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A Bali spa vacation

All the pummelling at half the price. Our guide to Bali spa resorts and some esoteric local treatments from Javanese lulur to seaweed and Thalasso hydrotherapy.

Spas, seaweed, seawater and jamu treatments are all over the island like a rash, so for the purposes of this Bali spa guide, we shall concentrate on the standouts. Big is not always better and some small establishments have some rather attractive spa set-ups. Take your pick. Bottom line, Bali is a truly magical place and no matter where you end up you will likely be enchanted by the service, treatments and ambience. While there are several reasonable independent spa operations around the island, you will likely spend time at an on-site spa so our focus is largely on Bali spa resorts.

Hotels in Bali

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Nusa Dua hotels/ Uluwatu & South
Amanusa.Tel: [62-361] 772-333, fax: 772-335,
Ayodya Resort Bali. Tel: [62-361] 771-102, fax: 771-616,
Bali Golf and Country Club. Tel: [62-361] 771-791, fax: 771-797,
Bulgari Hotels and Resorts, Bali .
Tel: [62-361] 847-1000, fax: 847-1111,
Blue Point Bay Villas & Spa. Tel: [62-361] 769-888, fax: 769-889,
Grand Hyatt Bali. Tel: [62-361] 771-234, fax: 772-038,

Inna Putri Bali.
Tel: [62-361] 771-020, fax: 771-139,
Kayumanis Private Villa. Tel: [62-361] 770-777, fax: 770-770,
Melia Bali Villas & Spa Resort. Tel: [62-361] 771-510, fax: 776-880,
Nikko Bali Resort & Spa. Tel: [62-361] 773-377, fax: 773-388,
Nusa Dua Beach Hotel & Spa. Tel: [62-361] 771-210, fax: 771-229,
Sekar Nusa Resort. Tel: [62-361] 773-333, fax: 775-765,
Sheraton Laguna Nusa Dua. Tel: [62-361] 771-327, fax: 771-326,
The Grand Bali. Tel: [62-361] 776-688, fax: 773-636,
The Balé. Tel: [62-361] 775-111, fax: 775-222,
The Villas at Bali Golf and Country Club. Tel: [62-361] 772-592, fax: 772-594,
The Westin Resort. Tel: [62-361] 771-906, fax: 771-908,


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Benoa hotels
Aston Bali. Tel: [62-361] 773-577, fax: 774-954,
Conrad Bali Resort & Spa. Tel: [62-361] 778-788, fax: 773-888,
Grand Mirage Resort. Tel: [62-361] 771-888, fax: 772-148,
Melia Benoa. Tel: [62-361] 771-714, fax: 771-713,
Novotel Coralia. Tel: [62-361] 772-239, fax: 772-237,

Jimbaran resorts
Keraton Jimbaran resorts
Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay. Tel: [62-361] 701-010, fax: 701-020,
InterContinental Resort Bali. Tel: [62-361] 701-888, fax: 701-777,
Jamahal Private Resort & Spa. Tel: [62-361] 704-394, fax: 704-597,
Jimbaran Puri Bali. Tel: [62-361] 701-605, fax: 701-320,
Puri Kosala Cottages. Tel: [62-361] 701-673, fax: 702-576,
Ritz-Carlton Bali. Tel: [62-361] 702-222, fax: 701-555,
Villa Balquisse. Tel/fax; [62-361] 701-695,


Kuta & Tuban
Alam Kul Kul. Tel: [62-361] 752-520, fax: 752-519,
Bali Dynasty. Tel: [62-361] 752-403, fax: 752-402,
Balihai Resort & Spa. Tel: [62-361] 753-035, fax: 754-702,
Bali Padma Hotel. Tel: [62-361] 752-111, fax: 752-140,
Discovery Kartika Plaza Hotel. Tel: [62-361] 751-067, fax: 752-475,
Hard Rock Hotel. Tel: [62-361] 761-869, fax: 761-868,
Patra Bali Resort & Villas. Tel: [62-361] 751-161, fax: 752-030,
Poppies Bali. Tel: [62-361] 751-059, fax: 752-364,
Sofitel Seminyak Bali. Tel: [62-361] 730-730, fax: 730-545,


Legian /Seminyak/ Canggu & Kerobokan
Bali Mystique. Tel: [62-361] 730-465, fax: 730-465,
Contiki Resort Bali. Tel: [62-361] 730-573, fax: 730-518,
Downtown Villas. Tel: [62-361] 736-464, fax: 736-424,
Laksmana Villas. Tel: [62-361] 733-320, fax: 731-998,
Resor Seminyak. Tel: [62-361] 730-814, fax: 730-815,


