The founders of Plan Bee Indonesia, Amanda Garland-Hunt and Ratih Nurruhliati, met us at our villa bright and early in the morning. Over breakfast, they briefly talked us through how vital bees are –not only as pollinators to our source of food, but also to our entire ecosystem. They also showed us pictures of some of their beekeeping projects as teasers to what we would see a little bit later, and I couldn’t wait!

Being from Jakarta, I’ve always considered trips to Bali to be a change of scenery in and of itelf. However, looking out the window as we drove away from the touristy area of Kuta and further into the country brought the phrase to a whole new level. We left the narrow streets filled with boutiques and coffee shops, and turned to winding roads that go up and down the hills. There were stunning beaches, untouched by much else besides a few visitors and the rolling waves. On each side of the road, there were plains of rice fields that just went on and on and on… It felt like a series of beautiful, little snapshots of what the beauty of Balinese nature was like.
About a four-hour drive later, we arrived in Jembrana, where we would visit one of Plan Bee Indonesia’s farmers,
As if that weren’t enough to astound me, I found myself more astonished by the sight of real honeycombs before my eyes. I had never seen it up close and it’s quite bizarre to see such meticulous hexagons made by these little creatures. It turns out that, like humans, bees would wake up in the morning and go to work all day, at each of their assigned posts –some are on pollinating duties, some build the honeycomb, some guard the eggs, and so on. How amazing is that?

Just next to his house, Pak Matal took us to his fruit and vegetable garden, which is one of the spots where the bees go to work and pollinate. Coming from the city where these produces are always somehow there in the supermarket, it’s a truly refreshing reminder that these things come from somewhere. There is a long process with a lot of parties involved and aspects that come into play. Yes, we as humans have our fair share of responsibilities, but we also need to have Mother Nature’s back. We reap the countless benefits that the environment has provided; it is only right for us to express our gratitude by returning the favor to keep it sustainable.
All in all, this trip has been immensely eye-opening because I learned not only about how awesome bees are,
Go Global Indonesia provides volunteering opportunities for people all over the world to contribute in the honey bee conservation with Plan Bee Indonesia. In this program, you will get a firsthand experience in beekeeping, product packaging and advertising, engaging the public on the cause, as well as assisting Plan Bee Indonesia on their administrative duties. For information about the Volunteer Opportunities in Indonesia with GGI, contact [email protected].