There’s More Than Meets the Beautiful Eye

You know you have escaped to paradise when you see the beautiful Frangipani (or Plumeria) flower  – nothing evokes immediate bliss more than the sight of this tropical beauty. Ladies can fashion them in their hair, they are often found in spas honoring relaxation, or they can be simply appreciated still on the trees. They are tough, year round flowers surviving all heat and weather, and only begin to burn at 500 degrees!

Image by @mozzieebee

Aside from their physical life as a flower, around the world Frangipanis are riddled with legends, and specifically in Bali their aesthetic beauty is not all they are known for – they have a cultural symbolic meaning they hold tight. In Bali, the Frangipani is known as “Jepun” and can be used to line the steps into the locals’ houses as a family offering, or used in their daily palm-leaf offerings seen all over the streets and temples to appease the demon gods, as well as use this fragrant beauty for their incense. The Balinese believe their Jepun is a gift to their Gods, and have a very high value and respect for its existence.

Image by @elaine.averill

Please come appreciate the beautiful Frangipani trees that line the pathways and surround the villas at Batu Karang Resort & Spa, hopefully you get a breeze of their fragrance and feel just as much at home in paradise as the Balinese do on a daily basis. Or if you are lucky, you may even catch one of the local staff collecting the fallen Frangipanis to bring home to their family and use for making incense… but you will have to keep your eyes open, they do it on the sly…