Bali resorts offer luxury and tranquility

Bali resorts offer luxury and tranquility

Rita A. Widiadana, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar

After the mad rush of wedding preparations, and then the event
itself, heading to a villa that is surrounded by lush green rice
fields, high above Petanu River in Ubud, would be the perfect way
to start life as a married couple.

The newly renovated Kamandalu Resort, built to resemble a
traditional Balinese village, is offering special packages for
honeymooners.

"Our major markets are Japan and the United Kingdom and a new
promising market, Australia," said Darmawan P. Drajat,
Kamandalu's general manager, adding that the company has set up
representative offices in the two countries.

More and more young people plan to hold their weddings or
spend their honeymoons in Ubud's resorts, he said.

Kamandalu, he said, comprises eight pavilions, five family
pavilions, 19 garden villas, four Jacuzzi villas, eight pool
villas, five deluxe pool villas and two double-bedrooms, with
rates between US$300 and $800.

Darmawan said young Japanese executives and Australian
tourists were starting to pick Ubud as a holiday destination,
whereas before visitors had mostly been older Japanese couples or
groups of middle-aged Europeans.

"Ubud has never been as energetic and lively as Kuta is. But,
the fact that young visitors are now interested in this art
village is expected to boost the tourism-related industry, which
has suffered from global and regional influences over the last
decade, including SARS and the Iraq war," he said.

Some resorts and villas in Ubud, like Kamandalu, are working
with small and medium enterprises managed by local artisans and
entrepreneurs. "We procure most of our hotel amenities and spa
ingredients from local artisans. We are very proud to promote
their products while at the same time helping to improve their
businesses," Darmawan said.

Kamandalu like other accommodation in Ubud is gearing up to
prepare for the upcoming peak seasons in the months of July to
August and November to December.

"We have received orders from our agents, particularly from
Japan (60 percent) for the coming season, when occupancy usually
reaches 80 to 90 percent," he said.

Ubud in Gianyar, 30 kilometer north of Denpasar, is home to
many exclusive resorts such as Alila Ubud, Amandari and Maya
Ubud.

Bali is teeming with world-class resorts. The once-barren hill
of Jimbaran, 15 minutes drive from the Ngurah Rai International
Airport, has become a favorite escape for the rich and famous.

Shanta de Silva, resort manager of Bali Intercontinental is
optimistic about the hospitality industry on Bali. "We had a very
good year in 2004 with increasing number of visitors, the rich in
particular, to the island. We are expecting a better year in
2005," he said enthusiastically.

The tsunami catastrophe, he said, slightly affected tourism in
the Southeast Asian region including Bali. "But only between
January and February. Since early March, the market has picked
up," he said.

Bali, he said, has always been one of the world's top tourism
destinations. "We opened The Club Intercontinental in July 2004
and the response has been very positive, particularly from the
Japanese, European and Australian markets," he said.

Surprisingly, many domestic guests also use this facility. "We
have a strong market in Jakarta and Surabaya," de Silva said.

The Ritz-Carlton - Bali Resort & Spa, perched on a bluff
overlooking azure Indian Ocean, embraces the mystique of Bali,
its natural beauty and the inherent grace and hospitality of its
people.

The resort, also located in Jimbaran, offers 375 guest rooms,
suites, villas, 30 restaurants and lounges and a comprehensive
spa complex, said Meutia Irataliana, the public relation
coordinator

Meanwhile Bali Thalasso & Spa, located near The Ritz-Carlton,
offers more than 60 different spa treatments and features one of
the world's largest Aquatonic seawater pool.

The island's hottest destinations are no longer centered in
Nusa Dua, Sanur, Kuta and Jimbaran but are found in the far-flung
areas of Negara in Jembrana, Klungkung and Karangasem in East
Bali, as well as the northern part of Bali.

"But, the market is not saturated because each area offers
a different ambience and different natural surrounding," Darmawan
said.

Hoteliers in Bali look forward to the opening of new hotels
and villas including Bvlgari in the coming months.

Andrew Tan, Singapore Airline's manager in Bali, previously
said that the airline is closely cooperating with numerous
resorts, hotels and villas in Bali.

"We are offering significant discounts at numerous hotels and
resorts including Melia Bali in Nusa Dua, Kupu-Kupu Barong villa
in Ubud as benefit for SIA passengers," Tan said.

"It is our effort to bring visitors to Bali," he said.