Community Based Tourism Pinge

Where is Pinge located?

Pinge is a small village located in the middle of Indonesia's most popular tourism destination, Bali. For more than 40 years Bali has been shaped by tourism development. Every year millions of tourists enjoy the tropical climate, beautiful beaches and distinct cultural traditions. Especially the south has become a magnet for luxury resorts, mass hotel constructions and mainstream tourists. For several reasons the Indonesian government has been searching for alternative practices of tourism in recent years. A solution emerges to support the concept of community based tourism. This sustainable form of tourism aims at improving community life in rural areas. All tourism activities are developed in correspondence with villagers who manage resources themselves. Most profit benefits the community while sustainable principles reduce negative impacts. Community based tourism empowers balanced host-guest conditions to create a mutually beneficial relationship.

Why is Community Based Tourism needed?

The island of Bali is a good example for mass tourism development and consequences of “booming tourist trade” (JED: village, 2007). “Tourism on Bali has largely been planned by the Indonesian government, far away in Jakarta, and by foreigners” (JED: village, 2007). A major part of the Balinese population has been completely neglected. Whether it comes to decision making, local participation in investments, or management of tourism resources. The result is that only six per cent of all tourism assets on Bali belong to the Balinese. A severe lack in control and ownership of these assets, which in total amount to 150 trillion Rupiah, is present (Letters: What, 2009). A great deal of money is earned on the expenses of the Balinese population. While they bear environmental and socio-cultural impacts such as water scarcity, waste pollution, and commercialisation of their cultural values.


During the last years Bali Government has increasingly been trying to improve this unequal host-guest relationship. According to Division Head of Research and Development, Mr. Ketut Naria, a new concept will be integrated in years to come. He refers to a type of agrotourism and ecotourism with fitting activities at the village. The objective is to let local communities manage themselves. “The government only takes the role to mediate, advocate and build the network. The profit obtained is intended for the community. Actually, this is the concept of Community Based Tourism” (bali-travelnews:..). Although a definite instruction on how to implement the strategy is not available yet, the expectation is fuelled by good commitment. Attention is directed towards the multiplier effect. As soon as tourists start arriving their spending within the communities will lead to poverty alleviation. Through cooperation with travel agents, communities have the opportunity to attract potential customers.  

A balanced development envisions harmony between two opposites. The communal and individual aspect is taken under consideration. While the community's interest is a main focus it remains equally important to enhance individual potential. The purpose of development is not only targeted at economic interest. Instead, the development focuses on non material improvement of culture, welfare and environment. The benefits for residents include 'balanced needs between the body and the mind'. In terms of construction any product should take into account the carrying capacity on an economic, socio economic and cultural level. Generally speaking, development has to be oriented towards rapid short- term benefits, that fit within the overall long-term goals. Concerning the markets, it is suggested that market orientation is not solely aimed at foreign tourists, but also domestic tourists. The reason is to stimulate interaction between urban and rural life to enrich national culture. It is argued that a rational development approach is very necessary whereas one based on religious roots is even more desired.

All development decisions are consolidated with indigenous villagers. A community based planning and development approach is highly recommended due to several reasons. Community leaders are respected as “wise men who inherited hundreds of years of experience to know better the existing resources in their region” (Udayana, 2002). They know about natural properties in their area as well as their communal behaviour. Once again the importance of socio-cultural values is stressed. Local people know best about their social values. Therefore, they are able to contribute to the public culture in a better way. Engaging community participation at an early stage of development ensures a stronger sense of belonging. The level of commitment to the programme is strengthened from the beginning. The result usually is a higher level of continuation. Community involvement in planning, decision making and implementation eventually leads to more success.

Pinge's Tourism History 

On the 21. March Mr. Gosana and Made Denayasa, Pinge's community leader, were interviewed. During an one hour conversation the situational background of tourism development has been discussed. The outcome is the following story. Pinge's tourism history began in 2001, when Made Denayasa noticed a Volkswagen car filled with German tourists passing through his village. He was wondering why anyone would be interested to do so. At an instance he confronted the visitors with his curiosity. Their opinion was that Pinge has a special aura, something adorable in the air. They referred to its catching atmosphere that leaves behind lasting impressions. Based on this encounter Made Denayasa contacted the Balinese authorities in form of a written letter. His intention was to ask for government support to make Pinge accessible as a tourism destination. The government agreed to help and launched a research project. The request was forwarded to the University Udayana. Under supervision of a tourism Professor a feasibility study was carried out in 2002. Its conclusion was that Pinge has the potential to become a tourist destination. Based on these findings the authorities of Tabanan declared Pinge as a 'Desa Wisata' (Balinese for Tourism Village) in 2003. A general meeting followed during which a tourism board was formed in Pinge. Although an official body had been established no further action was done. The hope for financial support by the government was left aside. Since the residents themselves did not have the necessary means Pinge's tourism development stopped for almost seven years.

