Spirited Away

In the wilderness of Ubud, one writer found the best hideaway to slow down for a well-deserved break

- Caroline Suganda

I ’ve been to Bali countless times for the food, the beach, the sunset and the people. I could tell you much about its neighbourhoods and provinces, from the southern tip of Uluwatu and Jimbaran and northwards to Seminyak and Canggu. Except Ubud. That cultural town is uncharted territory for me because I’ve always seen it as dull and uneventful. A live band or traditional dance act are largely what constitutes nightlife here, and everything ends before midnight. It’s as if the town is running on a different time zone, a much earlier one. But as it turns out, this is where I came to find myself appreciating a slower pace of life (very apt considering this took place just before the circuit breaker was instituted), and enjoying a well-deserved break for the body and mind.

Smooth traffic from the airport to Ubud brought me to Aman’s Amandari in less than two hours. The first thing you notice is that the buzzing of motorbikes has traded its place with the more idyllic sounds of whistling winds and singing birds.

Amandari is modelled after a traditional Balinese village. If you haven’t been to one, typically it is anchored by a wantilan (village square) and surrounded by freestanding houses. In this case, the former is the main lobby, and the latter, a collection of 32 suites, bar, pool, restaurant, gym and spa — all set against an endless, sweeping view of the lush jungle and rice terraces overlooking the Ayung valley.