Bali travel: The best things to see and do in Bali now borders have reopened

As well as Bali’s reputation for yoga, Bintang and backpackers, there’s an island that offers good physical and environmental wellness, good wine and jungle luxury with a difference, says Kiri Gillespie ) wrote

Bali has been a top destination for Australians for years, with plenty of beer, beaches and a bit of culture for those looking for a good, cheap time. But in a country without drinking tap water, this tourist demand has led to severe plastic pollution in the island’s waterways and beaches.

Then came Covid-19. International tourism has stagnated, and in that time Bali appears to have begun assessing its environmental footprint. Now, with tourists pouring through the airport gates again, the island is transitioning from fun beach club parties and beaded bracelets to higher-end tourism.

Of course, there’s always good party time (and let’s not cancel a very fun pirate ship cruise in Benoa Harbour), but Bali seems to be trying to create a cleaner, more sustainable, more discerning market.

Desa Potato Head is a drive away from the hustle and bustle of Seminyak along a long, palm-lined driveway.

It’s an unusual name for a five-star hotel, but the Potato Head team seem to like the unusual. A creative village/sustainable movement/hip beach club, it’s all going on.

When Potato Head founder Ronald Akili was out surfing in 2016, he was so concerned that he was regularly encountering plastic bottles in the ocean that he took some action.

A beach club owner has turned his business into a movement and an environmentally conscious village.

Beach resort guests can learn all this by taking a sustainability tour. Tours take people behind the architecturally designed walls, into employee-only areas, and witness first-hand how waste is collected, sorted, and – in most cases – reused.

Through Potato Head’s efforts, the entire resort sends only 5% of its waste to landfill. The rest are recycled, reused or repurposed. It collects an average of about 1,500kg of rubbish every day. After sorting, it becomes about 2.9kg.

Evidence of this is everywhere—the shampoo and conditioner dispensers in the bathroom, the flower pots on the coffee tables, even the bar stools in the resort’s rooftop cocktail lounge—all hand-molded from recycled bottle caps serve their new purpose.

Wine bottles were cut in half to make candle holders, and even used nitrous bombs for cocktails were collected and turned into kitchen knives. Many recycling plastic installations can be mistaken for eccentric works of art.

When it comes to attention to detail, Potato Head has it all. Soft, dim lighting creates a relaxed, dreamy atmosphere in reception, throughout the complex and into the suites, which despite the modern brick exterior feel warm and welcoming (although, if you have low vision, This might be a problem). Beautiful, subtle scents are everywhere, and calming, meditative music hits the airwaves everywhere you go. The touch is subtle, but the result is a zen-like stay for all five senses.

While Potato Head’s vision is to protect the planet, it’s also a case for protecting you.

Potato Head not only offers excellent Indonesian Kaum, but also Tanaman, a fine vegetarian restaurant that will impress even meat eaters. It’s clear that a lot of love and effort has gone into each dish, and who would have thought that a convincing fish sauce could be replicated with mushrooms?

Two 24-hour gyms—with low-powered cardio equipment for a minimal carbon footprint—plus early-morning yoga and group fitness classes by the infinity pool and beach to burn off any plant-based delights. That’s almost enough to make you stop for oysters and cocktails at the rooftop bar that night…but it’s not.

As if to reinforce the resort’s eccentricity, suggestive art installations dot the landscape, and there’s even a dedicated vinyl room for your listening sessions.

One of the more famous and Instagram-worthy is the installation of 15,000 plainclothes collected from Bali beaches and sorted into a rainbow of colors at the entrance of the resort’s beach club area, itself fashioned from old kitchen shutters.

The mantra here is “good times, good deeds” and you feel it.

But the long, palm-lined driveway into Seminyak and beyond is a constant reminder of where the old world meets the new; huge monuments dedicated to old gods dominate traffic-chaotic road intersections. Thank God we don’t have to drive, old or new. We have a winery to go to.

About an hour northeast of Kuta is Sabawan Winery, which has won 50 awards since its founding in 2011.

