Hi all,
Short trip to Ubud in Bali over the long weekend here in W.A.
Stayed 4 nights at Amori Villa, 'bout 10min drive out of Ubud.
Flew Jetstar ex Perth and returned with Air Asia, flights all good, on time etc.
A word of warning though, if you have a driver waiting for you at the new airport, just hope that he's not parked in the multi story car park. Once our driver collected us, he said wait here, i get car, well 25min + and he finally arrived, i believe it's kaos, in only a way that bali veteran travellers can only imagine!.
Anyway, Villa Amori is spectacular, not cheap by any means, but the place, staff and view are to die for. ($280 per night, per room inc: Breakfast). It's situated on a valley with 5 "villa's"..really just huge bedrooms surrounding a central living area, over looking the pool which juts out over the valley. Driver and staff look after us a every drop of the hat. They even made us all our drinks from our duty free, we only had to pay for the mixers....how good was that........and dangerous as you can only imagine ! :o)
The weekend was spent dining, spa's and relaxing at the resort.
Restaurant's visited:
Padi Organic: Cheapie with a limited menu.....Meh, missus had Crispy Duck with barely 2 morsels on it.
Fair Warung: Another cheapie, good solid menu, nice food with profits going to a good cause.
Bridges: Spoit ourselves, went a bit over the top with both pre dinner cocktails and wine ( you know how Exxy that is in Bali) great food, great time...$180 per couple..ouch! ;o)
Taksu: Part of the Taksu Spa, lovely food, reasonably priced, great drinks and lovely surroundings, although full menu is tucked away in the enclosed restaurant, which takes a bit away from the ambience of the whole place.
Indus: A well known/worn Resto in Ubud, up on the Camphuan Ridge, food was/still excellent.
My Salmon with Balinese spices in Banana leaf was melt in your mouth delish!.
Pomegranate cafe, along the rice padi walk on the way towards Sari Organik...and a lovely walk it was. Busy place, in general the gang thought the food was good, i think i just didn't pick the right thing as i thought it was so-so. Nice Cold bintang's though with a fantastic view.
We were to do Locavore on the last night, but eveyone was all fanged out, so we stayed back at the villa and ordered off the menu there and swanned around in the pool and spa with glasses of champers and mojito's well into the evening...oh the life ;o)
Shame we missed Locavore as i was really looking forward to it...oh well, next time...probably save a couple of hundred bucks though !.
Spa's ;
Girls went to Bali Botanica..all good from reports, Boys to Karsa Spa..out in the sticks, once again all good.
Taksu Spa, gorgeous place, nice massages, bit exxy. We returned the next day as they offered us a cheap price rp135,000 per traditional Bali Massage (60min) as they were training new girls...well i tell you what, we were all impressed.
Weather up in Ubud was rather pleasant to my surprise as i expected it to be hot and sticky at this time of the year as we usually go to Bali in July/Aug, most of the time there was a breeze to take the edge off. we copped some rain overnight on the first night and a brief shower when at the resto in the Padi fields.
Anyway..it all went far too quick, but that must be a sign of having too much fun....we'll be back ( hopefully) next year for the annual AO weekend away.
Now bring on July when we'll be back in the isle of the gods.......with the kids.
Cheers S