english | indonesia

Deep in the hills of north Bandung, there was a remote tropical forest, thick with bamboo groves and plants and trees of every variety. It was a dark forbidding place where the villagers were afraid to visit.
But, there was water there, supplied by a beautiful waterfall.

One day, a young woman looking for water braved the dark unknown and stumbled across the magical waterfall. Despite the protests of all the villagers, she continued to come to the forest and was soon convinced that this place could become something very special.

So, she saved up all the money she could, and with the help of a few others, built a small food counter at the foot of the forest. It was a beautiful setting they thought to themselves, and they began serving local favorites such as surabi, poffertjes, bandrek and bajigur along with a few traditional drinks.

Soon, they added 4 saungs, which are cozy, little grass huts with wooden floors and grass thatching for roofs. They also landscaped the area to better display the amazing hanging rock formations which tower over the peaceful stream that runs down from the waterfall. They also placed bamboo torches all along the road leading to their special place.
Then they decorated the waterfall with candles and built two raised fire pits to welcome guests as they arrived at the entrance.

Her dream was now a reality, and it was paradise to all of them. Others agreed, because people from all over began to come to her special garden in the forest. Slowly at first, then more and more until they had to add more saungs even past the waterfall, to the very top, where they built the biggest saung of all – and she called it the Bale Ageung, which means “big house”.

She named her paradise, Kampung Daun, which literally translated means Village of Leaves Her concept of Kampung Daun is based upon a real village where the locals go about their daily activities with their trademark lifestyle of humbleness, friendliness, caring and service to each other. The heart of where all the village activities takes place is called the Alun-Alun.
The Bale Ageung symbolizes the government’s head office, which is called, Pendopo.

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Warmest regards,
Kampung Daun Gallery & Cafe .