Travel Guide | A weekend in Bali
Is Bali on your list of places to visit? Or have you already been and are looking for a new experience? We've put together our favourite 3 spots in Bali for a quick weekend getaway. Sharing tips of where to stay, eat & shop.
Canggu
There's a real buzz about Canggu, the previously hidden corner of Bali with a cool, alternative undercurrent and a surf-shack groove. An exotic hybrid of Byron Bay and Bondi with its hipster cafes, chilled vibes, health conscious food, surf beaches, small boutiques and sunset beach hangs. It’s where rice field vistas meet volcanic black sand beaches.
Stay: Como Uma Canggu
Trust Como to put a cosmopolitan spin on surfing: Como Uma Canggu channel’s Bali’s famous surf culture, but adds a generous dose of luxe. There’s a chilled-to-horizontal Beach Club (cue seafood feasts and fruit-packed cocktails), an utterly lovely lagoon pool and an array of spacious, soothing sleeping quarters that are equally suited to canoodling couples and fun-seeking families. Since this is Como, there’s also a blissful spa, where hushed treatment rooms, nimble-knuckled masseuses and fragrant Como Shambhala lotions and potions await.
Eat: Fish Bone Local for fresh catch and wine, The Lawn for the sunset, prawn tacos and cocktails, Old Man’s, Café Organic and Lacalita for good café eats.
Do: surf Echo and Canggu beach, rent a motorcycle and drive into rice paddy studded-villages or detox with numerous yoga and healthy eating options.
Ubud
One of Bali's most popular destinations from lush forests, to incredible waterfalls and rice paddies and and array of Balinese artisans honing their craft. Home to several luxurious yoga retreats, it's often referred to as the cultural heart of Bali.
Stay: Four Seasons Resort Sayan
There really isn’t anywhere like the Four Seasons Resort Sayan. A private patch of rainforest paradise engulfs you into an emerald embrace that seems so removed from the buzzing town. Featuring gorgeous pool villas among the hotel’s own rice paddies and a large pool next to a meandering river, this hotel offers unsurpassed luxury that feels intimate yet wild.
Eat: Head into town to sample the healthy and delicious food of the island. Try Clear Café, Locavore, Alchemy, Bambu Indah, Toro Sushi, Sambal, Spice or Uma Cucina.
Shop: Balinese sculptures, jewellery, fabrics and art shops are dotted everywhere through the large shopping centre of town. Visit the local market for unique items and hidden gems.
Do: Start your day with yoga at the hotel’s pavilion, then book a private rafting cruise from the concierge, that takes you down a river through the jungle. Visit the main square of Ubud to attend a traditional Balinese dance as the costumes and make-up are spectacular and if you’re feeling adventurous, take a half a day trip for a hike up the nearby volcano then picnic by the pretty lake.
Seminayk
There are many reasons to visit Seminyak, the grown-up neighbour of Bali’s party town, Kuta – the beach, the galleries and chic boutiques are just a few. A relatively new travel destination with most of the new buildings that surround the old town just ten years old - the result is a resort town with many cultural attractions and some of the best beaches in the world.
Stay: Alila Seminyak
Alila Seminyak Bali ups the ante on tropical cool. With a modern approach to design, tropical plants lining the open-air public spaces, and an ancient temple you will be immersed in a unique luxury experience. The 240 modern rooms and suites are designed to maximize space, with wide mirrors fitted on the opposite side of the rooms and well-sized balconies with unobstructed sea views. The hotel's Beach Bar is the perfect relaxed spot to watch the sunset, and offers specially paired canapés and cocktails from 5pm to 7pm.
Eat: For a relaxed atmosphere try BARBACOA, specialising in BBQ wood fired and charcoal meats with a Mexican influence or for something a little more sophisticated why not book a table at MERAH PUTIH’S and enjoy experimental Indonesian fusion dishes are served with a traditional and modern twist, designed for “sharing” and exploring different spices and flavours.
Do: A short drive from Seminyak, and with a westerly outlook towards the Pacific horizon, stop by Potato Head, an upscale beach club with an infinity pool, swim-up bar and restaurants. It’s fabulous during the day, but comes into its own when the sun goes down and the DJs get going. From a lounger by the pool or in the open, teak-clad bar, order something exotic and fruity – it seems appropriate – and watch the heavens turn from azure to ink via a kaleidoscope of colours. You can also find
