Kusamba Salt Farm Bali – Traditional Coastal Salt Harvesting
Kusamba Salt Farm, located along Bali’s eastern coastline, offers a rare look into one of the island’s oldest and most traditional practices—sea salt harvesting by hand. Here, generations of local farmers continue a slow, precise craft that hasn’t changed for centuries, using natural materials and time-honored methods that respect both the land and the ocean.
EAST BALI
One of the most distinctive aspects of Kusamba’s salt-making tradition is the use of coconut tree trunks, split in half lengthwise to create shallow basins. These basins are used to collect and hold the concentrated seawater after it’s filtered through layers of black volcanic sand. The saltwater slowly evaporates under the sun, and what’s left behind is fine, mineral-rich sea salt, carefully raked and sun-dried by hand.
The process starts at dawn, when farmers gather seawater and splash it across flat sand beds, allowing it to dry in the sun. Once enriched, this sand is rinsed, and the mineral-heavy runoff is channeled into the half-cut coconut basins. This use of natural, biodegradable materials not only supports the ecosystem but also connects the work deeply to the surrounding environment.
Walking through the salt fields, you’ll see neat rows of these coconut wood basins catching light under the coastal sun, creating a quiet, almost meditative landscape. The atmosphere is calm, humble, and completely free from commercial crowds. Local farmers are often happy to share a few words, show the process, or let you try a pinch of freshly harvested salt.
A visit to Kusamba Salt Farm is usually short—about 20 to 30 minutes—but rich in insight. There’s no entrance fee, no ticket booth, and no pressure to buy. Just an honest look at a fading tradition, and a peaceful moment by the sea. It’s often combined with nearby stops like Goa Lawah Temple or coastal fishing villages, offering a fuller East Bali experience.
For those looking to explore authentic, slow-made culture, Kusamba Salt Farm is a quiet yet powerful reminder of Bali’s deep connection to its natural surroundings—where the sea, sun, and coconut trees come together to create something simple, essential, and beautiful.
