The air had a slight chill high up in the golden clouds, with the mist covering treetops in the distance interspersed with glassy mosaics of paddy fields. Morning has broken in the Ubud highlands, deep in the northern part of the Island of the Gods, and the view from the hot-air balloon was unbeatable. Launched from the vast 5ha property of Tanah Gajah, a Resort by Hadiprana, the first and only ballooning service in Bali had always been a favourite for in-house guests and tourists alike. The business was booming last January; however, with the spread of Covid-19 to Indonesia, February and March saw a quick decline in occupancy.




Then, in the early morning of April, a fire razed The Tempayan, an all-day dining room at Tanah Gajah. To the surprise of its proprietary family, the Hadipranas, a couple came the next day for a long-term stay of three months. “We told the guests about the recent fire, with the building still smelling burnt in the background, but they insisted about staying,” Puri Hadiprana said. “Since then, guests kept coming, new and returning ones alike, and I am just grateful for God’s provision. This incident has taught me to have faith in action by doing our best, and He will provide just enough for us to live day by day.”



One could indeed see the beautiful fruits of their work at Tanah Gajah, which used to be the family’s holiday home until it grew big with more houses.