In the end of 2009 hope arrived with the election of a new community leader. As soon as Made Denayasa took over his new position he contacted the Bali Government Tourism Authority once again. This time they recommended him to see Mr. Gosana. A few days later Made Denayasa visited the Tourism Board in Denpasar and explained his situation. Mr. Gosana was eager to hear about the community chief's enthusiasm for tourism. He told him about a parallel pilot project, namely the “Development of CBT on Bali”. Both came to the conclusion to wait for Mr. Gosana visiting NHTV Breda first. Then finally in February 2010 a meeting in Pinge's Banjar was organised. The objective was to formulate a vision and mission for Pinge's future tourism development. The meeting included the former established tourism body, Made Denayasa, Mr. and Mrs. Gosana, other village authorities and two ITMC students. During the three hour assembly several topics were discussed. Being an expert in his field Mr. Gosana explained how to develop Pinge as a tourism destination. He clearly emphasized the importance of community participation. Made Denayasa stressed the point that everyone involved had to maintain the vision of 'Tri Hita Karana'.This is an ancient belief familiar to most Balinese. The word comes from Sanskrit language and literally translates into 'three of the harmony'. It means creating harmony and balance through peaceful relation between human to God, human to human, and human to environment. By referring to Tri Hita Karana, Made Denayasa expressed his desire for a sustainable development of tourism in his village. The meeting ended with this statement and a positive feeling.

Natural Resources of Pinge 

Pinge and its surrounding is fortunate to have an outstanding environment. The fertile land is well irrigated by the many river descending from the mountains. The greater amount of rainfall allows rice harvesting three times a year. Many other fruit and vegetables plants are surrounded by ideal growing conditions. Cacao, papaya, coconut and passion fruit trees decorate the scenery along with other exotic flowers. The nature is very well preserved and constantly cared for. The inhabitants live with nature rather than from it. They treat the land and everything that is growing on it with great respect. There is always someone gardening the sideways or cutting the long grass in a traditional manner.

Jatiluwih

The Jatiluwih area is famous for the most beautiful rice terraces on Bali. Especially in the early morning hours and for sunset the scenery turns into a pictures canvas. It seems that every available square meter of the hillsides is used for planting rice. Uncountable terraces decorate the land in a magnificent way that is unique for Bali. From Pinge it takes about twenty minutes on motorbike to reach the beginning of the Jatiluwih area. Another ten minutes driving through narrow and curvy streets let appreciate the view from different points. The nicest view point is filled with some local restaurants, and a few cafés. It it not unusual to meet foreign tourists there.

Hot Springs Angseri

The natural hot springs are located in Angseri, a village similar to Pinge. The distance from Pinge to Angseri is approximately four km. The last two km lead through terrible road conditions. Therefore it takes about 20 minutes of slow driving to reach the facilities. To make them more accessible the road is being improved at the moment. The entrance fee for foreigners is 20.000 Rupiahs and 10.000 for locals. The hot springs facilities are still under construction. Nevertheless they can be visited, since only minor adjustments are going on. In total there are five separated pools each with a capacity for three to five people. Their form and size is different as well as their temperature. At the end behind a temple there is a swimming pool with warm water. Two waterfalls are next to it. All the facilities are well embedded into the environment, which makes it appear very natural. The hot water originates about 30 meters away from the pools. Bamboo pipes are used to transport it to the individual places. Two bathrooms, two changing rooms and a small restaurant provide all the service that is needed. The atmosphere is very casual. Since hardly any foreigner know about this new facility it is mainly visited by Balinese people. Especially on weekends, families with children and groups of friends can be seen enjoying themselves. Once in a while people stop by to light incense sticks and pray in front of the small temple. The water appears to be rich in minerals and iron. After a few minutes bathing a layer can be felt on the skin that makes it softer and healthier.

