The Island Explorer

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If you have been reading my blog, you would have noticed my love affair with the hotel group, W. This hotel chain fits me perfectly. I love its flair for design, its whenever, whatever service and of course, its style. I've been to the W in Bali before but I have never stayed here. So, in this trip, I decided to book one night before we head back home to Manila.

The title says it all and I am struggling to write this post as I see the pictures once again. Perched high above the dramatic cliffs of Uluwatu, the Alila Villas soars in every aspect of a resort experience.

I like staying in Seminyak because it has more sophistication than rowdy Kuta. And a host of the  best restaurants in Bali can be found in this area, particularly in the Seminyak-Kerobokan circuit. One of my favorite dining spots serves up an interesting fusion of Asian and Western food - Sardine.

I don't know how I do it, but I guess I seem to have a lucky charm with hotels and resorts. Just by looking at a picture and analyzing its review, I can really tell if it would meet my high standards. For my latest trip to Bali, I was looking for a new villa to stay in. While skimming through Agoda, I found a decent looking one priced at only USD 120 - with a private pool. 

In every trip I take, I always make sure I visit a high calibre restaurant, whether it be one of the top restaurants in the region or a Michelin starred one. For this trip to Bali, I finally secured seats to the elusive Mozaic. 

As you know, I visit Bali every year. Let's say it's a pilgrimage I make already. Bali is one of my favorite spots in the world, even though it doesn't have great beaches such as ours. And when in Bali, I always take the trip up to Ubud, that quaint highlands town known for its art and culture.

The last time I was in Bali, I stayed in Ulu Villas, thinking it was just a resort. I was shocked that it was a private compound, with only 4 rooms, all villa style. This was almost 5 years ago, and it was my first time to stay in a villa. This time, I made sure we stayed in a villa again. Bali is perhaps the birthplace of the villa concept, and thus, Bali has several options. I have been searching the net for cheap but nice villas, but I wasn't able to book one until the night before we left for Bali. The only one available was Pyaar, an Indian inspired villa in a compound called 4@Drupadi. The compound was located in Seminyak, the upscale neighborhood of Bali. I initially wanted a modern Balinese villa, but I couldn't find any. And besides, I couldn't find a price that could match the one I got. Imagine, $200 a night for a 3-bedroom villa. And the pictures from the net didn't look bad. So, I went for it, and told my agent to make the booking. Imagine my expression whe...

On my last trip to Bali, I was not able to go to Ubud, the premier highlands town of the island, around an hour's drive from Kuta. Ubud is the supposed center of arts and culture of Bali, luring artists, writers and other creative minds. To us Filipinos, Ubud will look like Tagaytay, sans the beautiful Taal Volcano. It has the same atmosphere, cool and pleasant weather, and lush vegetation that stems from the mountainous backdrop. Ubud has attracted a lot of designers from local to international ones, thus, making it a great place to visit some fabulous design hotels and restaurants. We only had 3 hours to spend here though, as we intended to just have lunch in a hillside Indonesian restaurant. Ubud has more Western visitors than Asian visitors and I could see why. Ubud is a mountain village, painted with green rice fields, cascading waterfalls and gushing rivers and creeks. It can be any of the millions of rice plantations we have in the Philippines. What makes Ubud so special is ...

Kuta is the heart of Bali, where most of the action happens. The long and wide Kuta Beach has inspired artists, stoked surfers and attracted beach bums from all over the world I have never swam in Kuta Beach, because I don't find it that clean. Since it is a huge public beach, there are a lot of people here, and sometimes, the litter find themselves on the shoreline. The water isn't as clear as well. The Philippines has way better looking beaches. Kuta is a seaside town, and a very vibrant one for that matter. It has several shopping areas, such as the Kuta Square, a strip of international brands and local stores as well. The Matahari Department Store is also located here. Several hotels line up the beach road fronting Kuta Beach. Here, one can find the first Hard Rock Hotel in Asia. Since Kuta is a busy and congested area, most of the hotels here are not ultra luxurious. There is a wide range of accommodations to choose from, from cheap beach inns to high-end mega resorts, to...