This was our ninth trip to Bali and for a change, the aim was to relax and not need to madly race around shopping for the house renovations. Rather than a daily diary, I have split the report into certain highlights and headings. We stayed in Seminyak/Legian area and had an absolutely wonderful time and can't wait to return.
Accommodation
We stayed in 2 villas as follows:
The first 4 nights at VILLA JERAMI, located right behind Bali Deli, off Jalan Kunti. We had checked these out last trip and made a booking for the start of this trip. We had a one-bedroom villa, with our own pool. Great location, lovely and clean and quite new. The kitchen was adequate for making cocktails, but didn't have much by way of little extras, like coldie holders, much tea/coffee sachets and only two cups, two glasses, a blunt knife etc. So the kitchen was quite basic and I would not have wanted to cook there during Nyepi.
There was a beautiful flower bath waiting for us on arrival and we used our complimentary half-hour back and neck massage on the last day. They have a spa in the villa complex and a 24 hour reception. The spa prices were a bit expensive, so we didn't go there for any other treatments. Breakfast was happily made by the staff each day and the whole experience was very nice.....the only reason we would not go back is because the second villa was absolutely sensational in comparison, so I can't fault Jerami at all but we preferred the next stop in Legian.....
The remainder of our holiday was at a brand new villa, built by the owners of Semara Villa called ANDARI. They have 4 brand new villas (2 or 3 bedroom), completed last October, right next door to Semara. Located just off Jalan Double Six down the laneway opposite the Kumala Hotel on Jalan Werkudara (that is the Grand Kumala, not the Kumala Pantai). It took a bit of finding, as they are still building 2 more villas and we missed the office, but we finally found it. I was a bit worried, walking over some rubble to get to our Villa, but as soon as we opened the gate, we knew we had arrived in paradise. These villas don't allow children under 12 to stay. Our villa had 2 bedrooms, a huge open lounge/dining room, large pool and 2 day-bed bales. Absolutely stunning and well appointed with everything that we could possibly need. The kitchen had lovely glassware, including champagne and cocktail glasses and plastic ones for poolside. A coffee maker (even though we don't drink it), a blender and plenty of cooking utensils, condiments - including vegemite! So this was an easy place to cook our Nyepi dinner. We had thought that the villa provided breakfast supplies and we just cook it ourselves, when Made appeared - she looked after us from 8 in the morning until 4 each afternoon. She did our laundry, bought us breakfast supplies and cooked them up and shooed us out of the kitchen when we dared to wash up anything.....I could get used to having a maid! Each day, our clothes were washed and ironed and left on the bed - what a service. So thanks to those on the forum who gave me suggestions for a laundry in the area, but I didn't end up needing to find one.
The website for Villa Andari is still under construction, but I highly recommend them. Rate per night was around $US200 and worth every penny, for having a fully serviced and brand new villa. A n d a r i b a l i v i l l a s dot c o m gives an email contact address for enquiries.
Spas/Salons
Massages, fingers and toes.............
Our favourite salon for massages was at 48 Jalan Werkudara, Legian just past Su's Cottages called Eden Green. Cost 75,000 Rp for a 1.5 hour full body massage and foot reflexology combination treatment. It is very green inside, with green curtains between cubicles and on the tables. Start with a foot wash and then onto the slab. This was the second time in my life that I fell asleep during a massage and it felt fantastic. We went here a couple of times, they have both male and female masseurs. No individual rooms, so you do hear people coming and going, but just do it quietly and you aren't disturbed too much.
Daily Planet - opposite Café Moka for manicure and pedicures on Jalan Raya Seminyak. Cost was: flower pedicure 70,000 Rp, manicure 50,000Rp and normal pedicure was 55,000 Rp. Orange sign and curtains in the window.
Briella Spa - 526 Jalan Werkudara, Legian.
This spa only opened 6 weeks ago, so everything brand sparkling new. They have two bright green umbrellas out the front of the salon. I had a flower pedicure and French nails done for total of 120,000 Rp. Took about an hour each and the girls did a lovely job. At the same time, my husband had a one-hour foot massage (65,000 Rp) and he fell asleep - said it was the best he had ever experienced. Very comfortable leather padded chairs in this salon. They are open from 9.00am to 11.00pm daily. Highly recommended. They also offer massages, facials and hair braiding too, but we ran out of days to sample any of these other services. For the facials, they offer various products and costs change from most expensive using Loreal, then Biokos and cheaper ones too. So that is top of the list for next trip.
Si**ilia Spa - Jalan Double Six, Legian
We ended up here, as the other spas within walking distance were full with bookings one Sunday afternoon. We had a double room and two male masseurs. It was a bit disconcerting to hear much slapping from adjoining rooms! The massage was fair - hubby felt very oily after his, but my masseur had rubbed off most of mine, so I guess it depends who you get to do the treatment. Cost was 70,000 Rp for an hour. Probably wouldn't return again, but glad we had tried it out. I noticed no bowl of flowers through the hole in the slab, just looking at a floor tile when I opened my eyes during the massage, then I realised that I liked the Eden Green touch of lighting a candle burner in a bowl of flowers beneath your nose!
Weather
I had checked the weather report before we took off and saw a very consistent trend for risk of rain/storms and max of 31 and min of 25. We have been to Bali in Feb/March and so are used to the wet season, but I think that this trip had the best weather - many days of beautiful sunshine and heat and probably 3 evenings of rain. Upon arrival at the airport we were greeted with sheets of pouring rain and a slow drive to the villa, as the roads were starting to flood a bit, but cleared up by the time we venture out to dine, so the rain didn't interfere with anything we did at all. Looked a sight one day with hubby giving me a piggy-back down our gang on way to dinner from the villa, as I refused to walk in 4 inches of water in my new beaded thongs, so he offered to do the gentlemanly thing and carry me, but I don't think his back has recovered yet and we've been home for nearly a week! More to follow.......