Bali, known as the land of the gods, is a travel haven for good reason. I was returning after two decades and couldn’t believe the change. It was positively posh. Whether it’s the Bulgari Resort or the Four Seasons or a boutique hotel, there are a plethora of places to suit the discerning traveller.
Over a languid lunch at the Four Seasons in Jimbaran Bay, with a group of affluent expats who shuttle between the island and Ibiza, talk was all about how Bali was changing so rapidly. Mr Real Estate Developer, from the Philippines, said he was building a marina and resort in Gili Gede. “There’s no place to refuel the super yachts between Australia and Singapore, so I decided to build a marina along with the guy who built the Dubai Marina,” he told me, as he sipped his white wine. Later, we were joined by Laly Dehu, a pretty French blonde, who handles some of the world’s biggest DJs. “I find Bali really calming,” she said, as she smoked a skinny cigarette. “What do you do here?” I asked her, marvelling at her back-and-forth life between Bali and Ibiza. “Oh, I do a ‘back to life’ special detox for those with a hedonistic lifestyle. It’s based on an alkaline diet, colonics, blood cleansing and botox. We have 17 villas and we are quite busy.”
The next day Ms Ivy League, my Hong Kong-based bestie, took me to see the Bali Equestrian Centre, a beautiful riding school in Canggu started in 2013 by Melissa Lynton-Lobato, an Australian expat. Spread over 2.5 hectares, its country club feel would make anyone want to get on a horse. Later, as we were soaking up the sun at Finn’s Beach Club in Canggu, in walked in Ms Shopping Expert, who proceeded to give us the full low-down on where to buy what. “If you can brave the traffic to Seminyak, definitely go to Magali Pascal, Uma & Leopold, Nafsu and Lulu Yasmine,” she said, over sips of her Aperol Spritz. Later that evening, we headed to the sprawling restaurant, Metis, where the three jewellery boutiques house local designers. “Bali is known for its gemstones,” noted Ms Ivy League, trying on a pair of gold and silver danglers. As we were finishing up dinner, there was a huge influx of locals and expats. “What’s going on?” I asked. “The restaurant turns into a party, it’s their sixth anniversary.” Unable to bear the loud EDM, and the gold hot pants and sequins that some of the women were sporting, we left.
Twenty years ago, when I stayed at the Oberoi in Seminyak, the area was just becoming popular. Kuta and Legian were the established locations then. Jimbaran, a small fishing village, had chic resorts and Nusa Dua had been developed to be another upmarket family-friendly destination. Nowadays, Canggu, the surfer’s beach, is the hot spot, with lots of yoga studios and organic, healthy restaurants. I walked into Peloton Supershop, a vegan café and bike shop, to down a “tricycle” of shots — turmeric, moringa and curcuma – to improve the liver, boost the immune system and help with weight loss.
Later, after a quick visit to The Green School, where I made the mistake of carrying something in a plastic bag — yikes! — I went to see Bambu Indah, an eco hotel in Ubud founded by long-term Bali residents, John and Cynthia Hardy, who transported 11 antique Javanese homes to Bali, restored them and opened the hotel in 2005. The Hardys employed a sound architect, Rudiger Schodel, who installed string instruments that resonate across the resort. A few years ago there was a mad rush to Phuket amongst India’s wealthy. Will Bali, with new direct flights from India, be next?
This fortnightly column tracks the indulgent pursuits of the one-percenters.
