Alila Ubud

Green Living

Perched on the traditional Balinese hill village of Payangan, Alila Ubud is a natural boutique resort that feels secluded, yet is only a 20-minute drive to Ubud’s town centre.  Artfully constructed with thatched roof villas, a breathtaking infinity pool overlooking the Ayung River valley and plenty of wildlife including chirping birds, roosters, frogs, and even the occasional monkey, this little piece of heaven is the perfect getaway for nature lovers.  We put our senses in tune with the beautiful surroundings at our recent stay at Alila Ubud.

As we drove through the peaceful lush green rice fields leading to the resort, we were pleasantly greeted by the adorable cow and her calf near the resort entrance before arriving at the main lobby.  Centred in the heart of the resort, the open-air lobby has a high thatched roof and beautiful coconut pillars, much like the villas on the property.  Arriving in the afternoon, we were welcomed with fresh papaya juice and cold towels before we were led to our spacious Terrace Tree Villa.

Walking past beautifully aged moss covered stone walls and rows of bamboo trees, we were delighted to see the green roof on the Terrace Tree Villa.  A comfy sofa and wooden table sit elegantly on the villa deck.  Opening the wooden doors to our villa, we were met with natural daylight pouring into our room from the row of wood framed windows that open to the lush trees below.

We relaxed for the rest of the afternoon by the gorgeously designed infinity pool which overlooks the Ayung river valley.  You may even see the occasional white water raft boat doing a dramatic drop to the Ayung River from the distance.  The Cabana Lounge right by the infinity pool offers complimentary afternoon tea with simple Balinese snacks like fried bananas.  We soaked up some sunshine as we sipped on a cup of black tea with ginger on the loungers by the pool.  On two days of the week, girls from the nearby village practice their traditional Balinese dancing by the pool which is always enjoyable to watch especially with their colourful traditional dresses and cheerful music.

Awaking to the sounds of roosters early next morning, we headed to Plantation Restaurant which overlooks the infinity pool and gorgeous white sky for an a la carte breakfast.  Dishes are made when ordered, minimizing as much food waste as possible. The menu is packed with healthy options like granola and muesli as well as an extensive beverage list from fresh juices and smoothies to Balinese coffee and hot chocolate.  One of our favorites is a refreshing ginger and tamarind herbal drink called Jamu.  After an energizing breakfast, we headed to the lobby to meet up with Puriana from Alila Ubud’s leisure concierge team to take a tour of the local crafts village.  It wasn’t hard to spot Puriana’s passion for Balinese’a artisan culture as he worked as a silversmith before joining Alila.  Through Alila Ubud’s support for local artisans by displaying their works at the resort gallery, Puriana decided to become a tour guide and continues his love for Balinese art by sharing about the tradition with visitors to Bali from around the world.  From the meticulous ink drawings of Hindu gods at Wayan Gama’s painting school where free classes are provided to local village children to pass on the Balinese tradition and to equip them with a life-long skill to the famous mask maker I Made Regug’s coconut shell masks that come alive after 200 layers of natural dyes made from plants are painted on, we fell in love with the Balinese artistic culture in no time.

Coming back from an eye-opening tour of Bali’s artisan village, it was time to relax with an afternoon massage at Alila Ubud Spa where we were treated to a healing Warm Stone massage.  In addition to the natural spa sanctuary, Alila Ubud guests are encouraged to stay healthy and active with yoga and tai chi classes by the poolside in the mornings and bikes conveniently located by the lobby for a cycling tour around the natural scenery in Ubud.

Panjin Beach

A Sea of Red 

One of the best kept secrets of Northeast China is the Panjin red beach in Liaoning Province.  The area is called the red beach because it is renowned for its fantastic shades of red from the blite plants that thrives in the area-especially when it goes from green to red in the summer time.  Thriving in salty waters, this plant turns from green to pink to a deep red the more sea water it sucks up.  Being one of the largest wetlands in the world, Panjin harbours 266 kinds of precious birds, including the red-crowned crane.  A broadwalk zigzags its way across the delta area where the Niao River flows into the sea.  This beautifully designed broadwalk offers a gorgeous view of the wetlands, especially when the sun is setting in the background.

