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Email: murni (at) murnis.com

Ebook: US$4.99

Paperback: US$10.98

Hardback: US$20.36

Ebook: £3.70

Paperback: £8.07

Hardback: £14.99

Ebook: $7

Paperback: $18.34

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Family Friendly Art Workshops

Making Incense Workshop

Learn the ancient history of incense in Bali. Our expert guides teach you to craft your own aromatic incense sticks and cones from scratch, using natural ingredients.

Age: 7 years+ 

Glow in the Dark Paint and Sip: Blacklights

Play with vibrant neon paints on canvas and watch your masterpiece glow, creating a truly unforgettable and dazzling art adventure. It’s painting but make it magical!

Canvases are unstretched and can be rolled, making it super easy to pack!

Age: 5 years+            

Scented Candle Workshop

Get hands-on crafting your very own natural candle using eco-friendly coconut hybrid wax and a beautiful coconut shell vessel. Infuse it with your signature scent and adorn it with charming dried flowers for a piece of paradise to take home.

Age: 7 years+            

Tote Bag Painting

Design a fashion statement as unique as you are! In this super fun and hands-on workshop, you’ll customize your very own stylish tote bag with vibrant paints and creative flair.

Age: 7 years+           

Paint and Paddies

Paint with a breathtaking view of Bali’s iconic rice paddies. This exclusive event is offered only twice a month. Your finished artwork is on a rollable canvas, making it easy to pack and take home. Whether you’re an art pro or a complete beginner, our expert guidance ensures a fun and stress-free session.

Age: 7 years+      

Minimum: 2 people – but ask Reception to check as they might have enough people..                

Ask Reception to call for current start times and address.

Try and book at least a week in advance.

It takes about 10 – 15 minutes walk from Murni’s Houses & Spa to the usual workshop.

Book as much in advance as possible – they have limited space and get booked up.

Email: murni at murnis dot com or tell Reception.

We will call them for you, check availability and reserve the places.

You pay them direct.                                

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Email: murni (at) murnis.com:

Ebook: US$7.99

Ebook: US$9.99

Paperback: US$12.66

Audio book: US$7.19

Ebook: £7.45

Paperback: £9.38

Audio book

Ebook: $11.99

Paperback: $21.45

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Sacred Sanctuaries of Bali explores five of the island’s most revered temples, shrines, and holy places, weaving together history, myth, architecture, archaeology and living tradition.

Goa Gajah, Tirta Empul, Gunung Kawi, Gunung Kawi Sebatu and The Moon Temple of Pejeng.

They are all very different, very interesting and close to each other – and not far from Ubud.

We have written a book which presents these sacred sites not just as monuments of stone and carving, but as living centres of devotion, ritual, and community life. It explains the origins of these major sanctuaries and the deep relationship between the Balinese people and their gods.

Richly illustrated with photographs, maps, and stories, Sacred Sanctuaries of Bali serves as both a guide and a deeper cultural study.

Included

Private air-conditioned car with a fully vaccinated English-speaking driver.

Sacred Sanctuaries of Bali is available as an ebook, paperback, hardback and audio book from Amazon.

Book as much in advance as possible – we’ll check availability, call the driver and arrange it for you.

Email: murni (at) murnis.com or tell Reception.

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Murni has created a special Travel Package at Murni’s Houses & Spa.

3 Days / 2 Nights

Perfect for a short yet immersive wellness escape in the heart of Bali.

Stay at Murni’s Houses & Spa with its lovely garden full of sculptures and tribal art objects, which the New York Times said is one of the best small hotels in the world and that was even before Murni improved it!

Relax in one of our new luxurious couple’s rooms at the popular Tamarind Spa at Murni’s Houses, which many say is the best spa in Bali, and a spa enthusiast even said was the best spa in the world (and she should know). En suite baths and showers, subdued lighting, individually controlled music, air conditioned.

Dine at the historic Murni’s Warung which was first real international restaurant in Ubud, now celebrating over 50 years, in a stunning, riverside gorge, a real photogenic location, and try Bali’s most famous local dishes.

Your All-Inclusive Getaway Includes:

2 Nights in The Suite at Murni’s Houses & Spa    
• Check-in: 2:00 PM
• Check-out: 12:00 Noon

Welcome Drink on Arrival           

                                  
• Refresh and relax after your journey.

