Garden of Essence
More and more modern travelers today, and those in the future, likely expect to stay at a resort outside the crowd, and one that is highly concerned to the surrounding environment—and society.

A 'resting place' up in the north.

It seems that such is the course the Tamansari Cottages has been sensing since its establishment over a decade ago. For one or more reasons, there is no other hotel on Bali that is as significantly involved in an environmental project as is the Tamansari Cottages in Pemuteran, a popular snorkeling and diving site in northwestern Bali.

The typical landscapes that surround the resort.

A mountain resort by the sea.

The 29-cottage resort has not only succeeded in pioneering a coral propagation movement, the world's largest bio-rock project ever, but also manages to work well with the fishery community and the pecalang (traditional village security system), without which such a risky endeavor would be almost impossible to materialize. Last but not least, good cooperation with neighboring tourism entities is critical.

Such a delicate coral farming system requires fishermen not to harvest the marine animal life residing near the project. It is also mandatory that the whole community be involved in protecting it from foreign fishermen and destructive fishing.

The result is a harmonious collaboration between the industry, fishermen, villagers and other tourism-related businesses. Perhaps we, the guests, are the last party to simply enjoy, if not get educated about, this phenomenon. The remarkable underwater effort covers an area of over three hectares, featuring immense structures of various forms and sizes, most representing a dome.

Currently, the resort's parent company is now developing another property on the same bay, the Villa Sari Amertha (to be opened January 2007), with a similar marine-conservation concept. The two resorts will therefore be sandwiching a 500-meter seawaters stretch where the massive bio-rock coral propagation project lays underneath.

The Pemuteran fishermen enjoyed their heyday when abundant coral provided plenty of fish until the 1980's. But the destructive fishing practices compounded with the 1998 El Nino global warming phenomenon (causing coral bleaching) contributed to much of the coralâ?"and therefore fishâ?"depletion.

Coral propagation on artificial structures.

Two German coral experts were invited to Bali to learn whether their novel yet simple technology might be able to save and return the village's natural wonder. Professor Wolf Gilbert and Dr. Tom Goreau were excited to find villagers, hotels, and dive operators willing to work together. Such a "chemistry" would certainly help to make the project happen. The Germans envisioned that Pemuteran Bay might one day become their most successful project. They were not wrong.

So far, Pemuteran is the world's largest bio-rock coral reef nursery, exceeding the combined size of all other ongoing projects in the Pacific, Caribbean and the Indian Ocean.

This advanced yet simple technology uses low-wattage electricity to generate limestone rock formation on iron frames. Two electrodes supplied with low-voltage direct current are channeled to the construction dome. This smart invention proves that electrolytic reactions cause subtract and mineral naturally present in seawater to build up.

This mineral accretion accelerates limestone growth at a rate as much as ten times faster than the natural process. Living coral transplanted onto the structures are naturally cemented and therefore grow faster and healthier. Indeed, this novel technology has proven to be the only method that produces strong limestone and is resistant to temperature change and other environmental stresses like extreme currents.

"The technique is simple yet inexpensive, but it definitely requires the whole of the surrounding community to actively participate in taking care of it," reminds the professor.

By Sad Ripu

TAMANSARI COTTAGES, Pemuteran, North Bali
(0362) 947-55; www.balitamansari.com