 | Amankila Bali, IndonesiaFrom spectacular views and seaside seclusion, to mountains and valleys rich with Bali’s diverse culture, Amankila offers travelers a sanctuary for romantic, spiritual, cultural and active pursuits. The fabled Mount Agung, a volcano revered as a home of the gods by the Balinese, provides a dramatic backdrop to the 34-suite resort. Perched on the coast near the village of Manggis in East Bali, Amankila is blessed with a white crescent of private beach, incredible views of the Lombok Strait and cliff-side grounds around the three-tiered pool, sweet with the scent of frangipani and tuberoses.
But this hideaway resort offers more than the simple pleasures of sand and sea. Amankila is the ideal base from which to explore the cultural diversity and rich history of East Bali, a place of temples, palaces, rice paddies and ruins, of villages where crafts lost to the rest of the island are still practiced, and where religion is an intrinsic part of everyday life, seen both in colorful festivals and in simple daily offerings to the gods.
Amankila or 'peaceful hill' is an oasis of calm in the remote yet accessible regency of Karangasem, Bali’s most traditional regency. The area offers a host of activities from mountain biking and diving, to cultural excursions to temples and ancient water palaces.
The approach to Amankila builds a sense of anticipation as the long drive winds up, then down to the airy lobby. Surrounded by frangipani trees, the lobby affords exceptional ocean views, as well as views of the resort’s signature three-tiered pool. Down below the resort, set back from the private beach in a coconut grove, is the Beach Club which offers another pool, as well as casual dining. The 34 stilted free-standing suites are tucked into the lush vegetation around the resort, and all boast outstanding sea views.
The resort is close to Manggis, Candi Dasa, Tenganan and other villages where traditional crafts are still practiced, and outings to explore the region’s natural beauty are well worth the effort.
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 | Amandari Ubud, IndonesiaThere is an island which has drawn travelers ever since word of its legendary beauty began to spread in the early 1900s. That island is Bali, a fertile land of rice paddies and holy mountains also known, appropriately enough, as the Island of the Gods. While the passage of time has wrought certain changes, the essence of Bali, the very soul of this heavenly place is unchanged, and can be found on sacred land in the very heart of the island. Amandari is this place. Perched above the verdant Ayung River Gorge outside the artist’s community of Ubud, it overlooks natural forest and an emerald green cascade of rice paddies, tilled as they have been for centuries.
Amandari is also an intrinsic part of Kedewatan, a village that upholds the same age-old traditions and values that the Balinese, a people for whom family and happiness are paramount, have believed in and practiced for centuries. Established 20 years ago to capture and preserve the purity of Bali’s unique culture and joyful spirit, Amandari has done just that, reflecting this truth in every nuance of its name—“peaceful spirits.”
Located in central Bali amidst the soft green curves of rice terraces and above the rushing water of the Ayung River, Amandari is perfectly positioned to offer guests access to both the artistic community of Ubud and the natural wonders of Bali’s interior.
The spacious open-air lobby with towering posts of coconut wood and a cool honey-toned stone floor is designed after a village meeting place, or wantilan. For more than 20 years it has regularly borne witness to colorful village processions, passing through on sacred ground to the holy shrine in the valley below.
Thirty free-standing thatched suites, some with private plunge pools, are located on either side of the lobby, separated by walkways, traditional Balinese-style gateways and private gardens. Local teak and coconut wood, as well as Javanese marble and volcanic stone, is used throughout the suites, creating cool contemporary spaces with all the warmth of a true Balinese home.
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 | St. Regis Bali Nusa Bua, IndonesiaTranquility and barefoot elegance entwine on the soft, sandy beaches of Nusa Dua, the Garden of Bali. Swim through the calm blue lagoon and savor the feeling of a lavishly appointed private residence. This St. Regis address is like no other.
From seductive treatments in the spacious Remède Spa to exquisite dining within reach of azure waters, experience remarkably personalized bespoke service on 8.8 HA of lush, private land, all adjacent to the magnificent Bali Golf & Country Club.
With its beachfront location, swimmable 3,668 square meter lagoon and inviting pools, The St. Regis Bali Resort offers all that guests might desire in a tropical paradise. But of course, there is so much more. Exquisite dining with a view—al fresco or ensconced in a private gazebo. Relax in the Remède Spa, an exclusive destination with 12 treatment rooms, including two Spa Suites and island-inspired treatments using natural, healing ingredients.
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 | Amanjiwo Magelang, IndonesiaAn ancient soul resides deep in the earth of Central Java, a peaceful spirit which rises up through the misty volcanic terrain to touch the elements of centuries past and present, leaving a tangible sense of timelessness in its wake. It is here amongst verdant rice terraces and gentle palm trees that Amanjiwo resides. Situated in a natural amphitheatre, Amanjiwo faces the world’s largest Buddhist sanctuary, the 9th century Borobudur, as well as the mystical Tidar Hill, believed to house the spiritual and geographical centre of Java. Four slumbering volcanoes rise dramatically in the distance surveying the graceful limestone monolith that is Amanjiwo, while the rolling Menoreh Hills rise directly behind.
Resting in the rural heartland of Central Java, Amanjiwo is surrounded by extraordinary cultural, physical and spiritual beauty, and embraces its good fortune with serene Yogya (local limestone) arms. The main structure, from which these two arms extend, is a circular limestone monolith, centered by a soaring bell-shaped rotunda. The main structure also houses Amanjiwo’s grand entrance from which a graceful flight of steps leads up to the Rotunda Bar, the stately colonnaded Dining Room and the Terrace, all of which offer incredible views of the Kedu Plain, and the sacred temple of Borobudur.
On arrival at the resort, young Javanese girls in traditional batik sarongs offer a heartfelt welcome with smiles and showers of fresh rose petals—a greeting as warm as the hospitality you’ll enjoy throughout your stay.
Amanjiwo’s ‘Romanesque’ amphitheatre-style pool, built from smooth limestone blocks, also offers breathtaking views. A portal to this, the heartland of Java, Amanjiwo also offers numerous ways of exploring the region, from a personalized tour by car to the solid back of a Sumatran elephant.
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Travel to Indonesia and visit the exotic islands of Bali and Borobudur. Learn about the Hindu culture and experience the traditional daily life of the rural Balinese and tour the great temples of Indonesia on this Independent Journey.
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