halfwhiteboy

The island of Bali in Indonesia is often regarded as a must-visit place as it is dismissed by some as a tourist trap. My personal experience, thankfully, is on the positive side. Yes, its beaches may not be of the pristine, powdery, white-sand type but Bali has its charms, most notable of which is the fact that despite the tourism boom it has enjoyed through the years, it has never lost its identity. Prayer has always been a constant in Bali. Here an old man prepares his offerings at a restaurant along Jimbaran Beach. Predominantly practicing Hinduism, the Balinese people are generally nice and warm. I don't know if religion has anything to do with it but they seem to be a peace-loving lot. Well, it's Eat, Pray, Love country after all. Amid all the grandiose resorts and commercial establishments that have continually sprung up across the island, their traditions are never lost. In Bali it is not uncommon to see these cute little square baskets made of leaves containin...

In the posh resort area of Nusa Dua in Bali, not all hotels are on a beachfront property and such was the case with our second hotel while in the island, Mantra Nusa Dua . Not to worry, however, since these hotels have special access to a nice little patch of cream-colored sand called Geger Beach . Yeah, life's a bitch. I mean, beach. A five-minute ride from Mantra, Geger Beach is several meters from the main road bound by the gargantuan resort The Mulia on one side and the exclusive St Regis on the other. In between are a few residential homes, concession stands, and other structures.

( Update, Nov. 23, 2014 : I just learned that the hotel is no longer part of the Mantra chain. It's now called Puri Nusa Dua .) My view every morning at breakfast. The thing with staying at newly opened hotels is that, well, everything is brand new, much like our experience at Hotel Icon in Hong Kong back in 2011. You're almost always sure you don't have to worry about dated furniture, icky bathtubs, or poorly-maintained facilities in general. Just recently we got to try another new hotel, in Bali this time. And this new kid on the block is Mantra Nusa Dua , the Australian hotel chain's latest addition to its family, which is just around four months old. Here's a rundown about our experience.

It's where Balinese locals readily tell you to go to catch the sunset and enjoy fresh seafood. Jimbaran Beach is a ridiculously long stretch of cream-colored sand located on the southern tip of the island of Bali, Indonesia. It's just a short 15 to 20-minute ride from Alindra Villa where we were holed up for one night and which provided complimentary shuttle service to this spot. Apart from a good view of the setting sun, they also promised fresh seafood. Well, this was what My Bibe and I had: As fresh as they can get! The restaurant and the food A strip of about 24 different restaurants line up the beach, all of which have a small area for unloading passengers, a wet market-like section where you choose your fresh catch for cooking, an adjacent grilling section, an indoor restaurant, and of course, an outdoor area by the beach where everyone basically is. I mean, who stays indoors when there's a gorgeous sunset outside?

After showing you the ethnic villas at Alindra Villa , I'm taking you to this property's other two compounds: the Terracotta compound housing their more modern rooms and suites, and the back compound where the swanky pool villas are found. The Terracotta compound open grounds. The Terracotta Compound As with the front compound, this area has an open lawn at the center. We were told that this space is also used as a venue for parties and other events. Surrounding it is a two-story building where the Terracotta rooms and suites are located. There's a restaurant on the ground floor but which, unfortunately, we haven't checked out. There are also an open-air terrace and two lounge areas upstairs for guests.

In my recent review of Alindra Villa , I basically gushed about how beautiful and relaxing this place is in the lovely island of Bali, Indonesia. There I mentioned that the property is zoned into three distinct areas: the front compound where their ethnic villas stand, the Terracotta compound housing their more modern rooms and suites, and the back compound where their three modern pool villas are. I took a ton of photos but I couldn't use them all in my review, which in itself is already brimming with pictures. So I thought of dedicating two separate posts to show you their different accommodation options. This first one is all about their ethnic villas. The front compound where Alindra's four ethnic villas stand. Alindra Villa is the brainchild of an Indonesian architect and painter who has a profound love for antiques and traditional architecture. Employing his vast collection of antique wooden Indonesian homes, he reinterpreted these traditional abodes and fitted ...

The showstopper ceiling of our joglo-style villa. Surely I can just lay in bed and stare at that exquisite ceiling, marvel at the amount of detail that went into that beautiful centerpiece. I feel fortunate to have stayed in this villa with My Bibe recently, even if it was for just one night. Needless to say, I am in love with the place and I know that I run the risk of turning this review into a gushing writeup. But here goes... Welcome to Alindra Villa in Bali, Indonesia!