Villa Samadhana

Villa Samadhana is the pinnacle of style, service and spaciousness. Set amongst sprawling lawns and exotic tropical gardens, this expansive villa, designed by one of Asia's top architects, combines modern luxury with traditional elegance to create a sophisticated sanctuary perfect for weddings and special events. Located in the sleepy seaside village of Ketewel, on Bali's south-east coast, the property offers stunning ocean views across neighbouring rice fields.  Featuring five luxurious bedrooms, an open-sided living and dining pavilion, restaurant-grade kitchen, entertainment lounge, 25-metre lap pool and a full complement of staff, this palatial villa is sure to impress.

Gede, Villa Samadhana’s manager, has a wealth of information about nearby places of interest and will help arrange transport and make any bookings required. Do also ask other staff about the local area. Invariably some of them will live nearby and will be able to give an interesting insight into some of the fascinating aspects of Bali life.

In the meantime, here is a taste of the many and varied activities on offer within reach of the villa.

1. If you’ve always dreamt of galloping along the beach at sunset, now’s your chance. Saba Bay stables, can arrange horse riding trails along the black sands and crashing waves at nearby Saba Beach, passing bamboo and alang-alang plantations and local temples.
2. You’re just a 20-minute drive from the historical village of Sanur, Bali’s original tourist enclave. Its lovely broad expanse of golden sands sheltered by a reef makes this for the perfect spot for safe swimming. Make the most of the diverse array of water sports available and some excellent eating places along the five-kilometre seafront promenade.
3. Don’t miss a trip up to Bali’s cultural and artistic hub, Ubud, a 25-minute scenic drive. This is the best place to catch traditional Balinese dance performances – especially at the town’s Royal Palace, magically illuminated at night. Ubud has also recently evolved as an upmarket destination, boasting cutting-edge restaurants like Mozaic and world-class spas such as award-winning Como Shambhala.
4. You can purchase plenty of arts, crafts and souvenirs in Ubud, but why not get them at source, at Ubud’s outlying traditional artisan villages? There’s wider options at great value to be found at Celuk, famous for silverware, Batubulan for stone carvings, Mas for wood carvings and Sukawati, for its arts and crafts market – all just 10- to 20-minutes’ drive away.
5. Just off the mainland are the islands of Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida – both famous for their scuba diving and snorkelling, with excellent dive sites and rich marine life. Boat trips from Sanur or Padangbai can easily be arranged. Further along the east coast, Amed and Tulamben offer isolated reefs – the latter, also has shipwreck diving.
6. Bali Safari & Marine Park (7km) offers a fun family day out. Home to hundreds of amazing animals representing more than 50 species, it presents a tram ride through the animal enclosures, a marine aquarium, a theatre, animal educational and entertainment shows, as well as the Fun Zone where visitors can get wet and wild in the Waterpark or embark on a Jungle Cruise.
7. Fashionistas and shop-a-holics should drive over to the west coast – around 45 minutes away – where you’ll find Bali’s most cosmopolitan enclave, Seminyak. Here, indulge in globally-inspired gourmet restaurants, stylish boutiques and hipper-than-thou bars – including the much hyped Ku Dé Ta, on Seminyak beachfront.
8. 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.
   
9. The stretch of beach between Sanur and Ketewel is well known as a surfer’s heaven (especially from November to May, when the winds turn offshore on this side of the island), but beginners should beware of strong, swirling currents. Good breaks can be found at Keramas, Ketewel and Cucukan.
10. Pulau Dive Charters offers luxury boat charters around the beautiful islands and waters surrounding Bali. They specialise in private fishing, surfing and diving charters and also offer unique personalised day trips to Nusa Lembongan. Perfect for a family day out on the water or with a group of friends.
11. 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.
    
    

Indoor Living

• Large open-sided living and dining pavilion with traditional with polished terrazzo floors, high vaulted ceilings with views over the rolling lawns
• A variety of indoor lounging areas and a solid teak dining table seating twelve
• Air-conditioned TV lounge with large flat-screen TV, DVD player and surround –sound system (which also services the lounge and dining area). This room opens onto a timber deck
• Large restaurant-grade kitchen featuring polished granite worktops, commercial stove, wok burner. This is one of the largest kitchens on the island and opens out onto a timber deck area
• Entertainment pavilion on lower level with ocean views featuring, an alang-alang thatched roof and Palimanan stone floor with billiard table, TV, DVD and stereo system, sofa polished concrete bar stools and washroom

Outdoor Living

• 25m infinity swimming pool with spectacular ocean views and features shallow end for children
• Poolside deck with sun loungers and daybeds
• Large stone terrace featuring stone table seating 14 guests
• Stunning landscaped gardens designed by one of Bali’s premier landscape architects featuring manicured lawns, running water features, exotic trees and flowering plants.
• Expansive lawn area which is perfect as both a playing field for children or to hold a wedding or party

Villa Samadhana is located in the sleepy seaside village of Ketewel, 13 kilometres from Sanur along Bali’s south-east coast. Hidden behind coral-limestone walls a few hundred metres from the glistening black shores of Pabean Beach, the villa offers ocean views from the pool area and master bedroom, as well as glimpses of Mount Agung in the distance.

Surrounded by rice fields, tobacco plantations, papaya, banana and coconut groves this is still a very traditional area untouched by tourism, however access to the bypass means it is only a ten-minute drive to Sukawati’s art and craft market, fifteen minutes to the cafés and restaurants of Sanur and 30 minutes to the cultural capital of Ubud.

Ketewel itself is the birthplace of the celebrated Legong Bededari Dance, and the neighbouring village of Saba produced the finest Legong dancers on the island. Pabean was once a small port through which oriental traders brought their products; at low tide you can still see the structure of the old harbour, and a Chinese cemetery is located nearby. Balinese Hindu purification ceremonies are held beside the ocean at the sacred Pura Segara sea temple, and the glistening black sandy stretch of coastline is popular with surfers and beachcombers, but swirling currents and a lack of lifeguards make it unsuitable for swimming.

Places of interest:

• Ngurah Rai Airport (DPS) 27 km
• Pabean Beach 0.1 km
• Sabang Bay Stables 3 km
• Padang Bai 29 km
• Sukawati Art Market 7 km
• Bali Safari & Marine Park 7 km
• Sanur 13 km
• Ubud 17 km
• Seminyak 24 km
• Candidasa 47 km
• Sidemen Village 27 km