Sentosa Private Villas & Spa. Tel: [62-361] 730-333, fax: 737-111,
The Club at The Legian. Tel: [62-361] 730-622, fax: 730-623,
The Elysian. Tel: [62-361] 730-999, fax: 737-509,
The Legian Bali. Tel: [62-361] 730-622, fax: 730-623,
The Oberoi Bali. Tel: [62-361] 730-361, fax: 730-791,
The Samaya Seminyak. Tel: [62-361] 731-149, fax: 731-203,
The Villas Bali Hotel & Spa. Tel: [62-361] 730-840, fax: 733-751,
Uma Sapna. Tel: [62-361] 736-628, fax: 736-629,
Villa Ananda Resort. Tel: [62-361] 730-526, fax: 733-958,
Villa Sin Sin. Mobile Tel: [62] 8123 984-908, fax: [62-361] 730-047,

Canggu /Kerobokan & Tanah Lot
Grand Bali Sani Suites. Tel: [62-361] 752-314, fax: 752-313,
Hotel Tugu Bali. Tel: [62-361] 731-701, fax: 731-704,
Le Meridien Nirwana Golf & Spa Resort. Tel: [62-361] 815-900,
Novus Bali Villa. Tel: [62-361] 411-388, fax: 411-388,
Villa Tugu Bali. Through Hotel Tugu Bali


Sanur hotels and resorts
Bali Hyatt. Tel: [62-361] 281-234, fax: 287-693,
Grand Bali Beach. Tel: [62-361] 288-511, fax: 287-917,
Griya Santrian. Tel: [62-361] 288-181, fax: 288-185,
Mercure Resort Sanur Bali. Tel: [62-361] 288-833, fax: 287-773,
Puri Santrian. Tel: [62-361] 288-009, fax: 287-101,
Sanur Paradise Plaza Hotel. Tel: [62-361] 281-781, fax: 289-166,
Tandjung Sari. Tel: [62-361] 288-441, fax: 287-930,


Ubud resorts/Sayan & Payangan
Alila Ubud. Tel: [62-361] 975-963, fax: 975-968,
Amandari. Tel: [62-361] 975-333, fax: 975-335,
Aniniraka Resort & Spa. Tel: [62-361] 975-213,
Arma Resort. Tel: [62-361] 976-659, fax: 975-332,
Aston Nandini Ubud Resort & Spa. Tel: [62-361] 982-777, fax: 982-727,
Biyukukung Suites and Spa. Tel: [62-361] 978-976, fax: 972-562,
COMOShambhala Estate at Begawan Giri. Tel: [62-361] 978-888, fax: 978-889,
Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan. Tel: [62-361] 977-577, fax: 977-588,
Hotel Tjampuhan Spa. Tel: [62-361] 975-368, fax: 975-137,
Komaneka Resort. Tel: [62-361] 976-090, fax: 977-140,
Kamandalu Resort & Spa. Tel: [62-361] 975-825, fax: 975-851,
Komaneka Suites. Tel: [62-361] 978-123, fax: 973-084,
Kupu Kupu Barong. Tel: [62-361] 975-478, fax: 975-079,
Maya Ubud Resort & Spa. Tel: [62-361] 977-888, fax: 977-555,
Natura Resort and Spa. Tel: [62-361] 978-666, fax: 978-222,
Pita Maha Resort and Spa . Tel: [62-361] 974-330, fax: 974-329,
Puri Wulandari. Tel: [62-361] 980-252, fax: 980-253,
Royal Pita Maha. Tel: [62-361] 980-022, fax: 980-011,
The Chedi Club at Tanah Gajah. Tel: [62-361] 730-622, fax: 730-623,
The Waka Experience. Tel: [62-361] 484-085, fax: 484-695,
Ubud Hanging Gardens. Tel: [62-361] 982-700, fax: 982-800,
Uma Ubud. Tel: [62-361] 972-448, fax: 972-449,
Villa Semana. Tel: [62-361] 246-288, fax: 979-331,
Warwick Ibah Luxury Villas & Spa. Tel: [62-361] 974-466, fax: 974-467,

Candidasa
Alila Manggis. Tel: [62-363] 41011, fax: 41015,
Amankila. Tel: [62-363] 41333, fax: 41555,

Buleleng Regency, north Bali
Zen Resort Bali. Tel: [62-362] 93-578, fax: 93-579,

Pemuteran, Lovina, East Coast, Tulamben, Tembok
Bali Handara Kosaido Country Club. Tel: [62-362] 22646, fax: 23048,
Damai Lovina Villas. Tel: [62-362] 41008, fax: 41009,
Matahari Beach Resort. Tel: [62-362] 92312, fax: 92313,
Mimpi Menjangan Resort.
Mimpi Resort Jimbaran.
Mimpi Tulamben Resort.
Puri Ganesha Villas. Tel: [62-362] 93433, fax: 23635,
Sunari Villa & Spa Resort. Tel: [62-362] 41775, fax: 41659,
The Spa Village Tembok, Bali. Tel: [60-3] 2783-1000, fax: 2148-7391,


