Located by the sea side, in a coconut grove, a factory in paradise, cottage style is Charlie Chocolate Factory.

The factory was built by a US expat named what else but, Charlie.  He was a product developer in Hong Kong before taking the plunge for a radical change that took him to Bali. A regular practitioner of fasting and an outstanding surfer, the Floridian boss put together a line of inventive products for the skin: sun block cream from cocoa, soaps based on coconut oil and cinnamon-orange, skin gel from sea-weed, aloe vera and spearmint and all edible! Obviously his creations appeal to those who love natural products. His staff, mostly young women who live next door, come to work with their babies, and while sticking labels on the bottles, have a bit of singing with the kids who sit on the table or have a nap on the mattress.

Cacoa beans grown locally on the island are cold pressed to make healthy, raw, dark chocolate. With a cacoa content of 85%, the chocolate is also rich in magnesium and full of anti-oxidants. Chocolate tasting is available in one of the unassuming buildings and there’s also a small soap studio that sells gorgeous handmade soaps.

There isn’t a huge variety of chocolate for sale – Narkabo Chocolate Nibbles is an organic dark chocolate available with 69% or 85% cacoa, while Bali Krunch is a bar of sweet, crunchy rice coated in dark chocolate.

The factory employs 12 people from the village, his products are distributed atBali Buddha, Kafe, Sari Organic, Zula, and his soaps, under the name of “Island Mystk” are found at Bintang and Delta supermarkets.

How to get there:

Located just 15 minutes north of Candidasa in the small village of Jasri, several wacky bamboo structures lie nestled below swaying coconut trees.

For more information and reservation write booking@topindonesiaholidays.com