You will get to the village at approximately 9:00 am. Heeloya is a solitary agricultural village surrounded by the hills of the Central Highlands. It has very little communication with the outer world and the entire village is very self sustaining. The food of the villagers comes from paddy fields, home grown vegetable gardens, farm animals, and the river nearby. They also grow their own spices and herbs and practice crafts such as toddy tapping and bee-keeping. The village continues to maintain its traditional customs, includeing justice being met by the village head - instead of the central judiciary system.
Once you get there, you will be introduced to the village elder who will tell you more about the traditional customs of the village. A farmer will take you to the paddy fields and tell you more about the step cultivation method. This method maximizes the space of the slopes and enables the rainfall to equally benefit all the crops. Most of the paddy fields around Heeloya are step cultivated. You will also be taken to see the fruit orchards and vegetable gardens, where you will help harvest some fresh fruits and vegetables for your lunch.