2 Murni’s Big Breakfasts per Person

 
• Served any time from 7:00 AM
• Balinese and Vegetarian options available

One 60 Minute Spa Session at Tamarind Spa

• Choose from:
– Balinese Massage
– Relaxing Massage
– Reflexology Foot Massage
• Available daily from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM

One 60 Minute Beauty Treatment at Tamarind Spa

• Choose from:
– Traditional Facial
– Modern Facial
– Manicure
– Pedicure
• Available daily from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM

2 Meals per Person at Murni’s Warung  

    
• Lunch or Dinner
• Choose any 2 courses:
– Appetizer & Main Course or Main Course & Dessert
• Served daily any time from 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM
• Drinks not included

Round-Trip Airport Transfers

• Provided by a fully vaccinated, English-speaking driver

Up to 3 People 

• Payable on booking by Wise, Revolut, local Indonesian bank transfer or secure link by Visa or MasterCard credit card.

Optional Add-On

Choose from 7 curated tours.

Charged by the hour.

Includes a free copy of our eBook:

Murni’s Bali Tours: Where to Go, What to Do and How to Do It

NOTE: We can add nights at Murni’s Houses (subject to availability).

Reviews for Murni’s Houses in Magazines, Papers and Books

To book

Email: murni (at) murnis.com

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From 10 – 20  February 2025

Available all day (as well as our normal menus).

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For this special time we have a special menu.

Available all day (as well as our normal menus).

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 Learn to Make Chocolate Bars – for guests staying at Murni’s Houses & Spa

The Mason Gourmet Chocolate Factory is located inside the stunning Koko Bambu Restaurant, overlooking scenic rice fields. Embark on a delightful adventure as you join their guided tours to discover the secrets of craft chocolate making. Explore a cocoa plantation, witness the chocolate-making process at their factory, and unleash your creativity by crafting your own assortment of chocolate bars, pralines, and truffles. Indulge in an in-depth tasting experience featuring a variety of chocolates, including exclusive limited single-origin bars.

Included

• Return Transfers
• Welcome Chocolate Cocktail
• Visit Cocoa Plantation and Taste Fresh Picked Fruit (depends on season and weather)
• Visit Chocolate Laboratory
• Make your own range of Chocolate Bars, Pralines and Truffles to take home
• Taste a Variety of Different Chocolates at an in Depth Tasting Experience (including limited single-origin bars)
• Lunch with Chocolate Desserts
• 15% discount in the showroom

Minimum 2 people. Maximum 5 people. Children: over 8 years old.

Pick Up:   8.15 – 8.45 am

Book as much in advance as possible – at least 2 days notice before 9 pm.

Email:  murni at murnis dot com or tell Reception.

We will call them for you, check availability and reserve the places.

Pay direct.

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Based on 477,287 ratings  Indonesia ranked 7th in the world.

I’m pleased to say that Murni’s Warung was listed as one of the best traditional restaurants in Indonesia!

1. Greek
2. Italian
3. Mexican
4. Spanish
5. Portuguese
6. Turkish
7. Indonesian
8. French
9. Japanese
10. Chinese

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The spirit of Bali, which intertwines traditional values and customary laws within a universal framework of harmony, will continue to draw visitors long seeking enlightenment in this troubled world.

Rob Goodfellow

 15 November 2024

This year, Bali is once again among the top recipients of Tripadvisor’s prestigious Travelers’ Choice Awards for the world’s most popular destinations. The reason Bali has consistently rated so highly? “Culture” and “spirituality”.

Bali is not just an island, but a global phenomenon. It is, as Indian statesman Jawaharlal Nehru once famously described, “the morning of the world”.

Here, Nehru observed something important. This was the harmonious relationship that existed between people, nature and the divine.

And the fact remains, Bali still teaches an increasingly troubled world about the values of ancient spirituality that have withstood the test of time. These values continue to enrich lives everywhere.

Indeed, Bali represents the hope that human diversity can survive the 21st century. For reasons not completely understood by anthropologists and historians, Balinese culture remains colorful, complex, rich, relevant and vibrant, both because of tourism and in spite of it.

In their book, Secrets of Bali, Fresh Light on the Morning of the World, Jonathan Copeland and Ni Wayan Murni, a Balinese tourism entrepreneur par excellence, inform us of something worth remembering. While Bali is one of the world’s most recognized tourism brands, the community of Ubud is Bali’s cultural center and the royal family of Ubud is its living, beating heart.

As Murni says, the Ubud royal family continues to restore temples, organize and contribute to ceremonies, sponsor dance and gamelan groups and fund research into preserving and interpreting customary law, or adat. For this reason, more income from tourism is returning directly to the community.

