If the bee disappeared off the face of the earth, man would only have four years left to live. ― Maurice Maeterlinck, The Life of the Bee
With the United States’ recent controversial withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, the planet needs our help more than ever. This is exacerbated by the declining populations of bee colonies across the globe that is said to cause great loss to ecosystems and food production. Now, you might be furrowing your brow in worry and wonder, “What can I do? I’m just a mere mortal who really likes honey.â€
Well, fret not as The Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan together with Plan Bee Indonesia, a grassroots initiative launched in Bali to combat colony collapse disorder, have come up with a plan to try making things right, or at least make things even.
In a bid to save Bali’s bees while supporting ethical production of honey, the resort has teamed up with local farmers to produce its own honey for use in their restaurants, cocktails, cooking classes and spa treatments. This sweet nectar is called the Four Seasons Wild Sayan Honey, produced from two new beehives that are home to about 10,000 apis cerana bees local to Indonesia. These hives are part of Plan Bee Indonesia’s mission of reviving local bee populations and promoting business practices of sustainably harvested honey.
Guests at The Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan can learn about the threat facing bees and how they can help by joining the resort’s escorted Garden Tour where they can admire the hives from a distance or get a closer look at the honey bees in action if they wish to do so. At the Sacred River Spa, indulge in peace of mind as well as body at the where the Wild Sayan Honey is used in a luxurious 120-minute Swadhisthana chakra ceremony inspired by Balinese rituals for wedding, pregnancy and rites of passage. This rejuvenating treatment seeks to balance the sacral chakra in the lower abdomen through a deep lymphatic scrub Vichy shower, nourishing bath, flowing massage with ylang ylang and jasmine oils, and cananga ‘breath of peace’ meditation.