Desa Bona, Gianyar: Lontar Weaving and the Roots of Kecak, Without the Crowds

Between Blahbatuh and the eastern coast of Gianyar lies Desa Bona, a small village whose name is tied to two things: the Kecak performance and lontar palm leaf weaving.

One of the birthplaces of modern Kecak

The Kecak we know today began to take shape in the 1930s out of the Sanghyang trance tradition, with the dancer I Wayan Limbak and German painter Walter Spies frequently named. Bona is widely known as one of the first villages to stage it for an audience, long before Kecak became an icon of Uluwatu and Ubud.

• Performances in Bona are not held nightly as they are in Uluwatu; ask at the local banjar whether anything is scheduled.
• If you want a guaranteed show, the nearest daily Kecak is in Batubulan, starting around 18:30, with tickets usually Rp100,000–150,000.

Lontar weaving: fans, bags, hats

The craft grew in Bona from around the 1950s and still supports many families, especially the women who handle washing, dyeing and weaving.

• Common products: fans, bags, hats, sandals, besek boxes, decorations and ceremonial items.
• The palm leaves come from Karangasem and Java; a caramel brown is achieved by burying the leaves in rice fields, and darker tones come from teak leaves.
• Price range at the artisan level: fans around Rp10,000–25,000, hats and bags from tens of thousands of rupiah upwards depending on size and complexity.

Half a day around Bona

• Desa Belega, Bona’s neighbour, a hub for bamboo furniture and bamboo structures.
• Blahbatuh: Pura Gaduh and the traditional market, about 10 minutes away.

Practical Info & Booking

• Location: Desa Bona, Blahbatuh District, Gianyar Regency. View on Google Maps
• Hours & tickets: the village is open and free; weaving shops on Jalan Raya Bona generally open around 08:00–17:00 and are busiest in the morning.
• Access: about 11 km from Ubud (25–30 minutes), around 25 km from Denpasar or Sanur (45–60 minutes via Jalan Prof. Ida Bagus Mantra then north towards Blahbatuh). Free parking in front of the shops; village lanes are narrow, so a motorbike or small car is easiest.
• How to visit/contact: simply turn up and drop into the weaving shops; ask the owner’s permission if you want to watch the artisans work or try weaving yourself. For groups, workshops or performance information, contact the Desa Bona village office or the local perbekel, or go through a Gianyar guide.
• Social media: search on Instagram

Sketch out the plan first, then compare hotel voucher prices on AccessiaPass so your accommodation budget stays under control and the rest can be spent straight with the artisans.