Munduk Cabins by Desa Hay — home
A waterfall in the forest near Munduk

Our commitment

Sustainability

Conscious travel and sustainable luxury are the ideas behind every part of this place.

That is the starting point, and it shapes what we build, what we buy and how the place is run day to day.

We use recyclable and reusable quality amenities throughout the cabins, and the property is built on circular infrastructure and eco-design. We consider everything we do carefully, so that a genuinely luxurious stay also gives back to the island and keeps a guest’s travel footprint small.

We are here to make sure that everything we do supports the community around us and contributes to protecting and conserving the nature and wildlife of Bali.

Munduk Cabins from the air, with most of the land left unbuilt

The framework

Built on a blueprint of ESG

We built Munduk Cabins on a blueprint of ESG, and created a framework that lets us give back and make a real impact across environmental, social and governance measures.

Environmental. We return water to the water table by sponsoring the building of recharge wells, and we largely use materials we can recycle and compost.

Social. We employ local staff and contractors, use local produce and materials, and support local children and employees through the Desa Hay Scholarship Fund.

Governance. We pay it forward through workshops, events and training modules that give local operators and developers the skills and understanding to build and operate more sustainably. We hold ourselves to the highest standards, and we report on our impact and our footprint with full transparency.

In practice

We look at sustainability in four areas

  • CO₂ neutrality

    • Carbon offsets covering both construction and ongoing operations
    • Energy switches and timers throughout
    • LED lighting

  • Water

    • Recharge wells returning water to the table
    • Between 30 and 40 per cent of the land deliberately left unbuilt
    • All water treated until it is drinkable, and tested monthly
    • Wastewater processed through a sequencing batch reactor

  • Waste

    • Every amenity assessed for plastic content and how to reduce it
    • Slippers made from mendong grass and coconut husk
    • Recycling and composting
    • Local suppliers whose values match our own

  • Community & culture

    • The Desa Hay Scholarship Fund
    • Indonesian companies and people throughout — architect, builder, staff
    • Sustainability education for guests, employees and anyone who will listen
    • Sponsorship of local organisations such as IDEP

Accountability

If it isn’t measured, nothing changes

So we produce reports that document and measure our progress on sustainability, rather than describing our intentions and leaving it there.

We take our stewardship of this land seriously, and we are committed to going beyond what is asked of us in managing it sustainably. If you have questions, or you would like help with your own sustainability journey, please get in touch.

Contact us