This is the high-value, culturally based, low social and environmental impact model advanced so enthusiastically by the newly appointed head of the National Economic Council (DEN), Luhut Panjaitan. His policy is already strengthening Ubud’s global reputation as Bali’s center of tradition, religion and cultural conservation.

Indeed, after the ephemeral beach bars, night clubs and nail salons eventually go extinct, Bali’s spirit will continue to draw discerning tourists who not only respect the island’s rich culture, but also want to personally learn from it.

This social dynamic is about the values of cooperation and mutual benefit. As Murni says, “The Ubud royals couldn’t carry out the enormous ceremonies for which they are respected without the help of local villagers.” Given this respect, it’s not surprising that Ubud’s Prince Tjokorda Raka Kerthyasa, or Tjok Ibah as he is affectionally known, has again been selected as traditional village head, or Bendesa Adat, a voluntary position. (Where else in the world but Bali are royals submitted to elections?)

However, this honor is far from symbolic. Between Nov. 15 and 17, Tjok Ibah and his son Tjokorda Gede “Tjok De” Kerthyasa have invited leading authorities in Balinese culture to join a public program they are hosting, called “Unveiling Bali”.

Tjok Ibah describes the program as “An enriching weekend event that will delve into the enduring value of Balinese traditions through engaging talks, intimate discussions and a variety of workshops, demonstrations and exhibitions.”

While Nehru’s 1954 description of Bali is wonderfully poetic, Tjok Ibah’s 2024 description is equally so: “Bali is one of the last intact living mystery schools on the planet, where ritual, prayer and cosmology infuse every aspect of life.”

So just what is Tjok Ibah’s commitment to attendees? “In this journey of unveiling Bali, we will unlock and explain these aspects in a way that can be understood by both the Eastern and Western mind and soul.”

The program is already creating interest. Eddy Speirs, managing editor of Now! Bali magazine says, “‘Unveiling Bali’ is an essential reminder of the true wealth of this island, its art, culture and its unique philosophies of life. In a time of rapid change, such knowledge helps us to reassess the inherent value of Bali and how to approach its future.”

Indeed, according to Tjok Ibah, “Culture and faith are the soul of the local community here in Ubud. Nowhere in the world is this more integral to life.”

What he is talking about here is an understanding of Tri Hita Karana, the Balinese philosophy of life and living known as “the three causes of well-being”. Not surprisingly “Unveiling Bali” incorporates the values of harmony with the creator, harmony among people and harmony with nature.

In a parallel development, the appointment of Widiyanti Putri Wardhana as the new tourism minister has come at a time when the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (IHRA) are calling for policies that promote cultural tourism.

Hopefully, “Unveiling Bali” will also result in a fresh political commitment to promoting the spirit of Bali. This will build on the work of renowned former culture and tourism minister I Gede Ardika, who once proudly predicted that in the years ahead, Indonesia would be one of the few countries sitting at the high table of developed nations with its culture largely intact.

Significantly, this year has so far seen a 23 percent increase in visitor arrivals to Bali. By the end of this year, this is projected to reach an all-time, 12-month record number of both domestic and international visitors.

What are visitors mostly looking for? To experience for themselves the culture and spirit of the world’s very own island “mystery school”, Bali.

The writer is a researcher with the Humanitarian and Development Research Initiative (HADRI) at Western Sydney University.

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Accompanied walks/treks for Guests staying at Murni’s Houses & Spa:

1. Bali Bird Walks (can be combined with a Tamarind Spa package)
2. Mount Batur Volcano Sunrise Trek (can be combined with a Tamarind Spa package)
3. Trekking (can be combined with a Tamarind Spa package)
4. Bali Herbal Walks
5. Ubud Story Walks

Book as much in advance as possible.  

We will call for you and reserve the places.  Email: murni@murnis.com or tell Reception. 

Free Walks on your own

There are 2 paved walks which start only 5 minutes from Murni’s Houses & Spa. It’s best to go early in the morning.

1.    Campuhan Ridge Walk 

Campuhan Ridge Walk is about 2 km and features stunning rice paddy views. Leave Murni’s Houses and turn left (blue on the map). Go down the ramp. At the bottom cross the road at Ibah. Go into Ibah a little bit. To the left, you’ll see a road that goes downhill. Walk down the road and down a few steps on the right and up alongside the temple on your left. Continue and you’re on the walk. Note that there are some motor bikes on the walk.