Central Highlands/ Penelokan & Bedugul
Subak Tabola Inn. Sidemen. Tel/fax: [62-366] 23015.


another destinations:
Asia, Indonesia
Jakarta, Bandung, Yogyakarta, Semarang, Lombok

another Asia:
Cambodia, South Korea, China, Delhi, tokyo, india, japan, hongkong, kualalumpur, singapore, malaysia, seoul, hochiminhcity, bangkok, vietnam, taiwan, tailand, macau, philippines.

Occeania:
australia, brisbane, newcastle, goldcoast, townville, sidney, perth, fiji, chistcurch, melbourne, wellington,
canbera, Queenstown, alicesprings, auckland, adelaide, newzealand
, portdouglas, launcesto.

Midle East:
eilat, haifa, jerusalem, telaviv, israel,
bahrain,
sharmelsheik, abusimbel, alexandria, aswan, hurghada, agadir, marsaalam, marrakech, fez, raselsudr, luxor, egyp, essaouira, morocco, mecca, sharjah, riyadh, jeddah,
abudhabi, uae
, dubai, alkhobar, saudiarabia, hobart, oman, cairn, kuwait.

Europe:
hamburg, granada, stuttgart, munich, frankfurt, valencia, seville, dusseldorf, barcelona, cologne,
spain, germany, paris, frace, avignon



another links:
How to invest in Bali (http://propertyinbali-world.blogspot.com/)

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About Bali and Beyonds

Bali (bä`lē), island and (with two offshore islets) province (1990 pop. 2,777,356), c.2,200 sq mi (5,700 sq km), E Indonesia, westernmost of the Lesser Sundas, just E of Java across the narrow Bali Strait. The capital is Denpasar. Although Bali is relatively small, it is densely populated and culturally and economically one of the most important islands of Indonesia. Largely mountainous, with active volcanoes, it rises to 10,308 ft (3,142 m) at Mt. Agung; there is a great fertile plain to the south. Fauna include tigers and deer. Bali is known for its giant waringin trees, sacred to the inhabitants.

The Balinese (a Malayan group closely related to the Javanese) are skillful farmers; rice, the chief crop, is grown with the aid of elaborate irrigation systems. Vegetables, fruits, coffee, and coconuts are also produced. Livestock is important; pigs and cattle are major export items. Industries include food processing, tourism, and handicrafts. The people are noted for their artistic skill (especially wood carving), and their high level of culture, which includes advanced forms of music, folk drama, dancing, and architecture. They are Hindu in a nation that is overwhelmingly Muslim; their unique ritualistic culture, as well as the island's scenic beauty, has made Bali one of the great tourist attractions of East Asia. An international airport was opened in 1969. A state univ. is in Denpasar.

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Bali was converted to Hinduism in the 7th cent., and was under Javanese rule from the 10th to the late 15th cent. It was a refuge (1513–28) for the Hindus of Java fleeing the advance of Islam. The Dutch first landed in 1597 and the Dutch East India Company began its trade with the island in the early 17th cent. Dutch sovereignty was not firmly established until after a series of colonial wars (1846–49), and the entire island was not occupied until 1908, after the quelling of two rebellions. Klungklung, NE of Denpasar, was the capital of the native rulers from the 17th cent. until 1908. Bali was particularly hard hit during the nationwide purge of Communists in 1965; more than 40,000 people were killed, and entire villages were destroyed. The island was part of a massive transmigration project in the late 1970s to relieve overcrowding. Bali's popularity as a Western tourist destination made it a target of several Islamic terror attacks in the early 21st cent.

Tugu's Kamar Samedhi room

While there is no huge spa facility, there are plenty of massage treatments available and, upon request, an extensive five-day detox treatment can be rolled out with gallons of fruit juice, organic foods and, of course, the oil for weary muscles. Puri Ganesha is a useful spot to use as a staging point for forays into Bali's uncrowded north, taking in black sand beaches, rolling hills and a spot of rainforest too. Near Seririt and perched above the Sea of Java, is the Zen Resort Bali, a small boutique hotel featuring Balinese architecture. There are 15 ocean-view villas. Guests can indulge in individually created spa packages, or meditate and practise yoga on the special yoga pavilion. There's also a forest walk to a sacred temple and a tranquil beach. The resort is a three-hour drive from Denpassar, and two hours from Ubud. On the Jalan Singaraja-Amlapura road winding along the island's ruggedly beautiful east coast at Tembok, is the The Spa Village Tembok - Malaysian YTL's first foray into Bali. This dedicated spa resort offers a cosy seaside setting with just 27 rooms, two suites and two villas. Expect elegant Balinese design in a contemporary setting, generous space, marble bathrooms with sunken baths, and balconies or terraces with panoramic views. The villas have private plunge pools. The highlight is of course The Spa where assorted treatments await minus the shrill rings of cellphones and pagers (which are discouraged, along with smoking). Try the 100-minute "Penganten Melukat" at US$120, or a deluxe 50-minute massage for US$60. This is a distant location with a pebble beach but it offers an away-from-it-all feel with little distraction and spa treatments galore.