Desa Pekraman Pinge – Pinge Traditional Village

The history of Pinge dates back around 630 years. The village is mentioned in the Bhawana Tatwa Manuscript. Ida Rsi Madura Dimade, son of Ida Sanghyang Sunia Hening from Majapahit ancestry, came to Bali in 1380. He was a noble man who built several temples such as Pura Madura, Pura Gunung Sari, Pura Asah Danu at Beratan and Pura Pauman at Batan Getas. Rsi Madura Dimade lived in Pinge. At that time the village belonged to the Marga Palace. One day Anak Agung Gede Pajenengan from Marga Palace passed through Pinge. He liked that area a lot and instructed I Gusti Nugarah Geluntung to build a temple. This temple was called Pura Natar Jemeng. This temple still exists in Pinge and it is very sacred to the villagers. According to an interview with Mr. Pagung, an archaeologist from Bedulu, Pura Natar Jemeng treasures ancient stone relics that are more than 600 years old. Some of the stone relics can be identified as figures of the Hindu Gods Shiva and Ganesha. Other motives are two women, and seven Shiva Lingam. Pinge is the only village in Tabanan district to have such ancient relics. Mr. Pagung mentioned that similar findings more commonly exist in Bedulu, the ancient Balinese capital.

Pinge's community is a typical example of a traditional Balinese village. It has been able to sustain its culture and tradition for the past 600 years. While other places show impacts of mass tourism development and modern life, the village kept its isolation. Even Balinese people identify the Tabanan region as truly authentic Bali. A taxi driver described that area as having no pollution and a quiet atmosphere. Most Balinese have never heard of the little village. Nevertheless, Pinge's community structure is representative for every other Balinese village. It is governed by a single Banjar, called 'Banjar Pekraman Pinge'. A Banjar is the organizational meeting point and forms the heart of a village. Every six months, a big formal meeting invites all participants from the village. Everything concerning Pinge is discussed, e.g. financial issues, resource and harvest amounts. Smaller meetings with the organizational body are more flexible and are scheduled when needed. If there is a construction going on for example a gathering every two weeks is nothing unusual. The second official body is the 'Subak', which organizes water irrigation for the rice fields. There are three main rice field plantations that are supervised by three Subaks. “Membership to the Banjar is mandatory for each Balinese married man. Only Balinese married couples are full Banjar members and subjected to the Banjar rights and obligations. Foreigners or other Indonesians cannot join the Banjar as it is tied up with Balinese culture and the Agama Hindu religion” (Banjar Bali, April 12 2007). 

Ceremonies and temples

The inhabitants of Pinge perform ceremonies in a very traditional way. It is their custom to worship every major temple every six months. In total there are seven of them. During these celebrations at least 100 participants are involved. Although it is not obligatory to participate most of the villagers do so based on their strong belief. “It is a way to honour God by giving something back” (Made Suardika). Everyone dresses up with fine clothes. The men use a sarong, a white shirt and a head bandage. The women also use a sarong and a white blouse. These colours might vary since there is no significance attached to them. What matters is being part of the event. All kinds of offerings are prepared in advanced such as fruits, rice candy, cookies, and flowers. These offerings are carried to Pura Béji where a blessing ritual takes place. 


A group of 35 musicians carries along music instruments and accompanies the crowed with vocal and acoustic sound. They are members of Pinge's art institution that owns a traditional set of musical instruments (Balinese Sekehe Gong). They practice on a regular basis and often play at ceremonies and dances. After the blessing of all offerings women carry them on their heads to another temple. At this new location the ceremony continues. Generally speaking, most religious ceremonies are linked to agricultural life, e.g. during ploughing and harvest season. There are however, also art ceremonies in Pinge that are closely related to Hinduism. The relation of art and religion classifies some performances to have a sacred character. The Leko dance for example is regarded to be sacred and ancient in Pinge. Although it is extinct some information is know by the community of similar dances such as Joged. During the study of Udayana University old and damaged equipment of the Leko dance was found by accident.

Climate 

Pinge has a distinct climate in comparison to the entire island. It lies 500 to 750 meter above sea level and is characterised by milder temperatures (Udayana, 2002). This lowland is more likely to attract rain due to the close by mountains. The soil is very fertile and suitable for agriculture. The sun rises around six o'clock. During morning hours the sky is very clear and there are hardly any clouds. Around eight to nine o'clock the mountains become less visible as cloud formations start to cover them. The clear view eventually vanishes and the mountains disappear behind a white curtain. At that time Pinge still might have a blue sky. Within a few hours the morning temperature raises, reaching a pleasant annual average temperature of 28° C to 30° C. The average rainfall per year is 4500 cm. In comparison to other tourist places on Bali Pinge has a less extreme climate. It does not get as hot and humid as in Ubud, Sanur or Singaraja. The air is hardly polluted and rarely smells like burned trash. Raining season starts in December and lasts until mid April. The rest of the year counts to dry season. Throughout the rainy season daily rain is very common. The rainfall is mostly limited to one and maximal three hours. It usually rains in the late afternoon, from three to five o'clock. Along with the duration the intensity might be different form one day to the another.

