Balinese dream: from top left, the glowing poolside at Aman Villas; cruising at sunset off Amankila; a hot and spicy urab sayur salad; catching the sunrise for breakfast at Amankila
(Picture: ES Magazine)My Indonesian journey begins in Ubud, the spiritual heartland and geographical centre of Bali. It’s long been celebrated for its healing energy and tourists come for the crafted wood and silver or to watch the cantankerous macaques rollock around the Sacred Monkey Forest. Enlightenment seekers come with truckloads of Lululemon and aggressively taut physiques. These days, it’s less Eat Pray Love, more Eat Pose Post. Awash with art markets and yoga studios, Ubud is worth the trip for the top-notch ceramics at Gaya alone. But after a stroll down main street, it’s a relief to take the five-minute ride out to Amandari.
A discreet driveway leads me from the chaos into a space renowned for its tranquillity. Built in 1989, with its teak-frame and alang alang thatch architecture, Amandari remains one of Bali’s most influential hotels. It’s certainly a fantastic place to do yoga. ‘This is energy yoga,’ says Amandari’s local teacher, Ketut. ‘Feel the happy breeze fill you; your legs happy, your belly happy.’ I’m dubious, but as we start to move, an unexpected rainstorm begins. As water hammers down on the trees around us, the mix of Ketut’s smile, the deep poses and that rain forces an internal shift. As I head back to my secluded glass villa overlooking the lush forest in the Ayung River gorge below, I begin to feel strangely ecstatic. Butterflies float past as I sunbathe on my private terrace — this is the true magic of Ubud.
