You Want Me to Drink What? Luwak Coffee in Ubud, Bali

When I booked a group trip to Bali, I was more than excited. Not only was it a chance to experience the temples and culture, but as a coffee lover, it was a chance to taste a coffee I had only heard about from other travelers. My friend’s father, who traveled for work, always talked about this poop coffee he had when he was traveling for work in Indonesia.

Some coffee aficionados say it’s just a gimmick, but the experience of walking around the coffee plantations and seeing the process is an experience.

So I researched this coffee and found Kopi Luwak coffee is one of the world’s most expensive coffees, and I had to try it.

So for months I told my friends we had to try it, and you can imagine the apprehension. I had told our guide about wanting to try this, and I actually got to try it twice. Just know there are plenty of coffee plantations as the coffee is unique to Indonesia.

The animal is actually not a cat as some people think—it’s a civet. They are nocturnal and eat ripe coffee cherries. The fruit is partially digested, and fermented in the stomach before the animal defecates. The poop with the beans in it is collected. Then they are washed, roasted, and ground up. I got a chance to see the process and believe it or not, the majority of the group tried it. Most plantations charge for the cup of Luwak coffee; think $$5 for a cup of coffee that averages around $100 a cup in the U.S. Once you buy that cup, you get a coffee service with all types of coffee from avocado coffee, to mangosteen tea.

It’s an excursion good for all ages, even if you are not a coffee drinker, but you’ll be a hero if you bring some back for the coffee lover in your life.

Book this as an excursion or part of a day trip when visiting temples or the Ubud monkey forest.

For more inspiration and insider recommendations, visit our Bali page.