Villa on View.
Your weekly up-close view of those wow factor extras that make our villas outstanding. After all, attention to detail always makes a difference.
Concierge Recommends: Bali’s Best White Sand Beaches
Besides its rich culture and art which sets Bali apart from other island destinations, it is also unique in the variety of beaches it offers. Choose from powdery white sands to rocky cliff-fronts, from unreal volcanic black sand beaches to those with golden champagne hues. With so many options, a single trip can not do Bali justice. But for your next trip to this fascinating island, here’s help.
We’ve decoded Bali’s stunning coastline and put together our Elite Concierge-curated list of the best white sand beaches on the island. Some of these are well known and others hidden secrets that only locals know about. Find your ideal haven on one of these beaches and get ready for a trip to paradise.
Sanur
With its bohemian vibes, Sanur is favoured by the sophisticated set. Owing to an influx of artistic expats who settled here more than half a century ago, the area has a very laid-back feel with a long beachfront promenade. A great beach for families, it allows for swimming and also has some lovely restaurants right on the sand.
Book a luxury villa in Sanur and enjoy swimming at Sanur Beach, with its gentle ocean swell and spectacular sunrise views. End each day with a run along the promenade, coming back to freshly crafted cocktails served by the attentive staff in your villa. Allow yourself to get pampered.
Nusa Dua
The spotless white beach of your dreams lies here, at Nusa Dua. With five-star resorts lining up the coastline, the beach is well maintained and impeccably clean. Enjoy water sports like jet skis and banana boats here, or just walk along the shore, with the waves gently lapping at your feet.
Turquoise water, clean beaches and lack of crowds – Nusa Dua is picture-perfect. The beaches are easily accessible from all our villas at The Bukit , which brings us to the other fabulous beaches in the area.
Jimbaran Beach, The Bukit
From Jimbaran Beach in the north-west to Pandawa towards its southern end and Nusa Dua up along the eastern side, The Bukit Peninsula is a treasure trove of silver sand beaches. Jimbaran Beach is a great expanse, right at the mouth of the peninsula. It is perfect for delicious seafood dinners and photo ops with local fishing boats in the background.
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The Sri Lanka Beach You Have To See To Believe
If we told you there was a secret beach where palm trees reach out for the sea breeze, where you can rest on tree trunks like a sloth, high above the glistening beachfront, where the only footprints in the sand are your own, would you believe such a place exists?
Indeed it does, and we have new photographs and videos from Scandinavian travel bloggers Joey Palmroos and Dora Leskinen to prove it.
They enjoyed an exclusive getaway at Villa Ocean’s Edge in this unbelievable destination outside of Tangalle on the southern shores of Sri Lanka.
This video of their idyllic island escape will leave you longing for your own tropical getaway.
Dora was caressed by waves on the deserted beach.
Seconds before the gentle wave swept over her, Joey captured this remarkable photograph.
Watch their travel story of this Sri Lanka beach paradise.
Learn first-hand how to scale a leaning palm tree for a higher vantage point.
Or just enjoy the view from a more stylish perch.
The luxurious beach house, Villa Ocean’s Edge, is filled with charm and history. Come and enjoy any of our superb Sri Lanka villas.
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Influencer of the Day: Maudy Ayunda
We caught up with Maudy Ayunda, Indonesian singer, songwriter, actress, and activist for education and youth-related initiatives when she stayed at an elite haven recently. Maudy is more than just a celebrity. She has played an ambassador’s role in the fight against modern slavery, by sharing the message relentlessly amongst youth, and was also invited to the Vice Presidential Palace in Jakarta as a representative in 2017. Maudy has made it her life’s purpose to ensure women and men the right to live with freedom and dignity. She was also awarded ‘Best Digital Influencer’ at the BUBU Awards, ‘Most Influential Millennial’ at Style Awards.
We sat down with this trailblazer for an informal chat.
Elite Havens: Hi Maudy, what’s keeping you busy these days?
Maudy Ayunda: I’m actually leaving this weekend for Stanford, and I am just so excited. My studies will officially kick off next week.
EH: Wow! Congratulations on Stanford. Do you have any tips to share on how to get into a top international university?
