Activities
Waterbom Bali is Asia’s premier water park with lazy rivers as well as a range of slides for everyone. Bali Safari & Marine Park covers 40 hectares of animal enclosures and a park tram ride gets you close to the animals in their natural habitats. Bali has a popular paintball arena in the Bukit peninsular, or the Dream Museum Zone offers a fun interactive walk through an art gallery filled with three-dimensional life size murals. The Devdan Show is fun for all the family, and the Kemenuh Butterfly Park is a gentle animal attraction where families can enjoy a tour of the park.
The whole family can enjoy ‘sea walking’ through the coral gardens of tropical fish, wearing an oxygenated diving helmet. There are plenty of water sports to try as a family, from Banana Boating to snorkelling or diving.
For fine dining in Bali, Blanco Par Mandif serves Indonesian cuisine in a refined intimate setting but only seats 28 guests. Locavore in Ubud offers very good food and the multiple award winning Mosaic Restaurant offers the finest ingredients sourced from the sea and farms of Bali. Kubu serves European cuisine and Hujan Locale puts an interesting spin on Asia’s street food favourites. Mejekawi and Starfish Bloo are also popular.
Bali has every kind of cuisine for every budget and mood but if you don’t feel like venturing too far from Chalet Spa Bali, there is still a large choice. Within 10 minutes drive are some popular local and international restaurants and cafes. Set back from the road above Thomas beach, La Baracca serves authentic Italian food. Sanur is a lovely beach where food is served all day, and Tanjungsari Restaurant has a lively atmosphere and popular international menu. Also nearby, Massimo is a popular traditional Italian with specialities from Lecce in Southern Italy, and Il Restaurante – Luca Fantin is another fine Italian restaurant which uses local organic ingredients. One of the coolest clifftop locations nearby is the ULU Cliff House, a very dramatic place to sit and take in the view, dine in the intimate restaurant or enjoy a few drinks and a dance. Not forgetting Bali’s large choice of health food cafes including Cafe Batujimba with its organic cakes and Peloton, solely vegan. Bambu Indah is an organic healthy Indonesian café, and Sage offers raw vegan comfort food.
Whilst Bali is known for pristine beaches, fantastic surfing, great seafood and temples, it also has a lot of great bars where you will feel like you have been transported to another world.
The rooftop bars offer amazing views, with dedicated platforms to gather on under the stars, eclectic lists of innovative drinks and great music. The Rock Bar Bali in Jimbaran has a great sunset view and a fun funicular ride from the upper cliff edge to the bar. The Double Six Rooftop in Seminyak is a coveted spot, overlooking the famous ‘Double Six’ Beach. Velvet & Hypnotized is in Kuta Beach Heights, and the Sky Garden Rooftop Lounge in Legian is very popular. The Unique Rooftop Bar at Rimba Jimbaran Bali is a great chill out spot.
There are also some very popular beach bars, including The Lawn at Batu Bolong Beach in Canggu, the Beach Bar at Alila, Seminyak, and nearby Karma Beach, Uluwatu, to name a few. The list is long as Bali has a popular bar culture and it’s not just restricted to weekends.
Bali’s top nightlife venues and best clubs are mostly spread throughout its southern regions of Kuta, Legian and Seminyak and several spots around Bukit. The Bali club scene starts around midnight and there are plenty of clubs to choose from which feature all the right combination of sights, sounds, signature tastes and surroundings.
The Sky Dome Super Club in Legian is linked to the Sky Garden Bar, and is home to multiple clubs. They have a great roster of international guest D.J’s and stay open until the sun rises most days. Mirror Bali Lounge and Club in Seminyak is a popular venue, based in a Gothic cathedral with stained glass windows and towering ceilings. Bounty Ship is one of Bali’s legendary hotspots and Jenja is Seminyak features a Middle Eastern restaurant with lounges and a D.J.
In contrast to the large clubs, Bali has a good share of beach clubs which are very popular, where you can stay in your shorts and enjoy good music and food at more affordable prices in a relaxed atmosphere.
Bali is an island rich in culture and religion. It has much to offer; volcano’s to climb, waves to surf, ocean reef to explore, and temples to visit to name a few. Whether you’re in search of beauty, great cuisine, or an adrenaline rush, Bali offers an island paradise for unforgettable experiences.
A good place to start is a visit to Ubud Palace, Bali’s spiritual epicentre and the official home of the Ubud royal family. Uluwatu Temple is famous for unbeatable views and the Kecak fire dance show, held each day at sunset. Bali has a lot of temples or pura as they are known on the island. You can bathe in holy water at Pura Tirta Empul, one of the most important water temples in Bali with sacred springs. You can explore the Pura Besakih, a grand temple complex on Mount Agung in Eastern Bali considered one of Bali’s holiest places. You can enjoy the majestic temple complex, Pura Taman Ayun, which means ‘beautiful garden’ or visit the humble temple Pura Ulun Danu above Lake Beratan.
Gamelan is traditional Balinese music, often featuring various percussion instruments and a Balinese Gamelan Show is a crucial piece of Balinese culture. Another traditional cultural activity is Mepantigan, a Balinese martial art that blends fighting with performing arts in muddy rice venues or beaches, often to the sound of a Gamelan orchestra.
Finally Bali’s marketplaces can be a good place to get a sense of the local culture and there are plenty from bustling food markets to markets selling colourful clothing and souvenirs.
If all this is not enough, we can provide entertainment on site in the comfort of the estate, where we have the ideal setting for a band or dancers, magicians or artists. If you are lucky, we will be able to arrange a display from the Royal dancers and musicians of our very own King of Bali, one of our family friends!
Bali has a lively art scene and a must see is the Agung Rai Museum of Art (ARMA) in Ubud, devoted to the showcase, preservation and development of Balinese art and culture. The Bali Museum in Denpasar has a collection of Balinese antiques, and the Gedong Kirtya Library and Museum has a collection of lontar (dried palm leaves) books. The Blanco Renaissance Museum offers erotic art and illustrated poetry, and The Museum Rudana and Neka Art Museum show traditional paintings and a diverse collection of Balinese art. There are many other museums showcasing art, but for something slightly unusual, the Museum of Fingerprint Paintings is interesting, as is the Bali Shell Museum.
Bali festivals and events are important features in the social landscape of the island. The most important annual festival is Galungan, commemorating the triumph of good over evil. This festival lasts 10 days and ends with Kuningan, when special offerings of yellow turmeric rice are made to the Hindu God. Nyepi celebrates the new year of the Saka calendar, and is marked as a day of no activity on the island and also known as the Bali Day of Silence. The Bali Arts Festival from June to July allows you to witness Bali’s wealth of performing arts and cultural achievements, and the Bali Kite Festival held in June sees hundreds of competing kite troupes gather to pilot their gigantic traditional kites.
Bali is abundant with fresh locally grown food. With a wide range of tropical fruits, medicinal herbs and superfoods used in juices and smoothies, alongside a growing number of vegan, vegetarian and raw food restaurants, you can enjoy a good balanced diet while staying in Bali.
Bali is a mecca for holistic healing. There are a number of experienced healers in Bali, both traditional Balinese healers and international healers who combine Western and Eastern healing practices. Healing modalities found in Bali can range from Reiki, acupuncture, detox and cleanse programs, astrology, breathwork, and yoga to name a few. There are group retreats or private sessions, and Bali is known as a great place to heal, flourish and grow. If you require something more special to be arranged during your stay, let our Bali concierge know as early as possible after booking and we will do our best to arrange this for you in the comfort and privacy of our wonderful estate.