Good Karma13 August 2010, 22:17:12 - (387 hits) BALI has always been the choice of those in search of inner peace and rejuvenation. There’s a certain calm about the place that makes it perfect for retreats and reflection.
The many yoga, spiritual and spa programmes that can be found on the island attest to the fact.
My own search for an ideal sanctuary where I could reconnect with myself led me to Karma Kandara, a luxurious resort occupying a specta- cular cliff-top high above the Indian Ocean.
This resort on Bali’s southernmost tip, just 20 minutes from Ngurah Rai International Airport, has 46 luxury beach villas that redefine class.
The Mediterranean-styled bridges, stone walkways and little paths that meander through gardens make the place seem like a scene straight out of the movie Mama Mia.
Each villa is set within an enclosure, giving guests ample privacy as they lounge on their deck or enjoy a dip in their private pool.
I spent many quiet hours sunning on the timber deck and frolicking in the pool with a cocktail in hand. The beautiful surroundings and the sound of the waves crashing below made it feel like I was the only living being on Earth.
This sense of seclusion is great for honeymooning couples, but the villas are also suitable for families especially the two- and four-bedroom ones. I love the airy and expansive feel of the Balinese villas with their natural stone finishes and roofs of either alang alang grass or sirap wood tile. The living room is cosy and spacious, and the kitchen is fully-equipped and ready for business.
If you’re feeling wealthy, then by all means indulge in Karma Kandara’s signature Grand Cliff Front Villa. The views here are to die for, what with its panaromic 180° vista of seemingly limitless ocean and blue sky. I’m told a very prominent Malaysian in the aviation industry owns the villa.
Besides the luxurious residences, Karma Kandara has an excellent menu at di Mare, their airy restaurant perched high above a cliff. Dinner here is a lovely affair - you sip on an amazing array of wines while watching the sun set over the horizon.
Temple Lounge, the rooftop bar above the restaurant, and the infinity pool just below the restaurant, are the other strategic locations for admiring Bali’s magnificent sunsets.
For further pampering, you’ll want to check into Karma Spa, which again is spectacularly suspended on rocky outcrops 85m above the Indian Ocean. The spa offers healing Reiki sessions, massages and traditional beauty treatments. Most of the ingredients used here are pure and organic. I love the Himalayan crystal salt pool where you soak in warm saltwater under the stars, listening to the waves crashing below.
Unlike the other Bali resorts, Karma Kandara has its own private beach, which is accessible via an “inclinator”. And it’s no ordinary beach either, having been voted Best Beach in Bali by Hello Bali magazine in December 2008. Here, the Nammos Private Beach Club serves Mediterranean snacks and cocktails - the better to enjoy the white sandy beach with, my dear.
Complimentary snorkeling equipment is available should you feel like it.
Karma Kandara offers a host of novel activities and special events, from sophisticated full moon beach parties to gourmet dinners with carefully selected wine pairings.
This September, Karma Kandara and its sister outlet Karma Jimbaran will welcome two of the UK’s most experienced and highly regarded healers and spiritual guides, Ellie Sand and Mark Charlwood, to conduct a series of workshops and private consultations.
The workshops - The Alchemy Of The Mind, The Journey Of The Soul, and Sacred Space And Soul Rescue - and the counseling sessions will be held over two weeks from Sept 6-17. (Check Karma Kandara’s website for more details.)
More than just another beach resort in Bali, Karma Kandara is a lifestyle - a privileged one.
Special rates for Karma Kandara stays are offered to members of AstuteXperience, a lifestyle membership that allows members access to over 8,000 worldwide hotels and resorts with up to 60% discounts on rack rates and up to 50% discounts on culinary delights. News from thestar.com.my
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