Escape from Sydney to one of NSW's relaxing rural retreats.
When you first enter the gates of Karma Kandara, the hustle and bustle of Bali is firmly left behind. This all-villa resort is as much about relaxation as it is fun and where good food and wine goes hand-in-hand with massages, snorkelling, cooking classes and a vista across the ocean rarely seen in Bali.
Several hundred metres down the cliffs on an inclinator is the Karma Beach Bali bar, where you can sip on Margaritas at the bar, enjoy a glass of wine on a day bed, or go snorkeling off the beach. Karma Beach regularly hosts international DJs and given it’s a good hour from Seminyak, it keeps away a lot of the craziness Bali is known for. Down here, there’s Mediterranean-influenced Indonesian fare, including several daily fresh seafood dishes, and a wine list that’s not overpriced.
Back up the inclinator at di Mare restaurant, expect views over the pool and out to the ocean, while eating Pan-Asian Mediterranean cuisine from breakfast through to dinner. Afterwards and for sunset, head to the North African-inspired Temple Lounge on the rooftop of di Mare Restaurant, where a decent whisky list is on offer.
On the opposite clifftop across the bridge above the gully is the Karma Spa, where treatments are to be had on the edge of the cliff while overlooking the Indian Ocean. Book the Himalayan oil warm stone massage or the muscle-melt reflexology.
One of the best aspects of this resort, however, is the villas on offer that range from one to five bedrooms and come complete with private gardens, plunge pools, daybeds, fully appointed Smeg kitchens and enormous living spaces.
Should you wish to leave the resort, book a private speedboat to a deserted beach for a picnic or head down to the Jimbaran Bay markets with the chef at the crack of dawn and come back for a Balinese feast.
Get there
Jetstar flies direct to Bali with the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Upgrade to Business Class and you can expect an impressive full service offering gourmet cuisine, top-quality wines, Qantas Premium Economy-style seats and widescreen seatback entertainment. You’ll also get a complimentary amenity kit with an eye mask, toothbrush, toothpaste, socks and cosmetics, plus blankets and pillows, plus a more generous checked-allowance of 30kg and two cabin bags of up to 14kg all up.
