Sidemen is a peaceful valley region in the east of Bali in Indonesia. We spent a few days there, staying at a beautiful, small, relaxing hotel, Samanvaya, in the village of Tabola, with amazing views over the rice fields.
The helpful staff at our hotel arranged a couple of local tours for us. We took a scooter tour out into the hills, valleys and surrounding villages and rice fields.
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That evening, I spent several hours with the girls at the local ashram, chatting, giggling, and “helping” them to make offerings for an upcoming festival.
The next day, we were taken on a really interesting walking tour around the village. It was great to gain a little insight into village life. Our guide invited us to his home compound, where several generations live in several houses on the ancestral plot. We were delighted to meet his aunty who is a songket weaver. Sidemen is renowned for the beauty of its songket, which is an intricate and time-consuming weaving process, using a backstrap loom.
There are small temples on every street corner. Every family compound has its own small temple or shrine.
That evening we headed out to one of the many festivals that you’ll find almost anywhere around the island of Bali. From Sidemen, we moved on to Amed in the north-east for some diving!
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