The
story of Taman Bebek dates back to 1944, when American musicologist
Colin McPhee built a Balinese house and beautiful garden
on the edge of the ridge above the magnificent Ayung River
valley. During the 1930s this area was the playground of
many international stars — such as Margaret Mead,
Barbara Hutton and Betty Waterson.
In
1980, when landscape artist and writer Made Wijaya acquired
the land, only the foundations of these houses remained
– the view, however, was still magnificent and unspoiled.
A
number of cottages, approximating the scale and layout of
the original pavilions, were slowly built. During the years
1985 – 87 these were Made Wijaya's home. Ten other
villas, swimming pools, and a café/library and shop
have been added since 1988.
The
new villas, all with the lush gardens and views overlooking
the river valley, are unique in design and have a tranquil
atmosphere. Taman Bebek is a lovely place to soak in the
beauty of the Balinese countryside and culture.