Well get cracking then. You won't get lost with these new-fangled names. Things are pretty precise. Just ask for the Spa at Blah on the Blah, just Above the Blah, Right behind the Blah next to the blah blah blah..

Villa Semana Ubud spa hideaway

A panoramic spot with open, refreshing views. In the vicinity is the quiet Komaneka Suites with its simply named Spa. The Spa at Komaneka has all the usual herbal wraps and scrubs along with some rather different aromatic massages - the Ubud Spice, with ginger, cloves and nutmeg, among them. Or try the Bali Sunny. This utilises a blend of mint, citronella, patchouli and citrus. A 90-minute Lulur Mangir session is around US$50. A package like Komaneka Royal includes two-and-a-half hours of aromatherapy massage, Lulur Mangir and a herbal bath.

A real gem is the Puri Wulandari which describes itself as a boutique resort and spa. That is pretty accurate. The resort is in a superb garden setting with fabulous across-the-river views and lovely villas, some with valley-edge plunge pools. The Lila Ulanguan Spa is a very pleasant affair. This is a dedicated area for rest and relaxation. A Balinese massage is around US$50 (75min) and a half-hour Sea Salt Scrub is just US$25. The spa utilises remedies passed down through generations of Balinese healers and there nice open views of rice fields. Making a smart comeback is Kupu Kupu Barong a Hobbit-style villa reserve on the Ayung gorge. The Tree Spa has been created out of silk and wood and is sited atop a mango tree, overlooking the valley. It's a firm perch despite the description. Villas offer vertiginous views of the river - and some rather steeps steps to get to breakfast. Fortunately, a butler can be arranged to do all the running about. This is one of Bali's oldest boutique hotels (it opened in 1986 as a restaurant) and is worth a look in.

Puri Wulandari spa plunge pool
A small and neat spot on the Ubud main street is the Aniniraka Resort & Spa, a trendy sort of place, compact and friendly. Aniniraka is surrounded by lush paddy fields and a small upstairs restaurant.

Sanur area spa resorts
The civilised east coast of Sanur that catches the sunrise is host to several nice properties. The aforementioned Bali Hyatt runs a wonderful spa and the charming twin resorts Puri Santrian and Griya Santrian offer the Santrian Spa where ample sea salt foot baths, lulur scrubs and traditional massage await.

Pemuteran, the North, East Coast, Tembok
Heading up to the far north of Bali and its forgotten shores of Pemuteran and Lovina, there is a clutch of properties to choose from. The lovely Damai Villas, perched on a hillside, offers eight bungalows and a simple but super restaurant as well as a spa pavilion looking onto paddy fields. The Matahari Beach Resort & Spa is on a black sandy stretch near Pemuteran and heading west along the coast, the 129-room low-rise Sunari Villa & Spa Resort (formerly Sol Lovina) offers spa treatments.

Puri Ganesha Villas is the place that put reclusive Pemuteran on the map. This charming property offers four two-storey thatched roof Balinese-style villas on a generous 400sq m of beachfront. It is a bit of a stretch from the airport but then, the best things in life don't come easy. A great place for a long, slow detox.

Valley edge Pita Maha spa

The Chedi Club, Ubud run by the GHM group, offers 20 self-contained units in five hectares of garden looking onto rice fields. This is an extension of The Club at Legian concept, a private home away from home format, spoiling, rustic, and mellow.Three one-bedroom spa villas with plunge pool, massage suite and sauna, cater for for aromatic rubdowns to the accompaniment of jungle calls and birdsong (which is a lot better than listening to your boss hollering over the telephone). Mark it down. Another Ubud option is the atmospheric and tucked-away Villa Semana featuring 10 traditional Balinese villas overlooking the Ayung River gorge and rice fields. It is small, reclusive, and pretty. The Villa Semana Spa is in a private open-air bale on the river with lotus pond baths and varied treatments.The more recent Uma Ubud is almost a small self-contained village with Balinese style villas featuring chic modern bathrooms, some with plunge pools and Broadband access for those refusing to part with their laptops. There's plenty of green space, tranquil nooks and corners for a reflective moment, water features, rockeries and shaded walkways. Spa out in a treatment room, steam off your city stress, or settle in to some soothing yoga.