The winery itself is an idyllic oasis, with picnic areas featuring mats and blankets under the shady trees. Nearby, a man stood in front of a mobile ice cream van that had been turned into a liquor cart, preparing to order food.

Of course, the tasting room and restaurant are also available if you need air conditioning.

This place is simply heaven. Wine is also good.

Saba Bay’s iconic Moscato du Valley won the prestigious Silver Medal at last year’s AWC Vienna Awards, which was judged against 11,000 other competitors.

If Bali’s award-winning wines aren’t surprising enough, consider this: In a country with a Muslim population over 86 percent, the winery also produces communion wine for all of Indonesia’s Catholic churches.

Yoke Dharmawan, director of human relations at Saba Bay, explained that while it aimed for excellence, Kiwis were unlikely to find any of its wines on New Zealand shelves. The winery does not focus on the international market, but embraces Indonesian flavors and qualities.

New ventures into other alcoholic categories are proof; grappa and vodka infused with local Balinese peppers are also on the market.

“People are very proud of eating and drinking in Indonesia, but wine is new. In this case, Saba Bay is part of that,” Yoke said.

“I want people to understand what Indonesia has.”

Not just the beach.

The magical Bali Hanging Gardens is nestled in the heart of the Bali jungle.

Perched on a 45-degree angle, the resort was built in 2003 by 700 local artisans using traditional materials and designed with Feng Shui principles in mind.

Guests are taken where they need to go via the cable car system, not unlike the cable cars in Wellington. Everything is more luxurious except the Bali version.

Lush, vibrant flora and fauna visually surround you as you slide down from the immaculate reception area. It is from this platform that you can truly appreciate the stunning surroundings of the resort.

At the resort’s geographic center sits the famous twin infinity pools, voted “World’s Best Pool” by Conde Nast Traveler. It hangs above the jungle, giving swimmers the feeling of floating above the treetops.

That’s enough to take your breath away, and that’s without noticing an ancient temple (with what appears to be thousands of steps) at eye-level in a huge, scrubby ravine. The Sky Garden is an ideal venue for romantic dinners there.

At night, candles line the path leading to the 44 individual cottages, which – probably because of the terraced design of the place – are very private.

When I entered my room, I found a large mosquito net hanging over the incredibly luxurious bed – my Irish heritage, I am grateful for.

Outside, the cabin’s spacious deck offers its own lounge area, bar, sun beds and piece de resistance – its own infinity pool with sweeping views of the lush green jungle. But I’ve left the door open for too long, and it’s dusk now. The frog hops quickly across the room, prompting the porter to chase, catch and release.

As the sun rose over the jungle horizon the next day, I thought of one thing – a private infinity pool on my deck. It’s so private, I don’t worry about bathing suits. I began to experience the personal feeling of swimming in the treetops.

Later that day, I stripped off again after traveling (via cable car) to the river below that flows to the spa.

The roaring water, cicadas and birdsong that accompanied the massage transported me to another place. There are no windows, just big open walls, and only the jungle can be seen.

Fine dining restaurants serving Western and Indonesian food have also opened with better views.

But it’s not all indulgence. We spent the morning walking with a guide through nearby villages and rice fields to the temple where the monkeys live. They don’t bother us when we have a picnic breakfast, but we are some distance from the hotel.

The luxury offered by the Hanging Gardens may not appeal to the more budget-conscious visitors to Bali, but if you’re after an experience unlike anywhere else, it’s an absolute must.

The unique culture of Bali cannot be ignored. The dramatic Uluwatu Kecak dance at the southern tip of the island at sunset is worth flocking to.

Performing in an open air theater with an open fire and hordes of brazen monkeys – avoid eating – it’s an unforgettable experience to perform in a place like this.

Bintang and beer on the beach seem to have had their time in the sun for Bali tourism. Whether it’s because of Covid holidays or not, people seem to be jumping at the opportunity to offer something different and show tourists a different Bali. What Bali has to offer depends entirely on the tourist.

Checklist

reach there

The author flew directly from Sydney to Bali with Garuda Indonesia. garuda-indonesia.com website

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For more attractions and things to do in the area, visit Indonesia.travel