Buahan swimming pool. Banyan Tree Resort Bali.
banyan tree
When most people hear “Indonesia,” they immediately think of Bali. But this sprawling equatorial nation of more than 17,000 islands is far more than a surfer-flocked island. Indonesia is special because of its location in the Coral Triangle; stars like Harrison Ford and Nina Dobrev have ventured to the Raja Ampat archipelago in the east of the country , where more than 1,500 species of fish live.
yachting indonesia
In January, Dobrev, along with friends like Abigail Spencer, Julianne Hough and Adam DeVine, chartered Atzaró’s Prana (from $14,000 per night inclusive), an ultra-luxury version of a traditional Indonesian Pinisi yacht, to explore Raja Ampat .
Vela, a traditional Indonesian Pinisi yacht.
Courtesy of Tommaso Riva
These yachts offer an extremely diverse range of landscapes and sea views. “The most amazing experience I’ve had in Indonesia was on the Seven Seas, a traditional Indonesian schooner (from $665 per person per night), where we shot a short film behind what you see Robin Gurney, chief executive of SAVEarth Studios, a former Showtime senior vice president who flew to Bali three years ago for a sabbatical that later became permanent, said Robin Gurney, chief executive of SAVEarth Studios.
Other elegant phoenixes include the custom-built 164-foot Vela (from $14,905 per night, including taxes), offering six luxury cabins and custom diving and snorkelling around Raja Ampat, Spice Islands and Komodo Itineraries, and the hand-built Celestia (from $11,000 per night inclusive), features seven staterooms, a crew of 14, and executive chef Wayan Kresna Yasa provides the gourmet focus.
Rascal Voyages’ Rebel phinisi (from $12,000 per night, inclusive) seats 10 and features an exquisite wine cellar, while Alexa Private Cruises’ Alexa (from $5,495 per night), the world’s largest yacht, is designed for two Lucky passenger design, located on deck at 98 feet. The latter also offers the ultimate Robinson Crusoe-esque off-grid experience ($7,500 a night for two, all-inclusive) on the uninhabited Alfred Island near Komodo — think breezy white tents and cloud-like beds, as well as various survival drills such as gathering firewood, fishing and roasting coffee beans under the guidance of a seven-person crew.
The Vela yacht consists of six cabins.
Courtesy of Tommaso Riva
Sumba Island
Ancient Sumba was until recently known for Nihi Sumba (from $1,075, full board), a luxury surfing retreat with lavish, one-of-a-kind villas and spa experiences beyond your imagination, Jennifer Lawrence and Cooke Maroney honeymooned here. 2019. But Sumba — about an hour-and-a-half plane ride east of Bali — has become a famous destination, thanks to new eco-friendly resorts that offer luxury while being socially responsible and offering protection for the hard-pressed. provide support to local communities.
Sanubari (starting at $329; more reservation options at Mr. & Mrs. Smith) opens in 2022 on 247 acres. In addition to its nine gorgeous beachfront villas, the resort also offers activities like horseback riding and swimming on the back of saltwater-loving horses.
Beachfront villas at The Sanubari, Sumba, Indonesia.
Sanubali Hotel
Cap Karoso (from $304; more booking options available on Booking.com and Mr. & Mrs. Smith) is a 47-room, 20-villa beachfront property on the western tip of Sumba The resort, which offers a wealth of cultural exploration by day, has a spa offering shamanic treatments, a kids’ club, and nightly friendly dining with menus made from ingredients sourced from a 7-acre farm. (Luxury travel company Red Savannah offers trips for $8,997 per person, based on a 12-person basis, that include five nights at Cap Karoso and a stay in Komodo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. part of the national park) for six nights aboard its new Ocean Pure phinisi.)
A villa in Coroso Point, Sumba.
Courtesy of Alex Grabchlev
Beach Resorts in Bali
Of course, Bali remains the tourist hub of the country. Many new resorts have opened along its dizzying coastline, like Potato Head Studios (from $215; more booking options available through Agoda, Booking.com and Expedia), a sustainable, near-zero-waste A contemporary hotel whose design references Balinese style, with reclaimed materials from Rem Koolhaas’ OMA. Snoop Dogg and Mark Ronson have performed at the adjoining Potato Head Beach Club, a sprawling complex in Seminyak, south Bali that also includes the recently reopened Potato Head Suites (from $315 a night); Tanaman, a hotel from Seed Restaurant to Stem; a monumental art installation made from recycled materials.
Potato Head Studios faces the beach in Seminyak, Bali.
Courtesy of McKevin
In late 2021, five-star Raffles Bali (raffles.com, starting at $1,413) unveiled its ultra-exclusive resort, a sprawling 57-acre beachfront that includes the Jimbaran area (south of the island’s main airport). a secluded beach in ), with only 32 pool villas. ). The resort’s new full-scale Raffles retreat includes Balinese blessing ceremonies and secret limestone cave meditation, as well as energy healing Reiki and cooking classes, all organized by a personal butler. In the same area, Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay (from $824) hosts visiting masters programs, including a current one with evidence psychic Marco Della Valle. The seaside resort also recently launched a zero-waste speakeasy-style bar called Telu, built entirely from repurposed and recycled materials, and a new plastic-free, sustainability-conscious kids club called Umah Rare .