Food and Beverage

The quality of food in Pinge is characterised by fresh products. Its farmers produce all year long a variety of vegetables and fruits. Their main crop is white rice, which is cultivated three times a year. Additional vegetables are chilli, cucumber, tomatoes, letters, coffee bean and different potatoes. A great variety of fruits consists of cacao, banana, papaya, pineapple, mangosteen, durian, passion fruit, and jackfruit. Because of the favourable climate all the products have a delicious and healthy taste. The use of traditional farming techniques guarantees naturally grown food without fertilisers. Nevertheless, anti bug spray has been necessary for the past fifteen years. According to Made the increased number of pollution on Bali is the cause. Nowadays it is common practice. Otherwise most of the crops are destroyed by too many insects. All of the locally grown products are also consumed by the community. Rice is an essential part of every meal and is eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The idea of a typical Western breakfast is rather strange for locals. The Balinese kitchen does not lack in variety. Many different dishes are prepared on a daily basis. Other commonly used ingredients are tofu, tempe, eggs, chilli and various spices. The most common meat types are pork and chicken. Chicken is more affordable whereas pig is used for celebrations and special events. Examples for famous local dishes are 'Klopon', black rice pudding, 'Sate Tusuk', barbecued pork meat on a Bamboo stick, and 'Sate Lilit', barbecued pork meat with grated coconut on a Bamboo stick.

Accessibility 

Pinge has a favourable position on the island. Its central location allows comfortable visits to all other areas. It is easily accessible because it lies next to a provincial road that connects Singaraja and Denpasar. This particular road runs through a number of famous tourist attractions such as Taman Ayun, Alas Kedaton, Bedugul and its lakes. The driving distance accounts to fourty minutes on motorbike and about sixty minutes by taxi to visit Bedugul. Bali's cultural centre Ubud is one hour away by motorbike and one and a half hours by taxi. Bali's capital Denpasar is about two hours by car and within an additional thirty minutes Kuta can be reached. This is the same distance to Ngurah Rai International Airport.

Security 

Pinge and its surrounding villages do not have a police station. Only in Marga, in the district village, a small police station can be found. In the feasibility study of Udayana University Pinge's social life is described as “still very harmonious and innocent”. According to law records indigenous criminal cases of even low conflict never happened. 

Concluding CBT in Pinge

Generally speaking Pinge has the potential to become a feasible destination for CBT on Bali. Several analyses throughout the report underpin this statement. At the moment the village is in an early stage of development. There are only few families that are investing in tourism infrastructure, i.e. homestay accommodation. Besides that other tourism developments only exist in theory. Nevertheless the conclusion of this report is that Pinge has tourism potential. The village and its surrounding are rich in natural and cultural resources that by themselves have been attracting random Western tourists. The existing conditions of Pinge's environment and community are feasible for further product development. Several examples made clear that a variety of activities can be added to compose a lucrative tourism concept. It is of great importance that Pinge's community is aware of this point. The villagers have to recognize Pinge's tourism potential within the greater tourism context of Bali. It is true that the island is a popular tourism destination attracting millions of tourists every year. However it is careless to think that all of them would be interested in CBT in Pinge. The market analysis stated that only two tourist profiles are likely to visit Pinge. It has to be very clear to the community that both are niche markets with a limited amount of potential customers. They origin far away in Europe and have plenty of other destinations to choose from. Consequently an extensive and unique tourism concept is a must to awake interest among 'dedicated' visitors. The focus should be on sustainable activities closely related to community life.

Obviously Pinge is not the only village to have natural and cultural resources on Bali. However, it is one of few to be highly motivated and dedicated to develop CBT. The community's effort managed to win the confidence of several stakeholders, i.e. ICSS and Mr. Gosana. Their commitment is a welcoming opportunity for Pinge's community and provides them a favourable starting position. Additionally the government encourages alternative forms of tourism in rural areas. According to this objective Pinge has already been entitled to a tourism village for CBT. It can be assumed that all this empathy in combination with valuable resources provide a reasonable ground for future success.

Concluding it is to say that this report was able to find evidence for Pinge's feasibility. The final SWOT analysis stated several strengths and opportunities that support this tendency. Meanwhile Pinge's weaknesses and threats should not be neglected. At the moment they make up several constraints, which however can be solved. There is no definite reason for Pinge not to continue with further tourism development. CBT is an appropriate concept to aim for regarding Pinge's background situation.

*Please note that the previous paragraphs are extracts from my Bachelor Thesis "Feasibility Study of Community Based Tourism in Pinge, Bali" - Supporting a CBT project in Pinge, a village in the heart of Bali by Arthur Hannert 2010