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West Australian
2 days ago
- West Australian
Exploring the Highlands of Bali
As the sun sets, mist forms over thickly forested mountains. The ring of cicadas and bird calls echoes through a valley that tumbles down to a rambling brook spotted with waterfalls. After pouring a couple of glasses of wine from a bottle found in the minibar of our safari tent, I take a sip and kiss my significant other. But here's the clincher. We are not at a remote camp in the jungles of Borneo or on a luxury safari in the heart of Africa. We are in Bali, a destination that has been denounced by many of the world's most influential travel guides for overdevelopment and over-tourism. These problems are uncontestable but limited to the heavily touristed south of the island. In the north, west and east, the knockout natural beauty Bali is renowned for remains wholly intact. I'm going to tell you about one such place. It's called Munduk, a village above the clouds in the lush green highlands of northern Bali, and it's home to one of the island's most rustic and beautiful eco-resorts: Desa Eko or, in English, Eco Village. THE ROOMS Desa Eko sits on a steep plot of land overlooking a river valley in Munduk. From the road, a series of stone stairways descend through lush manicured gardens, a restaurant and, lower down, the rooms, of which there are only six. We stayed in the 'deluxe tent' that costs $230 per night during the high season, including breakfast and free minibar. Cut straight out of The Jungle Book, it is a house-shaped canvas tent with large picture windows on two sides set on an elevated wooden platform with a thatched roof. It has a large balcony with 180-degree misty mountain views. Inside is a queen bed, wooden furniture, a big floor rug, a pair of beanbags, and lots of comfy cushions. As Munduk sits 1500m above sea leve,l the temperature is mild — it dropped to 17C at night during our visit — so there's no need for air-conditioning or even fans. The bathrooms and showers are shared but there are four of them (ours was only 10m from our tent) and they are kept meticulously clean. They are nothing like the shared bathrooms in backpacker hostels. If you're not into tents, there's also a studio with a private outdoor bathroom and soaking tub at Desa Eko. The owner is also constructing a new deluxe tent with an enclosed bathroom. THE FOOD The Botanist, as the restaurant at Desa Eko is called, is in a gazebo-style bamboo edifice with the same breathtaking misty mountain views as the rooms. Guests can sit at a long communal dining table hewed from a single slab of hardwood, at the bar, in private dining alcoves, or around the fire pit. The menu draws on ingredients sourced from Desa Eko's permaculture gardens and coffee plantation. Think pure, organic, healthy, homemade soul food: silky-smooth pumpkin soup with garlic bread, seasonal vegetable curries in creamy coconut sauce, mushroom gnocchi, or mac and cheese topped with crispy bacon. For dessert, they do oatmeal cookies, banana bread with cashew butter, and fried bananas with cinnamon sugar. And with most items priced between $5 and $15, The Botanist also offers excellent value for money. The food here easily earns five stars. But when you add the amazing views, professional service, the luxury tents and the tranquillity of it all, Desa Eko breaks the mould in terms of authenticity, architecture and experiential tourism. I have reviewed, at a guess, more than 100 hotels in Bali but this is the first time I am giving a place six stars. Bravo. + Ian Neubauer was a guest of Desa Eko. They have not influenced or read this story before publication. fact file Desa Eko is on Jalan Kaya Putih in Munduk village in north Bali. A taxi from the international airport should cost around $75, and takes three to four hours. Glamping tents start at $100 per night during the off-season or $168 during high seasons (July/August and December/January). Activities include medicinal plant, permaculture and beekeeping tours, sunrise trips to nearby lakes, water purification ceremonies, Balinese cooking classes, and waterfall hikes.