At the very lip of the Ayung River is the architecturally striking Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan. You literally walk into a giant lotus pond to access the resort and then wend your way down through accommodation levels to the river, the pool, and the villas. There is a health club and spa with traditional Indonesian herbal treatments, massage, sauna and whirlpool.
Uma Bali, yoga and spa treatments
Up the road is the extremely elegant Amandari which offers spa treatments. The dedicated Aman Spa is a bit further away - at the Amanpuri in Phuket, Thailand. Amanusa and Amankila (also Amanresorts) have some limited treatments available without the now-fashionable (lest you forget the location) Spa at Amanusa, Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, Asia, Below The Equator, etc.

The Alila Ubud, has a Mandara Spa with extensive spa packages, some going up to five days. Well if that's what wellness takes, just do it. Among the offerings are the Balinese Boreh (ground spice exfoliation), Bali Coffee Scrub, and Javanese Lulur. At the end of all this if you have any skin left at all you'll be lucky but boy will those girls (or men, and alternative genders, lest we be politically incorrect) be chasing you. The latest spa contender is the Ubud Hanging Gardens by PanSea Orient-Express Hotels. As the name suggests, the Balinese villas,are perched - pretty securely - above the Ayung River gorge, the de rigueur location for any upscale Ubud hangout. The 38 villas with thatched alang-alang roofs are set on wooden pillars with four-poster beds inside, outdoor showers and plunge pools. The Ayung Spa close by the river offers birdsong (which is free) and fancy herbal spa treatments like the signature "Ayung Beautifying Ritual" that combines a blend of rice powder and coconut to exfoliate the skin. This is followed up with a perfumed floral bath.


Spa at The Villas Bali Hotel & Spa

Two new Retreat Villas come with private therapy rooms and private pools. The COMO Shambhala Estate at Begawan Giri boasts an attractive spa, Kedara (formerly The Source), set further down the hill near a natural spring and waterfall. Toya Mampeh, the spring, is known in local lore for its healing properties. This mineral-infused water also feeds the chlorine-free Vitality Pool. Pick a custom-made treatment, stretch out over Yoga exercises, head up a climbing wall, or limber up in the Pilates Studio.

Just a ten minute drive north from here is the Kamandalu Resort & Spa. Set amidst terraced rice paddy fields above the Petanu River gorge, the resort is compact and classy. You won't need to walk for miles. It was built to resemble a traditional Balinese village. The spa is at the lip of the valley with open views and pool area. The treatment rooms feature Jacuzzis and saunas. Try a herbal wrap, a spot of hydrotherapy, a Javanese Lulur or get on the scent of a relaxing aromatherapy rubdown.

At the heart of Ubud are the Pita Maha (Tjampuhan Resorts & Spa), the Hotel Tjampuhan & Spa, and the Ibah, now called the Warwick Ibah Luxury Villas & Spa. This delightful resort is built on a human scale and is wonderfully intimate and green. It has its Spa at Ibah run by Mandara, on the banks of the Tjampuhan River. Try a Mandara Massage featuring two therapists working in unison to offer Shiatsu, Thai, Balinese or Swedish treatments. A deluxe spa villa is at hand for extreme pampering followed by tea and speciality Ibah cookies. The Pita Maha and Hotel Tjampuhan have good spa facilities and the latter also boasts a spring-fed pool, a grotto setting (with some pretty extensive and outlandish carvings) and sauna and steam rooms. The Tjampuhan Spa is a Hollywood Lord of the Rings setting with an Asian flavour. At Hotel Tjampuhan you'll also find the original Walter Spies villa. A third and quite sumptuous sibling is the Royal Pita Maha in Ubud's Kedewatan area with its exclusive Royal Villas.


Ubud Spa Hotels and Resorts

Up in the cool hill country of Ubud where Bali's true soul resides, the Maya Ubud Resort & Spa is a must-see spot. Stretched out along paddy fields above a river valley, the Maya Ubud is stylish and chic. The Spa at Maya, is some distance away from the main resort. To get there you can walk or hop on a buggy that drops you off at an unobtrusive elevator that takes you down to the river level where this enticing spa is located, halfway down the hillside at the Toya Mampeh spring with attractive standalone villa residences for ultimate indulgence. The Spa at Maya straddles a scenic bend in the river and some treatment rooms with their beaten metal bathtubs are right above the gurgling waters. The steep, wooded valley walls add to a sense of other-worldly enchantment. There is a separate swimming pool here with a spa menu for light meals. At the top end of the rubdown charts is the secluded and alluring COMO Shambhala Estate at Begawan Giri. COMO's arrival has revitalised this elegant establishment and there is a fresh buzz about the place. The five spacious "residences" as they are called (housing 21 suites), are spacious, pretty and utterly private. All feature breathtaking pools and a butler.


