VILLA SEMPURNA BALI
WANDERING AROUND THE LAND OF THE GODS
WANDER FOR A DAY
Tanah Lot
is one of Bali’s most famous holy sites. It’s just 15 minutes from Villa Sempurna by road and is as spectacular as everyone says it is. An absolute must-see. Allow a couple of hours for a proper exploration of the site and all the souvenir stalls…the only choice you should make before you go is whether to visit at high tide or low tide.
Echo Beach
A taste of surfer life at its best and only a quick scooter ride away. You'll discover some extraordinarily good food stalls spread along the beach. They’re open all day, selling breakfast bowls, sushi, cocktails, wine and the excellent local beer, Bintang. Try a Bintang Radler for some proper, citrusy hot-day refreshment.
Settle into a sunset-watching bean bag with Happy Hour fruity drinks for the perfect end to a perfect day.
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La Brisa Beach Club is the place to try for a big night out and some sunset-watching from day-beds and old fishing boats suspended above the beach.
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Oh, and the shopping all over Echo Beach is outstanding – with enough cafés and restaurants to keep your shopping fever fueled.
For a day of pampering and self-health, look no further than Udara Bali, a yoga and wellness resort at Seseh Beach, just a 25-minute walk along the back from Cemagi, or a 7-minute ride.
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The easiest way to have an afternoon somehow run away from you? Visit the community-owned Seseh Beach Bar or the Black Sand Bar at Munggu Beach – both are feet-in-the-sand, wave-watching oases and under ten minutes from Villa Sempurna.
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Luwak coffee producers can be found to the North and East of the villa, and many are no more than an hour away. How these coffee cherries make their way from bush to cup is…fascinating.
AWAY FOR A NIGHT OR TWO
Jimbaran, Uluwatu and the South Coast are iconic Bali spots. Spend the evening in the magical atmosphere of Jimbaran Beach as their rightly-famous restaurants grill the catch of the day; the next day head to Uluwatu to take a look at this architectural, cliff-top wonder and then spend the day finding incredible look-outs along Bali’s southern clifftops. All of these places are actually less than 90 minutes from the villa by road, but why rush or try and tackle Denpasar’s traffic twice in one day?!
One of the most popular attractions in Bali is a traditional fire-dance known as Kecak, a form of Hindu dance and musical drama that was developed in the 1930s. Performed without musical instruments and using only the rhythm of voices imitating monkey calls, the dance is performed by a circle of as many as 150 performers wearing checked cloths around their waists, percussively chanting "chak" and moving their hands and arms. Uluwatu Temple is one of the best places to enjoy this performance.
Mount Agung and Mount Batur are two of Bali’s iconic volcanoes. Why not take a closer look than just from floating in the pool at the villa? Check volcanic activity levels first and then head out for trekking, photography or even a volcano-top sunrise.
EXPLORE FOR THREE NIGHTS OR MORE
Take the three-hour drive North to Lovina and Pulau Menjangan for some golden-sand beach time, snorkelling and dolphin-watching – the good news is that new legislation is due to come into force during 2023 to protect the dolphins from being harassed by too many boats in the water.
Ubud is a bustling joy of a town. It has so much to offer – Bali’s best shopping, best waterfalls, some of its best views, best hotels and best cultural shows. Take the time to find your own hidden gem of a hotel behind a non-descript door and prepare to be blown away by the gardens, buildings and hospitality you’ll find. Do take the time to do some of the more obvious tourist stuff like visiting the The Sacred Monkey Forest – just hold on to everything you value: the monkeys will ‘borrow’ anything they take a shine to.
Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Penida, Nusa Ceningan are easily accessible by fast boat from Sanur. They are culturally-rich and offer glimpses of classic, unchanged Bali life, whether that’s a funeral service, seaweed-farming or just preparing food. If you’d be interested in knowing our recommended hotels in any of these places, just ask!
A few final incredible sights to be found while in Indonesia:
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Head to Lombok and the Gili islands…but maybe try some of the Southern Gilis, not just the more famous Trewangan, Meno and Air
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Try Indonesian Borneo for some orangutan spotting at Camp Leakey and life on a traditional live-aboard wooden boat. Take a look at the magnificent conservation work led by Dr Birute Galdikas at www.orangutan.org
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Some of the world’s greatest diving and snorkelling can be had at Raja Ampat
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Explore the coloured lakes and prehistoric finds of Flores, and maybe even take the slow boat back to Bali from Labuan Bajo
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For surfers, head to the Mentawai Islands off Sumatra
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