Things to do

The villa manager is happy to share a wealth of information about nearby places of interest, and will help arrange transport and make any bookings required. Do also ask the staff about the local area to gain interesting insights 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 easy reach of the villa.

  • Shop ’til you drop! In Seminyak and neighboring Kerobokan you can rummage for treasures through cluttered little stores and dark junkshops crammed to the ceiling with curios and ‘made-to-order’ antiques, derive inspiration from classy home ware shops, or wander through huge furniture warehouses. In Jalan Laksmana (Eat Street) you can shop between courses!
  • Boutiques include Paul Ropp, Biasa, Magali Pascal, Anouck, Lily Jean, Bamboo Blond, Dinda Rella, Innuendo, Religion, Body & Soul, Buddha Wear, M. Harcourt, Pura Vida, and Uma & Leopold to name but a few. Kids fashion stores include Kidsagogo and Kiki’s Closet. For art lovers, galleries worth visiting in Seminyak include Randelli Gallery, Biasa and Kendra.
  • It’s possible to walk the grey 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.
  • There are several surf schools in Bali, mainly based in and around Kuta and Legian, where young and old(er) can learn to surf or brush up on their skills.
  • Learn the secrets of Balinese spices and cuisine during a cookery class at Sate Bali Restaurant on Jalan Kayu Aya in Seminyak. At the end of the three hour course sit down to enjoy the fruits of your labors.
  • Make a pilgrimage to sacred Pura Tanah Lot, one of Bali’s biggest tourist magnets. Perched high on a craggy, wave-lashed rock, this ancient sea temple is best savored voured at sunset. Be sure to receive a blessing from the Hindu Priests (and watch out for the monkeys, who are very adept at helping themselves to anything from snacks to sunglasses and even cameras!)
  • If you’ve always dreamed of galloping along a beach or riding through villages bordered by rice fields, now’s your chance. Umalas Stables in Kerobokan or Bali Horse Adventure and Kuda P Stables (both in Pererenan) can arrange horse riding tours, as well as children’s riding lessons and horse-drawn carriage outings.
  • 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.
  • Play a round at the unbelievably scenic Nirwana Bali Golf Course. Bordered by ocean and rice fields and just down from Tanah Lot sea temple, no wonder this championship-standard course (designed by golf legend, Greg Norman) is frequently voted number one in Asia.
  • Get up to some monkey business at Bali Treetop Adventure Park (next to Lake Bratan in central Bali). Five adventure circuits, with heights ranging from two to 20m, challenge all level and ages on suspended bridges, spider nets, Tarzan jumps and 12 flying foxes.
  • In-villa beauty and massage treatments carried out by professional therapists can normally be arranged with ease, but if you’d prefer to visit one of Seminyak’s spas, we recommend; Bodyworks (quality treatments at very reasonable prices – a favourite with Bali’s expats), Callego (a casual massage centre with a small restaurant attached), Chill (super reflexology treatments – great for jetlag), Prana Spa for Ayurvedic treatments.
  • 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 personalized day trips to Nusa Lembongan. Perfect for a family day out on the water or with a group of friends.