Club at Legian: private

Not far from here the Resor Seminyak Resort & Spa offers comfortable landscaped grounds and a Balinese Herbal Spa specialising in herbal treatments, massage and reflexology.
Farther up the coast is the inviting Novus Bali Villa (formerly Canggu Puri Merta) where assorted treatments are on tap. Still heading north is the refreshingly different Hotel Tugu Bali with its antiques and artefacts and even a Walter Spies Suite, a replica of the home of the German artist who did much to popularise Indonesia. This is a traditional chic place with towering timber pillars and beams in its lobby and billowing gauze curtains. The spa treatment pavilions are all moulded from different inspirations. This is perhaps the secret of Tugu's charm. Lots of wood, antiques, incense, water features, bright colours, and a nice laid back atmosphere. Hotel Tugu Bali is a somewhat secluded option heading up towards Tanah Lot Temple and it is set in verdant paddy fields.

The Waroeng Djamoe Spa at Tugu Bali, is a Jamu exponent drawing upon local herbs and flora like the frangipani, magnolia, rose, jasmine and ylang-ylang. Treatments may be enjoyed in your inroom massage bed, in a treatment room, or in an outdoor balé. To really go all the way, and I mean ALL THE WAY, buckle in for an eight-hour Gemulai Penari Bali involving scalp massage, floral bath, a Balinese dancer massage, body scrub, a light gourmet lunch, hydro treatments, Jacuzzi and plunge pool. Some of the spa rooms offer choreographed Balinese massages where the hands and pressure application follows the flow and ebb of the gamelan orchestra. The Gemulai Penari is around US$480 per couple.

Keep on up the coast and you'll arrive at the Le Meridien Nirwana Golf & Spa Resort Bali. Situated just across from the famous Tanah Lot temple that is accessible only at low tide, the resort is set in 100 expansive acres of rice fields and greens of the award-winning Greg Norman golf course. The Penguin Club will keep your kids entertained while you slip away for a romantic rubdown. For an independently-run establishment, a nice choice in Kerobokan is the Antique Spa (tel: 739-840). The place is minimalist but chic and has its very own signature "Kamasutra" treatment - the whole works pretty much.


Kuta, Seminyak, Kerobokan

Heading up to the shops and beer sunsets (and roadwork diggings) of Kuta, the Hard Rock Hotel continues to gyrate with a hip and young crowd, great packages, and the Hard Rock Spa. There are treatment rooms and poolside cabanas as well as an array of massage chairs. Sit back and relax. An Ultra Glow will set you back just around US$50 as will the Rejuvenate treatment.
The pick of Kuta though is the quiet and laid-back Alam KulKul Bali that runs an authentic Jamu Traditional Spa. All the ingredients are produced inhouse using natural sources and traditional formulae. The Jamu spa is set in the heart of the resort in a quiet and shaded area next to the pool. The emphasis is on intimate rather than grand.
Spa treatment at Kamandalu

A two-hour Javanese Lulur is about US$80, the same price as a Vanilla Mocha Body Scrub. Contemporary treatments include a Pappaya and Mint Body Wrap and an Earth & Flowers Body Mask. Facials and traditional massages are available.
Moving out of the Kuta scrum and heading north is the charming Seminyak area, home to some fine resorts and a very vibrant nightlife. The exquisite, old-world and very authentic The Oberoi Bali offers treatments at its Banyan Tree Spa where everything from Ayurvedic, Balinese, Thai and Swedish remedies are available. Try a mud wrap or the now-obligatory Javanese Mandi Lulur. The Oberoi is a delightful getaway and was the original Bali designer resort.

Just up the road, The Legian, is more contemporary with a crisp elegance and two double and two single spa suites. The Spa at The Legian is set in verdant lawns amidst lotus ponds, overlooking the sea. It includes a fully-equipped gymnasium. The hotel offers a booklet with its "spa basics". On the delicate matter of clothing, it says, "Choose what is most comfortable for you. Our therapists will always use draping techniques to respect your privacy." Good. If you're Swedish or Japanese, just ignore this and, well..., strut your stuff. The "Legian Indulgence" which runs two-and-a-half-hours includes an aromatherapy foot polish, massage, reflexology, lulur and steam bath. Still in Seminyak is The Villas Bali Hotel & Spa. Villas feature private swimming pools, with a private entrance and garden, as well as high-speed Internet access, CD player and satellite TV. The Prana Spa - a fantasy Indian Bollywood meets Love Boat - with its exotic archways and extravagant orange and green hues, serves up a huge variety of treatments, like the two-hour "Spirit of Bali" at about US$75 combining aromatic exfoliation using sandalwood, turmeric and groundnuts, with a yogurt splash followed by a frangipani and rose petal bath. Guests might also venture forth to the more contemporary Chill, for a reflexology session or two.