Daily Mail
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Billie Eilish enforces a completely vegan food policy at her London concerts - with 'woke decision' leaving attendees 'less than impressed'
Billie Eilish enforced a completely vegan food policy at her London concert held at the O2 Arena, making it the venue's first-ever fully plant-based event. The singer, 23, is performing at the venue for six nights during her Hit Me Hard And Soft Tour. And every food vendor has been required to offer 100% plant-based options, removing all animal products from the arena for the evening. The menu included a peri-peri haloumi wrap, a corn naan, chipotle tacos, pizzas, and pancakes. While some of Billie's vegan fans praised her decision, others were left disappointed with the food options after paying upwards of £70 for their tickets. One attendee told MailOnline: 'Punters were less than impressed with the vegan options - a mixture of pizzas, cauliflower bits and loaded fries - with more than one asking, "did they run out of meat or something?" 'When venue staff explained that the directive had come from Billie, they were largely met with eye rolls and groans. 'The curated drinks menu was more well-received, but no doubt plenty of fans will have resorted to ordering a takeaway when they got home.' Before the show started, Billie narrated a short film about veganism, the environment, and all of the steps they have taken on the tour to do their bit. The crew all eat plant-based food on tour, while her merch is made using sustainable practices. They also had an Eco Village at the O2 arena to raise awareness of climate change. She's not the only star to take action, as Paul McCartney famously refuses to perform at venues that don't offer vegetarian options. Meanwhile, Moby, a longtime vegan and activist, has hosted entirely vegan events and even opened vegan restaurants to further the cause. Despite not all fans being impressed with the food choices, Billie's performance made up for it, as the talented artist belted out hits including Ocean Eyes, No Time To Die, and What Was I Made For? Billie was raised as a vegetarian and has been a consistent advocate for animal rights and veganism, frequently discussing her beliefs when it comes to animals. Despite not all fans being impressed with the food choices, Billie's performance made up for it, as the talented artist belted out hits including Ocean Eyes and No Time To Die She does however excuse veganism in wearing leather shoes, eating honey and riding horses, however otherwise largely lives a vegan lifestyle. She was named after her maternal grandfather, Bill Baird, who hunted and fished, yet her mum took issue with the practices and stopped eating meat in the Seventies. Her mother, Maggie Baird said of her decision: 'It was like a weight off my shoulders… It was never something I strayed from or, you know, had a hard time with.' At first, the family continued to eat animal products, yet Maggie explained that she soon also adopted veganism when she learned more about the industry. She said: '[I stopped when I saw] the cruelty involved. You know, once you really open your mind to knowing about it, it is impossible not to go all the way with it... 'The amazing thing was we all had health benefits, different health benefits. You know, you do it for the philosophical reason, and then you go 'wow.' … That was a real plus.' Fans have been left stunned after discovering Billie has famous parents, leading them to ask if she is a 'nepo baby'. The singer, who is widely considered one of the biggest pop stars in the world, isn't just the only famous person in her family. Billie found fame in the music industry at just fourteen years old and has gone on to win an impressive collection of Grammy , BRITs, and Billboard awards. However, diehard fans have only just realised both her parents are successful actors, having starred in some of the biggest movies and TV shows. Billie's mum Maggie previously held a role in Friends, all the way back in 1999 before she was even born. She appeared in season six, episode four which was titled 'The One Where Joey Loses His Insurance'. It saw Maggie play a casting director, in which Joey (Matt Le Blance) auditions for a part in front of her. Joey needed the role in order to cover his medical expenses, after sustaining a painful hernia. Unfortunately for the bachelor, he didn't succeed in securing the part. Maggie, 66, has also starred in 1989 thriller An Innocent Man, while other acting credits include The X Files, Six Feet Under and Bones. Meanwhile, Billie's father Patrick O'Connell is also a star in his own right, having been cast in the 2008 Iron Man movie. He's also appeared in The West Wing, Life Inside Out, Baskets and Hunter. Fans flooded social media with comments, gobsmacked at the discovery, with one writing: 'Both of her parents are actors.' Another simply asked: 'So Billie is a Nepo Baby?' While one specifically addressed Maggie's Friends appearance, writing: 'I literally just watched this episode and now feeling annoyed that I didn't notice this.' A fourth said: 'HOLY S**T I THOUGHT SHE LOOKED FAMILIAR!' Billie's older brother Finneas, 27, has also built a successful career for himself, working as a record producer.
