When you arrive at a resort, you don’t usually expect a sacred welcome blessing. But at the Ubud Hanging Gardens in Bali, this gesture of honour and warmth is our introduction into a mystical, sensual, and tranquil place. Hadi, the head of staff, gracefully places his palms together as two young Balinese girls in golden-threaded sarongs present us with ceremonial weavings. I breathe in the cleansing rainforest air and am instantly relaxed.
A five-star resort, Ubud Hanging Gardens sits snugly on a hillside amongst coconut trees and dense tropical foliage. The 38 air-conditioned villas blend into the landscape and hang over the Ayung River in three levels: Valley View, Riverside, and Panoramic. The villas are connected to the resort’s amenities by an ornate gliding tram that travels smooth as silk up and down the cliffside.

Our villa is Riverside with the gentle sounds of the Ayung rising up from below. Fresh papaya juice, snake fruit, and cool, lavender-scented towels greet us. Later, we snuggle into our king-sized bed, silken mosquito netting drapes around us, lending an exotic ambience to our evening. Nary a mosquito in sight, it seems the draping is more for romance than for keeping the bugs away.

Beyond a sliding door is the balé, an outdoor covered living space with lounging and seating areas. To our delight, a private, 29° infinity pool awaits and we waste no time plunging in, sans-suits. After our dip, we lay back and dry off on lounge chairs, absorbing the warm sun and peacefulness.

If, for some reason, you want to spend some time away from your villa, the resort has much to offer. Pluck a book off the shelf and spend a few hours in the well-stocked open-air reading room. For an invigorating swim, two large infinity pools perch over the hillside. I hug the side of the pool after a lap and feel like I’m floating above the valley, above steeply-terraced rice paddies and the river below. The daily activities roster includes yoga, botanical walks, Balinese cooking and painting lessons. You can also book daytrips to Ubud’s town centre and other destinations around the island. One activity you cannot miss is the “Secret Adventure” for couples. It’s a private, spiritual and culturally rich outing that is only revealed as you experience it.

The Ayung Spa is a place to fill your senses and relax. We chose traditional Balinese massages, which incorporate swedish, shiatsu, and acupressure-style techniques and is centuries old. All treatments use south east asian ingredients such as lemongrass oil, sandalwood, ginger and chocolate.

During the afternoon, we dine at the Diatas Pohon Café which serves light fare exploring Indonesian flavours like lemongrass, chili, and ginger. It also serves up a taste of Bali’s traditional handicrafts; as we eat, three young men deftly weave green-yellow coconut leaves into lovely creations as they chat and joke with each other. One boy presents me with his creation, a woven purse.

Under a dusky sky, our senses enjoy locally farmed haute cuisine while our spirits are stirred by the dramatically lit Pura Penataran Dalem Segara temple across the valley. French executive Chef Renaud LeRasle accentuates his French fare with the spice-filled, multilayered flavours of Bali. Our meal begins with a silky Kabocha squash soup finished with Balinese long pepper and a refreshing salmon mousse served like mini ice-cream cones. So fun to eat! Tender, Balinese beer-marinated beef cheeks and local king prawns excite our palates.

The next day, our itinerary takes us to the coast for a stay at Ubud Hanging Garden’s sister resort Jimbaran Puri Bali. With a casual beach feel, the Jimbaran Puri Bali resort exchanges the greenness of Ubud Hanging Gardens for white sand and turquoise ocean.

Located in subdued Jimbaran Bay, it is a luxurious sanctuary from the party and surf areas of nearby Kuta. Each of the 41 air-conditioned, Balinese-style cottages features indoor and outdoor sitting areas and a walled garden.

After a light lunch of seared tuna nicoise and huahine salads, we kick off our sandals and stop at our lounge chairs just long enough to abandon our towels. Then we run full speed to play in the waves. In the distance, silhouetted fishing boats slowly make their way inland after a day’s work.

The resort’s Beach Spa offers Ayurvedic treatments to centre the spirit and pamper the body. During our outdoor, side-by-side Balinese massages, the soft ocean soundscape lulls us into another world.

Sunset in Jimbaran Bay is a surreal display of neon pinks and oranges. We sit at our beach table, savouring our seafood caught just metres away, enjoying each other. Ever so faintly, we can hear a ceremony from a nearby temple and the soothing slip-slap of waves. But at this moment here in Bali, we are all that exist in the world.

If You Go:

• Jimbaran Puri and Ubud Hanging Gardens offer several honeymoon packages including one that allows you to experience both resorts back to back. Both are part of the Orient-Express Hotels, Trains & Cruises collection of experiences. Jimbaran Puri is conveniently located 20 minutes from the Denpasar airport.
• Rates at Ubud Hanging Gardens start at $207 USD/night in low season and $305 USD/night in high season for a Riverside villa. www.ubudhanginggardens.com
• Rates at Jimbaran Puri start at $200 USD/night in low season and $408 USD/night in high season. www.jimbaranpuribali.com
• Flights from Vancouver to Bali are offered through Cathay Pacific and Japan Airlines.
• You may require tourist visas. Check with the Indonesian Consulate in Vancouver. 1630 Alberni Street, Vancouver, BC V6G 1A6; 604 682-8855, www.indonesiavancouver.com It is possible to acquire your visa at the Bali airport when you arrive but it is often a lengthy wait in line.
• High season is generally August-December. Low (rainy) season is typically January-April.

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