Bali Hotel Spas in Nusa Dua, Benoa, Uluwatu

Let's start in the south, in the manicured, tourism enclave of Nusa Dua where everything looks like the drive into town from Singapore's Changi Airport. The Nusa Dua Beach Hotel & Spa, one of the first occupants along this strip runs the custom-built Nusa Dua Spa. Set aside from the main resort in a deep salmon-pink villa, this nice spa features a lap pool, treatment rooms and spa packages starting at US$75 for a two-and-a-half-hour traditional coconut scrub or Javanese "lulur" followed by a Balinese facial treatment. Javanese Lulur, a turmeric and sandalwood exfoliation, can be had on its own as well, along with aromatic and, yes, jetlag, massages.
Conrad Bali beachside massage pavilion

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Next door, The Westin Resort (formerly the convention hotel Sheraton Nusa Indah) has a Westin Spa. The sprawling Sheraton Laguna Nusa Dua with its vast swimmable lagoons and greenery has spa facilities while the swish Grand Hyatt offers spa treatments and facilities are being ramped up while serious seaweed and scraping goes on at the dedicated and attractive Spa at Bali Hyatt in Sanur. (Grand Hyatt Bali is showcased in our exclusive Top Asian Hotels Collection, featuring the best Asian hotels, resorts and spas in a printable A4 page with stunning visuals.)The Spa at Bali Hyatt is set in thatched villas with "villa treatments" like Surya Cooling (which can include two persons for just over two hours). The cooling package is a skin special and includes a cucumber mask and lavender bath. Natural Langsing at just over US$200 for two includes an aromatic sauna, crystal mineral body scrub and sea mud body wraps.

The Spanish-run Melia Bali Villas & Spa Resort is unfussy and welcoming with a separate villa section. Set in 25 generous acres, the Melia Bali has just launched its new worldwide Yhi Spa brand and offers more than a fair bit of wellness indulgence with extensive treatment menus. The Balinese spa is set in gardens where you can also pursue yoga. There are single and double rooms with outdoor baths and showers for couples. The renamed Ayodya Resort Bali (formerly the breakaway Bali Hilton International) and its exclusive Ayodya Palace wing, is crammed with all manner of striking statuary depicting scenes from the Hindu epic, the Ramayana. Apart from its 300m beachfront and luxurious Ayodya Palace villa and suites complex, the resort has a spa facility with treatment suites and rooms.

Bordering the Hilton is the Bali Golf & Country Club which manages the swank self-contained The Villas at Bali Golf and Country Club with its Spa and massage treatments. (The Villas at Bali Golf and Country Club are showcased in our exclusive Top Asian Hotels Collection, featuring the best Asian hotels, resorts and spas in a printable A4 page with stunning visuals.)Perched on a low promontory, The Balé is a beige limestone villa hideaway. This Lifestyle Retreats property features an intimate and secluded spa. Try the 120-minute “Tropical Romantic Ritual”. The spa offers holistic treatments (and a spa restaurant) with yoga, meditation and a range of other "body, mind and spirit" options. Among the offerings are a Healing Hot Stones Massage (wherein heated volcanic stones are placed over the body) and assorted coconut and seaweed body scrubs, maska and marine bubble baths. Men can ask for a strong coffee - not to sip, but to apply. The Coffee Ritual involves espresso massage oil, a cappuccino body scrub and a latte body lotion. Yes, you can have some coffee later too.

Continuing up the rise, following the coast, is the Sekar Nusa Resort. Like the Balé, this charming little place is on a hill, away from the beach. The unassuming Sekar Nusa Spa does Tradional Balinese Massage going up to The Best of Sekar Nusa (around US$65, 180 minutes) which involves an aromatherapy footbath, body wash, coffee or corn body scrub, flower bath, facial and massage. A five minute drive on, set in pristine isolation is the Nikko Bali Resort & Spa. This nice hotel-style resort features a fun beach area set beneath vertiginous cliffs. There is a Mandara Spa here and eight oceanfront spa villas. Last, but certainly not least, is the attractive Spa at Club Med, in its own private setting with extensive treatments, attentive service and a choice of open-air or aircon treatment rooms. French-run Club Med tends to be an all-in experience with accommodation, meals and activities.

