Junior Farm Detective

Among the herbs, flowers and seedlings of AYANA Farm, six clues are waiting to be found. Junior Farm Detective is a complimentary treasure hunt for children aged 5 and up, led by the AYANA Farm Team every Friday and Saturday at 10:30am on the two-hectare sustainable farm within AYANA Bali in Jimbaran. Along the way, little detectives follow clues, use their senses and collect a stamp at every stop.

Open to in-house guests, the treasure hunt is a chance for parents and children to explore nature side by side, with parents joining for the whole adventure.

Every good detective needs a mission. Dewi Sari, the guardian spirit of AYANA Farm, has hidden six clues around her garden, and she is counting on young explorers to find them all.

The adventure begins at Dewi Sari’s stone fountain, which represents her on the farm. In Balinese tradition, sacred figures watch over the land, its plants and the people who care for them. It is a gentle first glimpse of local culture before the search gets underway.

Each young detective is given their own detective card, and every solved clue earns a stamp. By the final stop, the card tells the story of their whole adventure.

The trail leads to six stops across AYANA Farm, from colorful flower beds to rows of tiny seedlings. At each stop, a clue from Dewi Sari asks children to use their senses: to smell, to touch, to look closely or to lend a hand. Some clues lead to plants that end up in the resort’s kitchens. Others reveal the small creatures and hidden patterns that keep the farm thriving.

What waits at each stop is for young detectives to discover on the day.

By the end of the adventure, children have a new picture of how a farm works: where food begins, how plants grow from tiny seedlings, and how insects, birds and water all play their part in keeping the garden healthy.

Once the mission is complete, every young detective earns the title of Junior Farm Detective, along with a small gift from the farm to take home.

Learning through little hands. Smelling, touching and looking closely turns farm ideas into moments children can remember.

Just the right length. At 30 to 60 minutes, the treasure hunt feels like a proper adventure while leaving plenty of energy for the rest of the day by the pool or the beach.

Parents are in on it, too. Exploring together means you see each discovery as it happens, and the questions often keep coming long after the last stamp.

The farm follows you to the table. AYANA Farm grows more than 130 varieties of fruits, vegetables, herbs and edible flowers, and much of the harvest goes to the resort’s restaurants and bars. A child who explored the farm in the morning may spot its produce on their plate that evening.

Junior Farm Detective is complimentary for in-house guests at AYANA Bali. Places are limited, so booking ahead is required.

A few tips for the day:

• Dress for the outdoors, with a hat, sunscreen and comfortable closed shoes.
• Bring water, especially on warm mornings.
• Stay close to younger children near water and while handling plants.
• The farm paths are grassy and narrow in places, with some steps, so strollers are best left at the farm entrance.

Beyond the treasure hunt, AYANA Farm welcomes families throughout the day, from morning walks to afternoon tea among the gardens.

Each morning from 9am to 10am, the AYANA Farm Walk takes guests through the gardens with a member of the farm team, who shares the stories behind the crops and traditional Indonesian farming. Open to all ages, it makes an easy start to a Friday or Saturday morning before Junior Farm Detective begins at 10:30am.

In the afternoon, the Root Ball Farm Experience runs daily from 3:30pm to 4:30pm. Families create their own root ball and plant it at the farm, leaving a little something growing long after they have gone home.

For a quieter afternoon, Afternoon Tea at AYANA Farm is served from 2:30pm to 4:30pm on the farm’s raised terrace overlooking the gardens, pairing sweet treats and light bites with a selection of farm-grown herbal teas.

Planning a family holiday in Bali? Junior Farm Detective offers a slow, curious morning outdoors together, with plenty to discover about where food comes from and a small reward waiting at the end.