Ava's Guest Diary Part 1: First Impressions

About the Author: Ava is a traveller from the UK documenting her stay at Mawun Valley Farm. This is Part 1 of her 3-part diary series.

Selamat Datang. Welcome. A fifteen-minute drive from Kuta, nestled in the countryside of South Lombok, lies Mawun Valley — a blissful haven that differs from your average farm stay.

This verdant retreat offers hospitality in the form of Noni's delicious cooking at her cafe, made with homegrown produce, and cosy huts on the hill where guests can sojourn. The family-run farm is a genuine way to connect with nature and one's inner child, and is suited for the whole family.

The Grand Entrance

You enter and walk up a path lined with a wooden framework built to support the grapevines, intended to one day intertwine and cover the entire structure. Its central placement makes it feel like a grand entrance, turning your eye towards the budding surroundings.

On the left hand side of the path is a herbal remedies garden, housing aloe vera, rosemary, mint, tarragon and more. Mawun is here to aid your cough and blocked nose! On the right hand side there are green beans and long beans crawling up their frame, as well as a selection of rising vegetables.

In addition to the usual produce you have in your kitchen at home, here grows something more rare — Jabuticaba, a Brazilian grape tree where the fruit, which looks like a plum, grows directly on the trunk and branches of the tree through a process known as cauliflory. A fascinating sight!

The open green space has a laid back feel. Set back from the main road, the farm is very peaceful and the sunlight pours in during the daytime, brightening the social space and creating a beautiful sun trap for the vegetation to thrive. A gentle breeze brushes the many planted trees dotted around the land.

The stars of the show — Spinach, Onion, Coconut, and friends

The Stars of the Show

The stars of the show are undoubtedly the goats. Spinach, Onion, Coconut, Sonic — to name a few. They are lively sprites and super affectionate.

Mini Coconut was born just within the past week and we all got to witness her mother give birth! An incredible thing to witness. They are like little puppies, especially Spinach who has ears like a basset hound. Some might say they are the life and soul of the farm.

Coconut and Mini Coconut have become the best of friends, resting their necks on each other as they lay down to snooze and calling out when they lose sight of one another. And there is an abundance of feline friends too — goats and kittens will greet and accompany you during your visit, roaming around and resting as they please.

Noni's Cafe

At the far end of the farm you will find Noni's cafe, nestled behind the amphitheatre which allows you to watch the theatrics of the farm and its performance of agriculture. The banana plant leaves dance in the breeze just behind the "Strawberry Fields" — a guest was inspired by The Beatles' Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club when naming this area, weaving music and vibrancy into the soul of Mawun Valley.

Fresh ingredients straight from the farm to Noni's kitchen

Passionfruit, dragonfruit, strawberries and mangoes. A citrus garden beginning to bloom alongside the amphitheatre. Tomatoes scaling the sunlit slopes while jackfruit dangle like nature's ornaments from the trees. Mawun has an array of fruit, vegetables and herbs — the setup for perfect meals and beverages.

In a world of ultra-processed living, Mawun is not just wholesome in the sense of being around goats and kittens, but it allows you to eat whole foods and adopt a healthy lifestyle as a refuge from urban life. Noni's cafe offers food that is fresh and delicious.

Eating the food at Noni's is nostalgic and it feels like home, reminiscent of my own mum picking vegetables from the patch in our garden and cooking a fresh plate of goodness to fuel my hours of playing in the garden.

Noni tells me how having her cafe here is a dream come true. She was taking online orders for cakes when living in Kuta, but now being able to bake in a calm rural setting is everything she could have wished for. Getting to speak to customers and see their reaction to her baked goods makes for a more impactful and personal experience.

Her baking is sensational — the cinnamon rolls are mouth-watering and the bouncy brownie cheesecake is understandably a best seller. But beyond her skills in the kitchen, her warmth and wisdom has made me feel at home here on the farm.

Continue reading: Part 2: A Day in the Life →

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