South of Dreamland Beach, the elegant Jumeirah Bali (from $862; more booking options available through Expedia, Hotels.com and Travelocity) opens in 2022, with 123 villas featuring private pools; personalization spa experiences, including Bali’s first hammam; and top-notch private dining.
Private pool at Jumeirah Villas in Bali.
Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts
Nearby cliff-top resort and Surfers Paradise Surf Villas Uluwatu (from $220) — a frequent hangout for Kelly Slater — recently completed an extension to include seven unique teak and ironwood villas, which The villa is a temple of tropical modernism, and a skate park has been added. Nearby Bulgari Resort Bali (from $1,350) is a destination of pure decadence, where you can enjoy a multi-course fixed-price dinner at Il Ristorante — Luca Fantin. Be sure to try the resort’s beautifully crafted Il Cioccolato chocolate gem.
In addition to recently upgraded accommodations, new restaurants and a fresh beachside bar concept, the Luxury Collection Laguna Nusa Dua (from $230) is offering exclusive guided day trips to rare corners of Bali, such as through the mysterious The underground network of tunnels in the Mayan caves of Goa (from $695, including two nights).
Jungle Resorts in Bali
“From the hotel overlooking the swimming pool in the jungle, you think, ‘Oh my god, I’ve never seen anything like this!’” Chelsea Handler says of her favorite Ubud area in Bali . “I love the jungle very much.”
Capella Ubud’s brand new two-bedroom tented accommodation at The Lodge features a private heated swimming pool.
Capella Hotels & Resorts
In Ubud, Capella Ubud (from $942) has launched The Lodge, a luxury tented two-bedroom with a heated indoor pool and new multi-sensory deep sleep therapy spa treatments, while Sayan’s Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan (from $1,891; see Booking.com for more booking options) recently launched Sokasi Farmer’s Brunch, a brunch that draws on Balinese farming traditions. It’s the perfect precursor to chakra treatments at the resort’s The Sacred River Spa, where Barack Obama tried his Muladhara purification ritual in 2017.
“My favorite place in Bali is Bambu Indah (from $250), where you can spend the night in a wild bamboo structure in the jungle overlooking the rice fields,” says Gurney of the recently reopened Unique Resort. She loves exploring the hotel’s riverside spring-fed pool, where Adrian Grenier tried out the swing, and calls the rock-carved elevator “unforgettable.”
In the coming weeks, Anantara Ubud (from $488) is expected to open, offering 85 rooms and pool villas, 15 residences, sustainable cuisine and wellness. Mandapa (from $1,000), part of The Ritz-Carlton Collection, has launched Ambar, a new prime-hour hanging bar serving Japanese-Indonesian fusion flavors and cuisine, as well as authentic Indonesian Sunday brunch, These include herbs from boutique resorts. Organic garden.
The new Ambar bar at Mandapa, The Ritz-Carlton, Bali.
The Ritz-Carlton Boutique Hotel
In the Jurassic mountains north of Ubud, Buahan, a Banyan Tree resort (from $1,550; more booking options are available through Agoda, Booking.com, Expedia and Hotels.com), opened last summer. This adults-only resort feels far from civilization, with just 16 villas that are very open to nature, with no walls or doors. The zero-waste kitchen offers mouthwatering multi-course meals that are plant-based, with 90 percent of the ingredients sourced within a 43-mile radius, many of which are homegrown.
Villas at Buahan, a Banyan Tree resort in Bali.
banyan tree
Bali Kids Camp
Actor Josh Lucas’ son spent an immersive year at Bali’s acclaimed Green School, and today Ayana Estate is home to students from 7 to 12-year-olds offer year-round nature immersion at Green Camp Bali (from $230), a sprawling clifftop estate with a four-student resort and famous views overlooking Jimbaran. Rock bar. Meanwhile, little ones can attend Guidepost Montessori’s week-long summer camp at Ayana, while parents can relax in one of 14 swimming pools, enjoy hours-long rock spa treatments, or attend traditional herbal workshops at the organic farm meeting.
City Stays and Jungle Vacations in Java
The Indonesian capital Jakarta, on the island of Java, also has a new reception attraction. Last year saw the debut of Bill Bensley-designed The Orient Jakarta, a Royal Hideaway Hotel (from $185; more booking options at Agoda, Booking.com and Hotels.com ); Park Hyatt Jakarta (from $200; check Agoda, Booking.com and Expedia for more booking options) for a modern and luxurious take on Indonesian hospitality; The St. Regis Jakarta (from $210; more Booking options available on Agoda and Booking.com), where experiences, eight culinary concepts and designs are inspired by Indonesian dance, music and art.
Aerial view of Aman Amanjiwo resort in Java, Indonesia.
Rus Di Sanad/Aman Resort
Also in Java, there are new three- to six-night Aman resort packages that include a visit to the Amanjiwo resort (from $880; Mr. & Mrs. Smith offers more booking options) — David Beckham reportedly Tom and Richard Gere have stayed here – features views of Borobudur, the world’s largest Buddhist temple, and rice paddy hikes. The deal also includes a stay at Amankila, Bali (from $900; Mr. & Mrs. Smith offers more booking options), a Lombok sunrise cruise, and an Amandari ($750 from ; Mr. & Mrs. Smith offers more booking options) ) Herbal bath and visit to local prophet in Ubud.
A version of this story first appeared in the Aug. 23 issue of The Hollywood Reporter.Click here to subscribe.
