Karangasem, On the Wallace Line

Snake fruit Agro tourism
Trekking While Savouring a Snake fruit Drink

Snake fruit agrotourism at Sibetan Village, Karangasem is sets about of being remodeled. The area of this snake fruit estate is capable of displaying various activities of its community, including the local craftsmen.

This territory lies on the main route of Amlapura city to Besakih temple. There spreads the estates which are predominantly cultivated with snake fruit plants. As farmers producing snake fruit, they never make use of chemical fertilizers to manure their land so the estate there comes in as an eco-friendly one.
According to the Division Head of Plant Diseases from the Office of Agricultural Services on Food Plants and Horticulture of Karangasem Regency, Ir. Wayan Supandi, to remodel this agro tourism, they have set up a joint enterprise group (KUBA) of which the members are from Dukuh, Sibetan. This group got positive support from the Regent of Karangasem, Wayan Gredeg.
The Sibetan Snake fruit Agro tourism is not only visited by tourists, but also glanced by some researchers from the United States, Australia and other countries. They made research on snake fruit there. "Similarly, they passed technological assistance for the snake fruit processing to local farmers," said Wayan Supandi.
There are 12 species of snake fruit in Karangasem, either in terms of its form and flavor. All species have typical flavor and even the sugar snake fruit has exceptional sweet flavor. This sugar snake fruit is better known as priest snake fruit as the white colour of its flesh is whitish (white is the typical costume of temple priest). "Selling price of the priest snake fruit is the most expensive, namely IDR 40,000 per kg," he said.
Regent Gredeg promises to consistently make over and promote this agro tourism. Likewise, the existing human resources will be sustainable improved. They are trained to process the snake fruit during the post-harvest time and make it into snake fruit wine, cracker, taffy or dry processed snake fruit.
In processing the snake fruits, they do not apply any chemical preservatives but they do it in traditional manner instead. Some samples of the snake fruit wine have now been dispatched world wine laboratory as in England and the United States. "Hopefully, this snake fruit wine could penetrate the international market," the regent expected.
Making over of this area is commenced by the establishment of split entrance gate and gazebos on the Muding hilltop. It is by considering that the view from the hilltop southerly is remarkably gorgeous. "Verdant valley along with rice fields on the slope of the hill and cobalt blue sea water look like alluring paintings," he said.
Regent Gredeg added, a wide selection of tour packages could be performed there. For instance, village excursion while looking closer at their daily activity in making several kinds of typical handicrafts or trekking would become a pleasant adventure. "While trekking, we can pick the snake fruit fresh from its cluster and savour it during the promenade," he said while adding that the tourists could also purchase fresh snake fruit or its processed products such as taffy, cracker or bottled wine. (BTN/budana)