THE DAMAI | BALI, A REVIEW BY OM & AWAY

The Location

There are thousands of Balinese resorts, but only one of this kind in Bali.This boutique luxury resort is perched all the way in Lovina, North of Bali. It is a three hour drive from the airport. A quaint little spot, 10 min drive away from Lovina Beach. This beach is renown for Dolphin watching. Set in the luscious tropical jungle, its a tad cooler than the beaches down south.

The Villas

I experienced my stay at the pool suite. The resort designer chose Modern Balinese, with dark wood floors and wooden panels adorning the walls. The suite is very spacious, with an outdoor shower. The pool and the courtyard are well placed behind lush greenery, ensuring complete privacy. Frangipani trees frame the view looking onto the expansive ocean.

Included with the stay, are yoga classes on Friday and Sunday mornings. The whole property is very peaceful. As there are only 15 rooms, you will get the zen away from the buzz at the beaches. Its a perfect hideout for families and couples.

I’ve also heard from a reliable source that the garden rooms will soon be renovated into pool villas, so that each room will have a pool on its own! It would be the best choice to stay when visiting Lovina for sure.

The Food

There are many options to choose from at The Damai Restaurant. I thought I’d have a different breakfast this morning. I opted for the Japanese breakfast as it worked with my gluten-free diet. It was an amazing meal! I would have to say that this was the best Japanese meal i’ve had in Bali. It made my stomach really happy. The Mari-mari fish that came on charcoal, was so succulent and fresh.

The Spa

The Damai Spa is an al-fresco spa set on a little green hill, over looking the valley below. I had the Bali Boreh treatment. It was a 120-min spa treatment with a Balinese massage, a scrub and a foot reflexology. After my body was kneaded like bread dough, the therapist scrubbed me gently with a ginger scrub mix. She let it dry on my body like a mask. I could feel the heat in the mix creating warmth over my body. After five minutes, she returned to do reflexology on my feet. I was the invited to take a shower in the garden and soak in the flower bath. Here is where the surprise comes, but I shall not let the cat out of the bag. You would have to do this treatment to find out what it is! I was so moved when I saw it, my tears almost came out. It was so heartwarming! While sipping on ginger tea under the stars and the moonlight, I concluded that the Bali Boreh treatment at The Damai Spa is a must-try spa for everyone visiting Lovina.

The Beach

There are resort shuttles to Lovina Beach. Many would come to this beach to go Dolphin spotting. We went on a Dolphin tour in a little boat at the break of dawn, and boy were there many dolphins! I got so excited when I saw the first three dolphins, their skin gleaming in the morning sun. Within a few minutes, there was another sighting. This time a smaller group of two, but just next to our boat. They were so close, i’m sure they could hear us talking! We were really in for a treat. We saw at least 20 dolphin sightings, some in groups of 6-8, some just in pairs. There was also one dolphin that did a triple flip in the air! But alas, my camera fingers were too slow to capture that. However, these precious moments are captured forever in my heart.

The beach however, is rather sleepy. Many shops peddling local ware dot the beachfront, but don’t expect great shopping. There was a cafe that I absolutely adore though, it is The Funky Place. If you are looking to groove to some funk music, while you play beer pong, this is the place to go! They even have a funky spa.

All in all, Lovina was a lovely place to visit if you have the time to travel three hours to. And if you do, the only resort worth your while staying in is The Damai.

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Love,
Charlyn