MA: I don’t know if there is one magic formula. It’s really hard for me to pinpoint what about my application got me in. I think the main thing is to speak your truth in the application, and not pretend to be someone that you are not. And make sure you give yourself enough time to work on the application because it is quite time consuming and shouldn’t be rushed through. I spent an entire month working on my CV, and another three months on my essay, followed by a whole month preparing for the exams. Another tip is to sound off your ideas with a lot of people, especially ask them whether the topic of your essay sounds interesting, let them read your essay and let them tell you if your personality is reflected in your words. That’s really important because you have to come off as your true self, to come off as somebody who’s not putting up an illusion.
EH: What can you share with your fans about your next project?
MA: My next release is in December and it’s called Habibi Ainun 3. It is so, so exciting, I just finished dubbing for it. Not to be narcissistic but the movie’s looking good so far. I can’t wait to see it for myself this December.
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Concierge Recommends: Seminyak
While you are cocooned in luxury, cared for by attentive staff and reveling in your own private pool, decadent restaurants, classy cocktail bars and shopping boutiques are right outside your doorstep. Welcome to chic Seminyak, where you will find the choicest of swinging cafés, designer shops and spas. Relax in your designer villa, and when the itch to go out wins, take a leisurely stroll towards Seminyak’s beaches, stopping on the way for a tropical cocktail at one of the many beach clubs in the area. If you like to be in the thick of action, it doesn’t get more central than this.
We asked our Elite Concierge to pick the best of the best in Seminyak for each category. Here’s the exclusive hand-picked list, with insider tips and information, just for you.
Beach Club
Ku De Ta. This iconic establishment is known world over and it continues to serve sensational food and cocktails in an outstanding beachfront location, walking distance from many of our Seminyak villas. The music is always peppy, and it has an unmistakable vibe of people having a good time. Ku De Ta’s legendary events and parties never fail to disappoint and our guests can take advantage of Ku Cards – an exclusive privilege offered to Elite Havens.
Cocktail Bar
El Nacional. Tucked away discreetly, this all-time favourite bar is accessed by walking through a ramen noodle restaurant. Up a flight of stairs and you’re transported to a Cuban-style rum bar serving sensational cocktails served by mixologists who are truly passionate about their craft. Catch groovy tunes mixed by great DJs and look out for Latin Nights coming up on the calendar very soon.
Coffee Shop or Café
Revolver. Indonesians take their coffee very seriously,
Have Your Dream Wedding in Bali
If you have always dreamed of a destination wedding, look no further than Bali, the Island of the Gods. Picture exchanging vows with your special someone on a clifftop, against the backdrop of the shimmering sea, with the sound of the surf crashing below. Or go barefoot bohemian and declare your love on the beach, with the sand between your toes and the setting sun sending flames across the sky. Or perhaps enveloped by the seclusion of a rural oasis, on the rim of a mountain ravine, surrounded by rice terraces. Sounds unbelievable that so many options could exist on one island, doesn’t it?
Visualise the details – delicately woven palm frond decorations and penjor flags framing the ceremonial space; three-tiered temple parasols and tropical blooms; flaming bamboo torches and candles amidst a garden of colossal foliage; the hypnotic sound of Gamelan music; a lattice of party lights strung like pearls illuminating the darkening sky. And amid that enchanting setting, imagine being in the arms of your partner, dancing together for the first time as husband and wife.
If you want a magical Balinese wedding, the first step is to pick the ideal villa as the venue. Once you have your perfect elite haven, the rest is easy from thereon. Here’s a glimpse of some of our favourite wedding villas in Bali. Which one would you pick for your special day?
Noku Beach House
Noku Beach House is considered to be the glamorous queen of Seminyak’s beachfront. Its chic all-white aura and lavish living spaces make it a favourite with youngsters, and those with a taste for the finer things in life. If you have an eye for design, you will absolutely love the avant-garde art pieces that dot this celebrity-style villa.
Made for the stylish set favouring outdoor living, Noku has a cosy entertaining bale, a great spot for sunset-watching, as well as decks and lawned gardens stretching alongside the sparkling 27-metre pool. Its fabulous beachfront location makes for an idyllic wedding venue, with rooftop gardens overlooking the ocean and covered terraces offering spaces for smaller set-ups.
The lush lawns are large enough to accommodate 150 people for a formal wedding breakfast, lunch or dinner.
A beautiful wedding ceremony can be held at the beachfront deck, right in front of the ocean,
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