Local Information Bukit Peninsula - The southern Peninsula is know as Bukit. Bukit means hill in Indonesia, but was know to the Dutch as Taffelhoek, meaning Table Point. Once a reserve for royal hunting parties and a place of banishment for undersirables. The Bukit peninsula was sparsely inhabited, its only significant site was Pura Luhur Uluwatu the spectacular sea temple at the south west tip of the peninsula.

Bingin Beach Bingin, this beach totes a very natural and quiet atmosphere, with few people. The white sandy beaches are complimented with spectacular cliffs and a ever so blue ocean. Low tide bears the reef, forming tidal pools, while at high tide the beach is almost consumed by the sea. Experienced surfers love to come here as the waves are near perfect and often form pristine tubes. The ocean is perfect for swimming and snorkeling as the waves break on a reef about fifty to one hundred meters from the shoreline.

Background Information

The region of Bali in which the Villa is situated is called Pecatu - a small part of land that is connected to the mainland only by the long stretching beaches of Jimbaran. This is the most southerly part of Bali, and the waves are rated as some of the best on hand in Indonesia, and the world. Uluwatu, Bingin Reef, Dreamland and Pedang-Pedang are the most well known, and when the swells hit the surf can get up to 15 feet and still perfect for those who are game. If the sky's are clear, from the balcony of the villa you can have a perfect view of the distant Gunung Agung volcano over the horizon. Very magical and serene, it appears to hover above the water like an optical illusion.

Some other attractions in the area are the Uluwatu Temple - an ancient and very sacred temple where Legong dancing and Gamelon music are still performed as part of their ceremonies and also for tourists every Saturday night. The environment is very spiritual and the people are more than happy to have tourists observe these traditions as long as they are dressed appropriately and act respectfully. Monkeys can also be found at the temple and are a great opportunity for photos - please be mindful that they are still wild animals and can bite if they feel threatened.

Another day trip well worth doing from the villa is fifteen minutes drive back towards town to the Griya Alam Pecatu Golf Course and Villas in the making. This was a previously bankrupted Suharto project which has now been re-designed to become Bali's latest International Golf Course with dramatic views over Dreamland beach, and amazing statues and scenery. After a quick drive around the new development, go across the road to the Swell Bar (look out for the large concrete wave at the roadside) and restaurant for a drink and a bite to eat. We highly recommend this as a great place for meals and live music and drinks at night.

A little further down and another great day trip opportunity is the GWK - Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park. One of Bali's latest and greatest cultural wonders, it is an amazing stone park filled with some of the largest statues and sheer rock walls you are likely to see. After the Bali bombings in 2002, this park held a large memoriam concert for those who perished from around the world, and thousands of people packed into the amphitheatre created at the park by the large stone walls to hear the music spectacular. Live acts including the Australian super band INXS played to an emotional crowd. Monthly, they still hold dance parties and shows at the park, but by day it is just as amazing as a tourist attraction. The carvings are huge and beautiful, and you can spend all day here gazing out from the park to the ocean with wonder and amazement.

Jimbaran Bay is the place to meet for dining with friends at night. Only a 20 minute drive from the villa, Jimbaran Bay has hundreds of restaurants perched right out onto the sand with the waves crashing close by make for a wonderful romantic effect. The atmosphere is electric with fishmongers calling to you to come to their restaurants - fresh seafood galore, and besides a little bit of smoke sometimes stinging your eyes, this is a wonderful place to eat some of the best seafood cooked in traditional barbequed style.