3 years ago I paid SGD$8 for a 1 hour massage on the beach in Bali, but it cost me SGD$20 today. Either my haggling skills suck or inflation pushed the price up.
Hello again, Bali.
SOAK. SLEEP. – Kiss Bali Villa, Seminyak
Blessed in Bali with friends, food, and weather in this beautiful villa, we took some time out of our hectic city lives to fly up and away to celebrate our dear friend Rachel’s birthday. Sun optional!
Work has taken up most of my time the last few months and it’s been a while since I have been in a bikini or on a proper break. Finally flirting with the sun and frolicking in the pool feels so good!
International villians in the villa: David and Faby are from the US, Kyle from Hawaii, Rachel (our birthday girl) now lives in HK, Geoff lives in Dubai and Alvin flew in from SG.
Our 2 bedroom chic Italian-designer villa was from USD$430++ a night (price based on a 1 bedroom suite). The landscape included many sun loungers, one swimming pool as well as a jacuzzi, and the location was great. Seminyak is the ‘IT’ place to be (a bit more uppity than Kuta which is full of young backpackers/Aussie student types) and was only a 5-10 minute drive from all the hotspots like Ku De Ta, W Hotel, and Potato Head.
KISS BALI
Jalan Cendrawasih No. 99X, Petitenget. Seminyak 80361, Bali Indonesia
Tel: +44 20 3355 6302
SAVOUR
What to eat, and where to drink? Let’s count thee delectable ways.
We spent a lot of time in our villa, and shared some slow-mo breakfasts at our villa’s open-air lounge area.
My favourite brunch however, was at La Luciola, a casual Italian beachfront restaurant at Seminyak beach. Our friend Geoff recommended the place and everything they had was excellent.
“Everything?” …
… Yes, I probably tried almost everything on everyone’s plate.
Besides Wild Honey and Spruce in Singapore, this is the only other top breakfast joint in SEAsia I have found so far. I would go back to Bali just to eat brunch here all over again.
We did the bunny hop to a number of dinner and drinks places in Bali and savoured Metis, Mint, Ku De Ta, Potato Head, Ayana Rock Bar, W Hotel’s Woo Bar, De Ja Vu, La Barca, Made Warung.
Full details and pictures in my next blog post.
SHOP
We shopped in Seminyak, which was full of nice and cosy boutiques, housing mostly independent Aussie-style designer wear. Sometimes though, you find expensive fakes.
3 different groups of friends I found in one shop, and they all loved leather handbags most!
Pink or Purple? Turquoise? Silver or more? We’re just kids in a candystore!
They also weren’t very cheap, going at about SGD$72 each.
I heard that Kuta and Legian are also good places to shop, will have to check it out next time.
SURF
Shopping < Surfing!
Sorry to say, but for me, shopping will always be less important than surfing.
I shopped till I got bored, and then chased some surf and rode it into the Balinese sun.
Bali is an infamous surfer’s paradise, but is also a decent place for beginners like me to try. I surfed in Seminyak and the tide was always too high in the morning with very little sand/shore, but it was said to be perfect from around 3pm onwards most days. The tide was quite low when I was surfing pre-sunset.
Better surfer dudes and dudettes might want to try the world-class G-land in Kuta, Bali.
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To soak, sleep, savour, surf or shop in sunny Bali? You will always be spoilt for choice, as was I.
I paid about S$300 round trip including taxes for the flight from SG-Bali on AirAsia.
LOVE YOU WRONG TIME: My favourite and also the best places to EAT, DRINK and PARTY in ASIA 