Des Indes II
Des Indes Villa II enjoys a peaceful location within the elite Laksmana Estate, moments from Petitenget Beach and Seminyak’s most celebrated restaurants and bars including Potato Head, La Lucciola and Ku De Ta. Named after Holland’s legendary Hotel Des Indes, this luxury, fully staffed pool villa offers guests a modern take on Asian heritage chic. Its two pavilions, living area, five bedrooms and Italian marble bathrooms are decorated with antiques, colonial-style furniture, oriental rugs and Asian artefacts and artefacts. Contemporary touches include top-range mattresses and cotton bedding, TVs with satellite channels, and Italian marble bathrooms with branded toiletries, monsoon shower and statement bathtub.
Des Indes Villas’ manager has a wealth of information about nearby places of interest and will help arrange transport and make any bookings required. Chat to the staff too; many have been attached to the villa for some time and are a great source of insider information. In the meantime, here’s a taste of the many and varied activities on offer within reach of the villa.
- Fashionistas, trendies and shop-a-holics should hot-foot it down to Seminyak, Bali’s most cosmopolitan enclave. Here, you can indulge for hours in the glut of stylish, chic boutiques. There is a wide choice of fine dining, mid range, and cheap ‘n cheerful restaurants in Seminyak too: fine dining venues include Sarong, the famous Ku Dé Ta, Mama San, La Lucciola, Petitenget, Merah Putih, Sardine and Métis.
- It’s possible to walk the sands of Seminyak’s Petitenget Beach all the way to Kuta in the south, or north to Canggu. The beach is more popular with locals than tourists (not safe for swimming in most sections), but is a great spot for building sandcastles or to watch the sunset as you sip a cocktail from one of the many beachside bars.
- A nice sunset alternative is to head down to Echo Beach (9km) where a number of cafes offer good sunset views and cold beer. Note that the beach here is dark sand and the waters are better suited to surfing, having a pronounced swell and rip, rather than children’s swimming. Hotel Tugu, a very stylish and eclectic boutique hotel a few minutes further down the coast is also a good sunset spot, or try Old Man's – a more casual café across the road for alfresco all day dining
- Des Indes I is close to the famous temple at Tanah Lot (18 km), although in peak season a few too many tourists may transform a sunset visit into more of a heaving photo opportunity than a moving experience. Visiting early in the morning (8-9am) provides a better idea of the power of the location and the chance to see it undisturbed apart from perhaps an offering ceremony.
- Drive westwards to explore the charming Tabanan regency, revealing terraced rice fields of emerald green, volcanic mountains and black-sand beaches dotted with fishing communities. Or head north to explore the volcanic lakes near the mountain town of Bedugul, including Lake Bratan with its photogenic and stunningly positioned Pura Ulun Danu – one of Bali’s most important temples.
- The most exclusive Bali trekking tour promises breath-taking vistas and heart-warming encounters while supporting sustainable social change in the once-forgotten villages of Muntigunung. Elite Havens is a proud partner of Muntigunung Community Social Enterprise.
- Bali Treetop Adventure Park is near the town of Bedugal in northern central Bali (next to Lake Bratan). Five adventure circuits, with heights ranging from two to 20 metres, challenge all level and ages on suspended bridges, spider nets, Tarzan jumps and 12 flying foxes.
- Covering 3.8 hectares of tropical parkland in Kuta, Waterbom Bali has 16 water slides (including The Climax with its 360 degree loop) to entertain the young and the young at heart. A great family day out, but go early to beat the crowds.
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