Bali’s Aussie princess and her beautiful Biku

In 1973, as a young traveller, I arrived at Denpasar, Bali, from East Java after a 10-hour bus ride on my first journey to this then relatively unknown place they called The island of the Gods.

I made my way to a local beach that the locals referred to as Pantai Kuta, where I found a simple but comfortable guest house called Mandara Cottages. I stayed for $1.20 per night, including breakfast that would consist of mango pancakes and black rice.

Obviously, what I didn’t know is that 10 months earlier a young kindergarten teacher from Sydney had also arrived for her first visit to Bali. Jane Gillespie loved Bali so much she decided to return, and in 1977 Jane and her mum, Pat, arrived back in the place she loved. So did I, with my now wife Katherine, where we revisited Kuta Beach, walked to Legian as there were no roads, and where we learned that a ‘mandi’ was a tub from which to draw water to bathe; not to jump into as a bath.

We headed home to WA after our holiday — but Jane’s life was to change dramatically having made the decision to travel to the then still very isolated village of Ubud. While there, she met Tjorkoda Raka Kerthyasa, whose family not only owned the hotel where the Aussie’s mum and daughter were staying but was a member of the Regency’s Royal family.

“I found him charismatic and was drawn to him immediately,” recalls Jane. “He was happy to show me his village and explain about Balinese culture.”

After returning home to Sydney, Jane became increasingly restless, and felt she had to return to Ubud and perhaps be reunited with this lovely young man who had so enchanted her. In those days there was no internet and Ubud had only limited telephone access, so Jane ‘rolled-the-dice’ and headed back to Bali, arriving unannounced to the hotel where she had originally met Raka.

Jane checked-in at the Puri Saraswati Bungalows and it was only a few hours before the news of her return had leaked-out to Raka, who made an immediate appearance.

“It was then that we realised we were really destined to be together,” explains Jane, “and that I was deeply in love.”

Raka asked Jane to marry him but marrying into a royal family came with its cultural and political complexities, including converting to Hinduism, with the wedding taking place in May 1978 at which point Jane changed her name to Jero Asri Kerthyasa. Jero means ‘from the palace’ and Asri means ‘perfect’ — which was about how Jane was now feeling about her destiny and her role as Bali’s Aussie Princess.

One of the major adjustments confronting the new princess was to undergo a teeth-filing ceremony that required her to have all her teeth filed to exactly the same length to ensure she would not be mistaken for a demon when she finally entered heaven.

After their first son, Tjok Gde, was born, the couple returned to Sydney for 12 years where their second son, Tjok Bagus and a daughter Tjok Maya were also born.

They eventually returned to live in Bali in 2000 but it was in Hong Kong earlier that year, along with their eldest son Gde, when a heavy downpour sent them scurrying into a nearby shop that turned out to be a specialist teahouse. They got talking to the tea-master and immediately Gde was fascinated. “Mum, I want to become a tea-master” he pleaded, “and we need to open a tea house back in Bali.”

After returning to Bali, Gde continued with his love and fascination of the art of tea and became a tea-master. It was not until some seven years later that the dream of opening a tea house would become a reality, and so in 2008 the beautiful Biku tea house and cafe was opened. They chose a location in Jalan Petitenget in Seminyak, a busy and well-known road frequented by the now growing number of Australian tourists.

Biku was not just another cafe as it quickly became a refuge for those seeking a quite chat with friends or contemplation and reflection by oneself. The range of teas was like Bali had never seen, and Princess Asri was always on hand to explain to guests about the importance and story of tea.

It was therefore only a matter of time before Katherine and I were to learn of Biku, as I was then travelling regularly to Bali and to Seminyak and my usual place to hang-out, at the Hotel Taman Ayu, which was ironically just 400 metres away from Biku.

During our regular visits over many years to this delightful cafe we saw it become more popular and expand its menu into a range of Asian and European foods, but still retaining its priority of the English teas. Katherine and I fell in love with this sanctuary and the carefully chosen staff who served inexpensive but quality food, excellent coffee and of course the high teas.

Strangely, despite hearing stories that Biku was owned by a Bali Princess from Australia, with the help of her son, we never actually sought-out or met Asri. Then we received the disturbing news in 2022 that the owners were going to relocate Biku to a new and bigger location.

“It won’t work,” I bemoaned to Katherine. “It will lose that essence and ambience which is so calming and gentle.” But Asri and her son were busy planning not only to relocate this gorgeous cafe, but to literally dismantle the building and its fittings and move them to this new and bigger location, some 600m closer to the main beach in Seminyak. The original Biku was closed in October 2023 and then re-opened in its new location in December of last year.

Although we had returned to Bali post-COVID, it wasn’t until May of this year, we had the opportunity see what the new Biku was like having re-opened five months earlier.

“Oh my goodness” exclaims Katherine, as we approach the front entrance located in a back street. “It looks stunning.” With the exception of a bigger outdoor eating area and, importantly, a bigger kitchen, Asri and her team had achieved their dream and re-created the original Biku perfectly.

And the food? Delightful. Whether it be a curry chicken and rice, a spinach and fetta quiche, a spaghetti pesto or of course their famous nasi goreng, the food was delightful. And Asri’s staff followed their princess to this new location, bringing with them the same gentle, professional yet friendly service for their guests.

We returned to Bali again last month, with me determined to try and meet this princess for whom we had held such a fascination about for 10 years. But on our numerous visits ‘the boss’ was not around when we visited. It was on our last night before flying back to Perth when Katherine pointed out to me a lady — probably an Australian — sitting alone at the rear of the cafe. “I bet that is Princess Jane,” suggested Katherine.

Feeling very doubtful and with a deep breath I got off my chair and walked over, apologised for the intrusion, and asked the lady if her name was Jane. “Yes, that is me,” she quietly replied. “You can call me Asri.”

I beckoned Katherine to join us, so she walked over and said, “I think my husband has always wanted to meet this Biku Balinese Princess”.

With a smile Asri looked up at Katherine and replied: “I think he just did.”

fact file

Biku is in Petitenget, Bali

bikubali.com