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Villa Semarapura
Villa Semarapura overlooks a magical sea temple crowning a dramatic outcrop of black volcanic rock on Bali’s south-west coast. Boasting breath-taking ocean views just beyond its vast rolling lawns, this beautifully designed villa features five luxurious bedroom suites, formal living and dining pavilions, a media room and poolside pavilion with sunken bar, and 20-metre swimming pool. The charming staff work hard to deliver a unique and memorable experience, from serving up succulent seafood feasts and mixing exotic cocktails at the bar, to arranging spa treatments in the massage bale and guiding guests on rice-field walks.
Villa Semarapura’s manager has a wealth of information about nearby places of interest and will assist with trip arrangements and bookings . Do also ask the staff about the local area too; many live nearby and will be able to share interesting insights into some of the fascinating aspects of traditional Bali life, as well as act as guides to the locale.
In the meantime, here is a taste of the many and varied activities on offer within reach of the villa.
- On special festival days, devout Balinese Hindus wearing ceremonial dress converge on Pura Gede Luhur Batungaus, an important rocky offshore sea temple to perform cleansing rituals beside the ocean.
- Dramatically perched on a craggy outcrop, the highly venerated sea temple of Tanah Lot may resemble Piccadilly Circus late afternoon, but watching the sun slip behind the ancient silhouette and scoring a blessing from a Hindu priest makes it all worthwhile.
- Merica at Pan Pacific Tanah Lot showcases contemporary Indonesian and Southeast Asian classics overlooking the Indian Ocean, golf course or sea temple. There is a special children’s menu, and Merica also prides itself in using fresh resort-grown produce such as rice, eggplants, cherry tomatoes, corn, chilli, papaya and basil.
- Tanah Lot Gastro Deli at Pan Pacific Nirwana Resort, a European-styled deli overlooking the golf course, offers the choice of air-conditioned comfort or spacious outdoor patio or lawn seating during the daytime. Enjoy freshly made sandwiches, organic salads and specialty coffees for lunch, and indulge in a variety of international tapas and a great selection of wine for dinner.
- Head to Bali Island Horse and ATV at Yeh Gangga (near Tanah Lot) for beach rides and the opportunity to swim with the horses.
- Pick up hand-decorated pottery at Tanteri Ceramics, a family business with shop and gallery supporting local artisans in the village of Pejatan, Tabanan.
- At Krambitan, a branch of the Tabanan royal family owns the atmospheric 17th-century Puri Anyar (New Palace) and Puri Agung (Great Palace), both with beautiful architecture and ambiance of the past.
- At 850 metres (2,700ft) above sea level, Jatiluwih (which means extraordinary or truly marvellous) offers one of the most breath-taking panoramic views imaginable, with rice terraces stretching all the way to southern Bali. Padi Bali (indigenous Balinese rice) with long graceful stalks is grown at this UNESCO World Heritage Site, dedicated to the preservation of traditional Balinese farming techniques.
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