Changbai Mountains

A lake in the heavens 

Located on the border between China and North Korea, the Changbai Mountain Range is a must-see when visiting Northeastern China.  Literally meaning the perpetually white mountain, the mountain is actually an active volcano and can reach as low as minus 45 degrees Celsius in the depth of winter.  But with dry winters, there are no glaciers even at the highest points.  The ancient forests surrounding the mountains are one of the best habitats for deer, bears, wild boars and wolves.  Not surprisingly, Northeastern China is known for its bear bile and deer placenta trade.  Up at 2,744m in the caldera of the mountain, there sits a large crater lake, also known as Heaven Lake. After a 20-minute ride on one of the dedicated tour buses up the mountain, we continued on with a roller coaster ride on a mini-van.  The curves are extreme and it didn’t help for the driver to drive at crazy speeds either.  Most of the handle bars on the vans are either crooked or have disappeared altogether from passengers hanging on for our dear lives during the rides!  By the time we reached the top, the skies have fogged up so the view wasn’t great, but we were finally rewarded with slightly clearer skies and a view of the beautifully serene lake with the reflection of Changbai Mountain on the calm water surface.  Always good to check the weather forecast before coming up here to avoid disappointment!

Guizhou

Waterfalls, waterfalls, waterfalls 

Spanning 81 metres wide and 74 metres high, the Huangguoshu Waterfall is the biggest waterfall in Asia.  Together with smaller waterfalls, unique and welcoming ethnic minorities in their traditional dresses and the occasional monkey looking for food from the generous (or unaware) tourist, this is definitely a must-see in Guizhou.  Guizhou is supposed to be rainy all year round, but it was actually sunny when we visited, so the waterfall didn’t span as far as it did usually, even so, it was still really magnificent.  What’s really amazing is that you can view and experience the waterfall from different viewing platforms not only across from the waterfall in all directions, including a bird’s eye view and but also behind the waterfall into the Water-Curtain Cave, so be prepared to get wet.

Mosques of Brunei

A day in the life of royalty 

Muslim mosques are found everywhere in Brunei.  One of my favorites is the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque, named after the 28th Sultan of Brunei. The central dome is made of pure gold and sparkles beautifully against the sun’s rays.  The mosque incorporates Italian and Mughal architectural styles and sits in an artificial lagoon with marble bridges leading to the structure.  I especially like the reflection of the mosque in the still water during sunset.  To really see how the royalty lives in Brunei, a trip to the Royal Regalia Musuem is a must.  Everything from the gifts to the king to chariots in the royal parades can be found.  The Jame’asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque is the largest in Brueni, built for the commemoration of the Silver Jubilee of Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah as Sultan. The marble minarets and gold domes of the mosque stand out in the picturesque scenery which is filled with lush greenery and flowers.

Alila Villas Soori

Bali Paradise

If you’re looking for some peace and quiet for your next holiday destination with a luxury eco resort surrounded by beautiful black volcanic sands and lush green rice paddies, Alila Villas Soori in Bali is the idyllic spot.  Located about one and a half hours from Denpasar Airport, this lovely paradise sits on the southwest coast of Bali, away from the hustle and bustle of visitor magnets Kuta and Seminyak.

Arriving on a late afternoon flight from Hong Kong, we were greeted by a friendly escort at the airport and our Alila Villas Soori driver who welcomed us with cold towels and water.  The van was even equipped with insect repellent and sunscreen from Alila Living, a touch of some of the finer details we love so much about Alila.  Whizzing by busy roads, markets, and villages, we drove through the quieter rice fields before pulling up to the resort’s entrance.  Designed with cool grey and natural sand colours, Alila Villas Soori’s architectural style gives off a sense of tranquility that we instantly felt. We were brought cold towels and welcomed with some refreshing facial mist as we admired the glistening reflective pond and were pleasantly surprised with frogs hopping around the steps, just part of the natural fabric the resort blends so well into.  After sipping on a warm cup of lemon ginger tea with honey and lemongrass stirrer, a typical Balinese drink that we’ve started making since we’ve been back, our personal villa host showed us to our Beach Pool Villa which has direct access to the glistening black volcanic sand beach.

