By Beth Weitzman and Misty Milioto
This popular area on the southwestern tip of the Bukit Peninsula of Bali, is best known for the Pura Luhur Uluwatu Temple (the name Uluwatu comes from ulu, meaning “lands end” and watu, meaning “rock.”) The hilly limestone region is home to the luxury, all-pool villa resort, Banyan Tree Ungasan, Bali. Nestled amid towering cliffs overlooking pure white beaches and shimmering blue Indian Ocean, easing into a state of zen is made easy here. Just 45 minutes from Ngurah Rai International Airport (also known as Denpasar International Airport), is a great place to begin or end your Bali adventure.
The Accommodations
Perched 210 feet above Melasti Beach on the southern tip of Bali, Banyan Tree Ungasan offers luxury amid pure white beaches, crystal blue water and stunning ocean views. The all-pool villa resort features a dedicated beach area and distinctive Balinese touches at every turn. With the killer views, your own private pool as well as a resort pool, a bevy of indoor and outdoor dining choices, and a fabulous spa, you really never have to leave the resort.
Offering total privacy, each of the villas (in nine different room categories) is an intimate retreat featuring a large bedroom, a huge marble bathroom with spacious bathtub, living room, private infinity-edge pool, outdoor dining area, private landscaped gardens, magnificent vistas and outdoor showers. Book the Pool Villa Cliff Edge Ocean View and enjoy panoramic views of the ocean, a Balinese bale complete with daybed and a 30-foot infinity pool. Sitting atop the cliff’s edge, this villa will impress even the most well-traveled jetsetters.
The Dining
Banyan Tree Ungasan’s signature clifftop restaurant, Ju-Ma-Na, overlooks the Indian Ocean with views so breathtaking you can’t keep your jaw from dropping when you dine here, either indoors or outdoors. The French cuisine with a Japanese twist is equally spectacular as the view. Adjacent is The Ju-Ma-Na Bar, perfect for pre- or post- dinner cocktails and aperitifs in a Moroccan setting. Within the spa area is Tamarind, where authentic Balinese cuisine focusing on locally sourced ingredients, herbs and spices is served in a most tranquil setting. Serving three meals a day at indoor and outdoor cooking stations, Bambu specializes in pan-Asian fare, including Thai, Vietnamese and local dishes. In-villa dining is also a fabulous option. Choose from the room service menu—not to be missed is the nasi goreng (fried rice with egg) for breakfast and ikan mepanggang sambal matah (barramundi with lemongrass salsa) for lunch or dinner. Or book a barbecue experience and have a chef prepare one of three feast options on your villa patio. The pool bar is also a great spot for all-day light snacks, drinks and inventive cocktails. With the resort’s dining destination, a completely bespoke experience can be curated just for you—dinner in a private bale under Bali’s shimmering night sky? Not a problem.
The Spa
Get your energy in check with any of the many Asian therapies on the menu at Banyan Tree Spa. Featuring nine spacious spa pavilions, Banyan Tree Spa offers a range of Asian therapies, from massages to face and body treatments. Try one of the Banyan Signature holistic treatments for a truly refreshing experience. The Tropical Rainmist, a specialty, features a trickling rain shower, an invigorating body scrub and a choice of massage (from a cleansing mitt scrub to a honey milk nourisher), while the Sense of Place, a Balinese ritual, eases aching muscles and restores skin to its natural balance. A deep-tissue Balinese Massage is complemented by a relaxing face and head massage, relieving tension and imparting a true sense of Zen. A body scrub and body conditioner completes this serene treatment. Before of after your treatment, be sure to pop into the boutique for aromatherapy oils and ceramics, as well as other artful items and unique gifts. Outdoor yoga, classes in the aerobics room and state-of-the-art fitness facilities make working out easy.
The Pool
The resort pool offers oversized floats, epic views, poolside dining and inventive cocktails.
The Extras
The resort’s Banyan Tree Gallery is a showcase of indigenous arts and crafts. An international selection of books and magazines can be enjoyed in the library. The resort is perched above a lovely beach, so you can take the trail down and enjoy a meditative walk any time of day.
The Wedding Venue
A stunning work of art, the White Dove Chapel, designed with 300 white doves facing a panoramic view of the Indian Ocean, is an idyllic spot in which to wed. Follow that with an outdoor celebration for up to 300 in the banquet area. Other options include a more intimate ceremony in the three-bedroom Presidential Villa with ocean views or on cliff’s edge at Ju-Mu-Na.
For more information visit banyantree.com
