361-971214Telephone Hotel: +62-823-4060-0293Emergency Numbers: +62-81-2398-3453 or +62-81-3385-73870Office Fax: +62-361-971214
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Please have each adult member of the group sign a copy of this Registration Form and send it to: Email: [email protected]: +62-361-971214
REGISTRATION FORM: The Textile Arts Experience(a copy of this form must be filled out by each adult group member)
Arrival Date: Departure Date: Group Size:
Full name in passport:
Address:
Telephone: Email:
Emergency Contact Information
Name of Contact:
Email of Contact:
Tel: (daytime) Tel: (evening)
Names of other Group Members
Full name 1:
Full name 2:
Full name 3:
Full name 4:
Full name 5:
I have read and fully understood the Terms & Conditions and agree to abidebythem.
Yes No
Signed:
Date:
Date / Month / YearFurther information about you for the tour guides, including health issues, dietary restrictions (vegetarion,glutenfreediet)oranythingelseweshouldknowabout.