2. Sari Organik Walk
   

Sari Organik Walk is an easy mostly flat paved walk. Leave Murni’s Houses and turn right (yellow on the map). Go down the ramp. At the bottom cross the road at Pura Dalem temple and turn left. After a couple of minutes you’ll arrive at Abangan Bungalow. You’ll see a small path and a sign on the right for Sari Organik. Follow the path up into the rice fields, watching out for motor bikes, and follow the signs to Sari Organik. 

What to bring:

• We recommend comfortable footwear and a hat.
• Sunblock and sunglasses.
• Water and a reusable bottle for water refills.
• Umbrella, just in case.

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I am deeply honoured by the Lifetime Achievement Award presented by Janet de Neefe at the Ubud Food Festival, 2024.

And I am also very pleased and flattered by the news coverage.

The Nusantara Bulletin reported,

‘Bali’s living legend, Ni Wayan Murni, was honored with the 2024 Festival Lifetime Achievement Award. Her iconic warung, established in 1974, had become a renowned refuge for travelers and a testament to her unwavering commitment to Balinese heritage.

Murni’s vision not only left a lasting impact on Bali’s culinary and hospitality landscape but also deeply touched countless visitors with her warmth and passion for sharing the beauty of her homeland,” Janet DeNeefe remarked with heartfelt admiration.’

Antara (Indonesian News Agency) were kind to say,

‘A living legend from Bali, Ni Wayan Murni, was named the recipient of the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award. Murni’s Warung, which was founded in 1974, has become a top destination for travelers, both from within and outside the country.’

Radio Republik Indonesia said,

‘Legenda hidup dari Bali, Ni Wayan Murni, dinobatkan sebagai penerima Lifetime Achievement Award 2024. Warung miliknya, yang didirikan pada tahun 1974, dengan cepat menjadi destinasi bagi para pelancong—baik dari dalam maupun luar negeri. Seiring berjalannya waktu, warisannya juga berkembang dengan pendirian perusahaan-perusahaan yang masing-masing mencerminkan komitmennya terhadap warisan budaya Bali.

Visi Murni tidak hanya memberikan dampak jangka panjang pada lanskap kuliner Bali, tetapi juga menyentuh banyak orang dengan kehangatan dan semangatnya untuk berbagi keindahan tanah airnya,” kata Pendiri & Direktur Ubud Food Festival Janet DeNeefe.’

Tribun Bali said,

‘Janet mengaku tertarik dengan kisah legenda hidup asal Bali, Ni Wayan Murni, peraih Lifetime Achievement Award 2024 yang mana warung yang berdiri sejak tahun 1974, menjadi destinasi para turis domestik dan mancanegara yang warisan cita rasa turun – temurun higga bisa dinikmati masa kini.

Visinya (Murni,-Red) tidak hanya memberikan dampak jangka panjang pada lanskap kuliner Bali, tetapi juga menyentuh banyak orang dengan kehangatan dan semangatnya untuk berbagi keindahan tanah airnya,” beber dia.’

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Available all day (as well as our normal menus).

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We’ve got the best local photographer in Bali to take guests of Murni’s Houses to stunning locations off the beaten track and teach you how to take great photos.

It’s suitable for beginners to professional photographers with any type of camera, including phones and tablets.

And great for Instagram.

Very small groups – from 1 to 3 people only.

The locations vary and depend on the season, what’s going on, the weather, and how long you want to spend in each one.

Favourites are:

• Sunrise over Mount Agung and the rice fields
• Rural life
• Traditional markets
• Water temple
• Balinese ceremonies
• Rivers
• Dramatic landscapes
• Portraits
• Street life
• Balinese dancers

Make sure that your batteries are charged and your flash cards are formatted and empty.

If you have one, bring your tripod. If not, don’t worry.

Have a good night’s sleep in the tranquillity of Murni’s Houses ready for an early start.

Bring a jumper as it can be chilly that early.

Don’t worry if it rains. Rain produces great photographic opportunities and we have raincoats.

PICK UP TIME: 5.30 am

Half Day Tour:          

Finish at 10 am.    

Full Day Tour:           

Finish at 2 pm – and will include home made Balinese lunch at the photographer’s own home – please let us know if you are vegetarian or vegan – followed by photographing young Balinese dancers in their costumes in the garden.

Book as much in advance as possible. 

We will call for you and reserve the places.

Pay at Reception.

Email:  murni at murnis.com or tell Reception. 

April 2024

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