Beautifully furnished with Balinese wooden furniture and plenty of candles for a romantic atmosphere, the spacious villa has a set of doors that open directly to the infinity pool which is great for watching sunsets as well as a separate door that leads to a deck area overlooking the crashing waves from the Indian Ocean in the distance.  Each villa is complete with modern luxuries including a Nespresso coffee machine, an Apple TV, his and hers Alila Living products (including some lovely lavender bubble bath perfect for soaking into the villa bathtub), not to mention speedy wi-fi access.

Awakening to the sounds of waves the next morning, we walked along the volcanic sand beach and sauntered around the lush greenery on the property, admiring the natural beauty of papaya and coconut trees along with the recent addition of an organic herb and vegetable garden.  We especially love the moss and tropical greenery along the resort’s stone walls and were greeted with friendly smiles from the resort staff, many of whom come to work from the local Kelating village.   Guests are encouraged to stay active with a 90-minute yoga class in the morning and if you want to practice your mobility skills, venture on a car-free trip in the rice paddies on a Segway, but be sure to practice on the property before taking off!

After some morning exercise and yoga, we were looking forward to a delicious breakfast at Cotta, Alila Villas Soori’s open-air restaurant that serves Western favorites like egg benedicts, muesli and freshly baked croissants as well as traditional Balinese dishes such as Nasi Goreng.  Unlike breakfast at other hotels, breakfast menu items change daily and are made when ordered.  The tapas portions enable guests to try a selection of everything.  One of our favorite desserts at Cotta is the black sticky rice with fresh mangos and coconut ice cream, perfect for any time of the day.  If you feel like having a snack in the afternoon, the Reading Room, which is stocked with magazines and plenty of sofas and outdoor seating, offers a complimentary afternoon tea set beautifully and includes a selection of sandwiches, jams and sweets.  For a lazy afternoon treat, we couldn’t resist a Balinese massage at the spa sanctuary.

Alila Villas Soori doesn’t just blend into the local environment in its physique.  Being a socially responsible neighbour, it provides financial assistance to neighbouring elementary schools for repairs, educational materials and supplies.  It also supports SOS Children’s Village, a harmonious village that helps children who cannot be cared for by their biological families to develop skills and capacities, including cultural traditions such as Balinese music and dance.

Brunei

Kingdom on Borneo 

The kingdom of long-nosed monkeys, lush mangrove and rainforests, and rich oil reserves-this is Brunei.  I visited this laid-back country and was surprised at its lack of developments even though it is one of the richest countries in the world.  This small country on Borneo is well-known for its oil industry, which is largely dominated by Shell.  Crude oil and natural gas production makes up 90% of the country’s GDP.  I was expecting to see highrises with elaborate architecture and design in this rich country, but was surprised at the flat terrain and simple way of living led by those living with Brunei.  It was interesting to learn from locals that the wealth of the country is distributed quite evenly to the citizens.  Did you know that free education extends through to university, even for university abroad?  Citizens also get free medical care and subsidized housing!  But one thing that I found quite annoying was the lack of public transportation and the huge amount of cars in this small country-not surprising with the cheap oil.  However, this was made up by the delicious and affordable Malaysian inspired cuisines found everywhere, at restaurants and especially night markets which is filled street food like nasi katok (rice with spicy gravy and chicken wrapped in paper) and seasonal fruits such as king bananas, durian, and rambutan.  What you won't find is alcohol though in this Muslim country. More on Brunei on my next blog!