And everywhere you turn, Bali peeks through, not least the lily ponds, the profusion of sacred frangipani, and the resort’s collection of over 300 palinggih, or Hindu shrines, scattered throughout, including one dating to the 15th century.
Water splashes everywhere. It can get really hot on this coast, which makes the villa plunge pool less of an amenity and more of a survival tool. From the water, you can watch the silent silhouettes of aircraft trace arcs over the bay – close enough to see, far enough that you hear absolutely nothing. Sundara, the beachfront restaurant commanding the island’s longest beachfront pool, sends you off with Indonesian archipelago cooking over five courses, and the sunset over Jimbaran Bay is the sort that makes you briefly reconsider every life decision that led you to check in somewhere else.
Then, the river.
Two hundred steps descend from Bongkasa to the valley floor, where the Ayung tumbles melodically over rocks and river plants. The raft is red, the helmets are yellow, and your two guides have the focused good humour of people who do this every day and still find your thrilled shouts on first contact with a churning Class II rapid quietly amusing.
