Waka Experience – Soft Adventure Tourism in Bali

There was fierce competition among the boats that plied the daily Benoa to Lembongan sea route ( about five other vessels ) but only WakaLouka had a land base. This was to be the pattern of the Waka group’s ground breaking foresight. The ‘Reef Club’ concept gave us a unique selling proposition – and we used it effectively and prospered. In the year 1994, the boat carried 10.000 guests to WakaLouka Reef Club on Lembongan Island; and in 1995, 13.000 guests.

At this time a new style of resort was being built in the Ubud area; Ume di Ume – designed by Ketut Siandana, the architect of the Waka Resorts and the developer of the Waka style. With a change of name to Waka di Ume, the resort opened in 1995. Waka was again at the leading edge; marketing a small, charming, stylish hotel which deliberately avoided the clichés – televisions, air-conditioners and commercial Balinese furniture; but offered a “less is more”, almost monastic / simplistic look, featuring local fabrics, stone and wood – and a meditation center – once more creating a unique selling proposition. Today, Waka di Ume ranks among the most successful and well – known resorts in Ubud, and even in all of Bali.

This became the pattern for the Waka Resorts. Work began on a sister resort attached to the ‘Reef Club” on Lembongan Island, to be called Desa WakaNusa.

The name Waka began to take on the authority of an established brand name.

Like Waka di Ume in Ubud, WakaNusa island resort was designed and built to work in harmony with the land, to feature the surrounding flora and fauna, and to involve the local people and everyday working environment. It offered a true Balinese experience.

At about the same, a second day-tour product was conceived – a land tour by air-conditioned luxury Land Rovers, which were purchased in Jakarta. And the journey to the secret soul of Bali began – to Jatiluwih and Gunung Batukaru.

This was the first such product in Bali, and again it was developed with a unique selling
proposition – a purpose-built, private restaurant deep in the bamboo rain forest, high on the
mountain side. This mean there were four ‘Waka’ products – two resorts and two day-tours, supported by a worldwide marketing network.

The ‘Waka’ company was on the move.

A Marketing activities plan and positioning statement for the Wakalouka Company was written at this time ( early 1994 ) this was religiously adhered to by Waka Experience staff and associated
companies; and it still is!

This dogma maintains consistency through rules and regulations. For example, there are no
televisions in the room; no plastic in any form, anywhere; fresh flowers in local pottery; and
simple wood, natural fabrics and recycled paper are used throughout the resorts. The design style is traditional but modern; monastic in its simplicity but with all the creature comforts included.

The result is stylish and avant-grade, but always Indonesian and especially Balinese. Waka Maya in Sanur, is operated in partnership with an investor (a beloved German family) – offering distinctive villas and bungalows, located away from the crowds and shops. This resort was able to be successfully marketed because of the brand name – Waka. It immediately plugged in to the exiting network, and as long as the management, quality control, style and service is maintained, it will continue to thrive.

This was 1998 – an interesting and challenging year for Indonesia in general and Bali in particular
– the year of Merdeka and Reformasi. Nevertheless, all the Waka resorts day trips – including a new one, Waka Tangga – maintained success through this transitory period for the country. Waka Tangga (‘The Journey’) is a traditional spiritual trek up a mountain to five Balinese temples. Waka Tangga is brilliantly conceived and executed in typical Waka style, but it is highly specialized, and not a mass-market product.

However, it is an ideal inclusion for the incentives market as a team building exercises, or for
groups of devotees seeking to experience the spiritual and cultural aspects of Bali. It is a
‘classic’ Waka product – innovative, culturally and environmentally oriented, and very Balinese. It
works, but with limited numbers.

Two new Waka resorts were launched in the years 1999 – 2000. Both have been deliberately situated in non-traditional tourist areas of Bali – Waka Gangga on the ocean beach near Tabanan, and Waka Shorea in the heart of Bali Barat National Park. Both were created specifically for the environment they are located in, and cater for a specific market segment. They both utilize the unique selling proposition of being ‘away from the crowds’ and the more inhabited areas of Bali. In their first year of operation, both the travel industry and its clients, primarily because of the promise inherent in the brand name Waka, immediately accepted them.

In addition to the two new resorts, we added a five star evening dinner boat cruise carrying the
branding ‘Waka’. The ‘Starlight Dinner Cruise’ is a specialized, romantic dinner experience which
is premium priced to differentiate it from its more mass-market competitors. The ‘Starlight Dinner
Cruise’ was an immediate success – the result of the ‘Waka’ branding, the promotional publicity
network, and the efficient Waka sales team.