Banyuseri Village, Buleleng: Bali Aga Honey and How to Get There

Banyuseri sits about 20 km south of Singaraja town, at roughly 600 m above sea level in Banjar district, Buleleng. It is one of the five Bali Aga villages known as SCTPB (Sidatapa, Cempaga, Tigawasa, Pedawa, Banyuseri) and the least written about, even though it keeps seven metal inscription plates that lead some researchers to think Banyuseri was once the centre of the old villages around it.

Before you go: common misconceptions

• There is no ticket booth. On the Ministry of Tourism's Jadesta portal the village is still listed as a "pioneer" tourism village. Visits are arranged by the local tourism group (Pokdarwis), chaired by I Putu Sudiarta, as activity packages rather than an entry ticket.
• The inscriptions are not on display. According to Buleleng's Culture and Tourism Office, the plates were found by a villager named Pan Sarti in his garden in 1950, examined by an education office team on 28 November 1988, and are now kept at Pura Desa Banyuseri. Most of the text has been eaten by rust. They are sacred objects, so do not expect to photograph them.
• The traditional house you are shown is a replica. The regency's Visit North Bali site describes a duplicate old house showing how people once cooked, slept and prayed in a single room. If lived-in original houses are your main goal, Sidatapa village is the stronger choice.
• No homestay yet, according to Jadesta. Plan to sleep in Lovina.
• Bali Aga etiquette applies. Wear a sarong and sash if invited into a temple area, ask before photographing people, and do not walk into house compounds unaccompanied.

What you can do

The liveliest activity in Banyuseri revolves around kele-kele honey, made by stingless bees (klanceng/Trigona) and developed by I Putu Sudiarta since 2017 under the name Madu Bali Aga. Buleleng's regional research agency (BRIDA) recorded 31 members in the beekeeping group in July 2024 and regular visits from students and foreign tourists. You can watch the hive boxes being opened and taste the honey, which is noticeably sour-sweet.

Other packages listed on Jadesta: bamboo weaving, traditional coconut oil making, a trek through bamboo forest to a waterfall, and cooking local dishes such as tum bongkot and jukut lanjang. Jadesta shows Rp50,000 for the honey harvest and Rp150,000 for bamboo weaving (about US$3 and US$9), but some other figures on the same page are clearly out of date. Treat them as rough guides and confirm first (checked September 2026).

For palm sugar and bamboo houses, combine the visit with neighbouring Pedawa village to the east.

Getting there from Lovina and practical info

• Location: View on Google Maps. From Kalibukbuk (Lovina) it is about 18 km via the Seririt-Singaraja road and then a steep village road. Allow 35-45 minutes because of the tight bends.
• Route to avoid: the Tigawasa-Temukus shortcut to Lovina was removed from Google Maps in 2024 at the request of the Buleleng government after several fatal accidents. If an old navigation app still suggests it, ignore it.
• Transport: a scooter with good brakes, or a small car with a local driver. Large minibuses struggle.
• Guides and booking: the Pokdarwis contact is listed on Banyuseri's page on the Jadesta portal. Give at least a day's notice.
• Social media: search on Instagram.

Not ideal if you want a ready-made attraction: without an appointment you will simply drive through a quiet village with no information boards. For a busier bamboo craft scene, Tigawasa is only a few kilometres north. Come in the morning, since mist and afternoon rain are more frequent in these hills during the wet season.