By Suna Kanga

EACH morning, drinking a cup of Java never fails to transport me to the Losari Coffee Plantation and Spa in Java, Indonesia. After all, coffee has both a spiritual and social dimension in Java, an island with over 100 plantations.

The resort has a spectacular view of the surrounding volcanoes.

Lying on a wide, wooden deck in a room that faces the magnificent Mt Merapi, one of the eight volcanoes surrounding the resort, is not such a distant memory.

Visiting the plantation resort was very much on my mind after I met Gabriella Teggia, the charismatic founder of the plantation resort and spa.

The Italian's story is fascinating. Creating an eco-resort was a dream that took her trudging through many mountains. A chance encounter with an old villager led her to a dilapidated manor house on a coffee plantation. Stunned by the surrounding grandeur, she acquired the property with a partner in 1991.

Then, she began a treasurehunt for old houses, a passion she indulged in over the years. The rescued wooden houses, several with ornate carvings, were relocated to Losari and painstakingly restored. The resort, which opened in 2004, is now a showcase of Javanese architecture.

Since then, Ms Teggia has returned to Italy for health reasons, and Indonesian owner Roesan P. Roeslani and his team now oversees the operation of the 22-ha coffee plantation.

The resort and spa is 65km away from the Yogyakarta airport. On our way there, we passed by villages devoted to
crafts such as carved furniture, stone statues and colourful kites. En route, we also stopped at the 18-hole Borobudur International Golf and Country Club, which is open to visitors.

The welcoming committee of Losari Coffee Plantation and Spa gets ready to shower flowers on the guests.

Upon arrival at Losari, we were awestruck by the grandeur of the plantation. The reception office, a former railway station, faces five majestic acres of lawns and tiled-roofed structures that are hidden by trees.

Visitors can hear sounds of gamelan music emerging from a pavilion where a class of village students having music lessons.

It is a community-based project by the Losari Foundation which offers educational, training and employment opportunities. There are over 180 locals working on the plantation and farm.

Guests can also lounge at the eternity pool that is flanked by the orange domes of the Turkish Hamam (steam baths).

We were housed in a luxurious yet rustic two-storey villa. There are 32 villas here and each is different. All the villas have verandahs with views of the volcanoes.

We could smell the floral fragrance of the afternoon air as we made our way to the Club House, the original Dutch plantation house. Its quiet mood is evocative of a bygone era. The beautifully restored bungalow is furnished with antiques and has a library with Internet access.

Jamu is popular with locals and is well-known for its restorative properties

At Losari Restaurant, enjoy the wondrous mountain views while savouring lovely Indonesian and Mediterranean meals. Our favourite dish was the steamed tilapia seasoned with home-grown herbs and rolled in leaves.

Located by the poolside is another restaurant Java Green, which serves healthy lunches that feature organic ingredients from the gardens.

After a taste of the palatable tamarind and brown sugar jamu, we decided to visit the Jamu Hut for more of the wholesome goodness of the brew of roots, spices and herbs prepared by the jamu lady. Popular with locals, Jamu is a famous Indonesian drink noted for its restorative properties and is said to enhance virility in men and fertility for women.

Our friendly guide Espa showed us around Losari, which is Javanese for "soul of the trees". And we sought communion with Mother Nature alongside the tree-lined terraces of the plantation. We studied trees laden with organic green and red berries, visited a coffee-shed for a taste of crunchy roasted beans with palm sugar, peeked into an oyster mushroom house and strolled past the large organic vegetable and herbs gardens.

Freshly harvested coffee berries from the plantation.

Losari's Spa and Hamam Experience is popular with the Europeans, who make up 80 per cent of the guests here.

All 800 sq m of the Italian designed spa has two Turkish hamams, featuring graceful arches and central platforms. Sitting in the steamy hamam is a relaxing prelude to a Re-balancing Massage, which costs US$55 (S$78) for 75 minutes, by therapist Danik, whose dancing hands left me revitalised.

For the culturally inclined, there are visits to Buddhist and Hindu temples and palaces of the ancient kingdoms. For the active, there are eco-walks, mountain bike trips and hikes to waterfalls, thermal springs and forested peaks. Thrill-seekers can climb to the peak of Mt Merapi, Java's most active volcano, for a glorious view of flowing lava.

For me, it was enough to just watch the volcano's changing moods from the verandah while enjoying a cup of freshly brewed Java.

For details, visit www.losaricoffeeplantation.com or e-mail info@losariplantation.com

This article was first published in The Straits Times Special Projects Unit, Marketing Division, SPH on September 16, 2008.