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East and north of Nusa Dua, heading into the Benoa peninsula, there are two properties with excellent spa facilities - the new Conrad Bali and the Grand Mirage Bali - with the latter boasting the first Thalasso Spa, utilising seawater, on the island. The Conrad Bali is intriguingly zen, with minimalist lines, sweeping ocean views and fine swimming pools. Its Jiwa Spa does a range of treatments. Conrad's signature Ocean Flow Massage runs rippling acupressure over the body with a pinch of aromatherapy while the Inner Radiance realigns the body's natural energy channels. A speciality is the 1,000 Petal Flower Bath (yes, there's space for water too) which can be enjoyed in your own bath with some fragrant essential oils on the side. And if you're still peckish and light calories are not for you, head down to Eight Degrees and order pizza by the metre. Now that's a meal. A stylish option in Uluwatu, a 15-minute drive from Nusa, is the Blue Point Bay Villas & Spa, a Japanese-owned complex with private villas set on the cliff, each with a pool and stunning views to boot. There two main swimming pools and a dedicated spa.The chic new Bulgari Resort Bali offers leggy models, glitterati, beautiful people, hangers-on and a stunning Spa - a traditional ensemble complete with hand-carved teakwood doors at the entrance. It will cost an arm and a leg of course, but then, trained therapists are on hand to massage your limbs back to top working order.

The quiet western coast of Jimbaran, south of the bay sweeping up to the airport, hosts three top-drawer properties - Intercontinental Resort Bali, Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay, and The Ritz-Carlton Bali Resort & Spa - all armed with enough essential oils and exotic spa menus to keep your midlife crisis at bay for years. The Ritz features its own 22,000sq metre hydrotherapy Thalasso & Spa which is almost a resort within a resort. If this place were any bigger, it would mint its own currency and hand out passports. Amidst the gardens and water-features, are the spa villas, a spa suite and a 650sq metre "aquatonic' pool. Don't ask me what that means. The water flows and swirls in varying temperatures while jets and hidden currents massage and relax. And at the all new Bulgari Resort Bali (you'll be excused for calling it Bvlgari Resort Bali) a breezy oceanfront spa promises all the allure and pampering of a true-blue designer resort. This is a swish offering in a compact cliffside all-villa resort with HUGE views of the sea in all directions.



The beachfront Intercontinental Resort Bali has gone through a thorough facelift. It is a sprawling child-friendly place with crisp business flourishes and smart 52sq m Club InterContinental rooms. For pampering head for the Uluwatu Spa or the more secluded Uluwatu Villa Retreat where traditional Balinese remedies await. All spa products are locally produced from natural ingredients. The two-hour Harmony Experience offers Bali spice body mask, a flower splash and pressure point massage. The Ultimate Discovery (my dear Christopher Columbus, look what you missed) offers pampering for 240 minutes with foot bath and scrub, reflexology, scalp treatment, Javanese Lulur, aromatherapy and body lotion massage. For the lazy or bone-weary, there's an extensive inroom massage menu including Traditional Balinese and Foot Reflexology. Believe me, it's worth it, and more.

The Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay is quite a mouthful but jaws do tend to drop once introduced to this villa property cascading down a hillside overlooking the bay. Lots of walking needed here and buggy rides are the answer. The Spa at Jimbaran Bay is near the sea and utilises sea-salt crystals, seaweed and natural ingredients. Guests tend to start off with a relaxing rain shower before heading on for a three-hour Sea Mint Detoxifying Ritual, the Papaya Hibiscus Sugar Scrub or one of the many exotic menus on offer. The Sea Mint therapy involves foaming skin exfoliation with sand, sea salt and minerals followed by an ice-cold mint mousse and tangerine scalp massage. Hmm. Mind if I lick it off for you? The Sea Mint will set you back around US$200 while the Hibiscus Sugar Scrub is a trifling US$75. If you'd rather be outdoors, book a massage in one of the seafront balés.

Farther away in a generous private estate is the Ritz-Carlton Bali Resort & Spa. This is a stately structure stepping down in levels past the gorgeous pool and down to the beach. The special feature of the dedicated set-apart spa is its Thalasso seawater therapy. In fact there is so much inviting water bubbling around the place it is hard not to leap right in. In addition to the mineral-rich waters, there's Aquatonic pools with powerful pulsing water jets ensuring your daily fill of salts and amino acids. Nice. Signature packages include Cinta Abadi - "Eternal Love" at US$240 per couple, Balinese Thalasso Experience and the 75-minute Marine Slimming at US$115 per person. To ensure eternal love you'll get a flower petal foot wash, an aromatic petal massage, a Javanese Lulur or Boreh and a skin-soothing milk bath.


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