BEFORE SUNSET

A lot has been said about the sparkling blue curves of Jimbaran Bay or the magnificent laps one can do in Sundara's 57-metre beachfront infinity pool.

- EVE TEDJA

The hypnotic sound of waves lapping on the beach at the tranquil bay is sufficient to heal the blues, but add good food and tasty tipples into the equation and one immediately understands why Sundara is known as the island's favourite dining, drinking and all-day relaxation destination.

Weaving the island's age-old craftsmanship with vernacular materials, the 2,500-square-metre establishment delicately frames the bay. Whether one seats at its air-conditioned bar or at the dining room on the second floor, the sea is always visible for one's viewing pleasure. Tactility pervades the interior, from the wood and rattan armchair to the carved white paras stone wall. Graceful is a word that one rarely uses to describe a beach club but the word easily applies to Sundara or "beautiful" in Sanskrit.

Sous-chef I Wayan Angga Umaniasa

SMOKED TO PERFECTION

The beauty extends to cooking and mixology. Sundara recently relaunched its dinner concept with a high-end barbecue menu where every dish has a roasted, grilled or smoked element in it. Deriving its inspiration from Jimbaran's iconic beach barbecue and the abundance of fresh seafood produce next door at the village market, the new menu utilises the Kopa Smoke Oven to great extent. The highly coveted invention is fuelled by coffee wood which allows chefs to precisely control smoke and temperature, resulting in seductively balanced meats, seafood and plant-based dishes.

Maluku Old-Fashioned