Waka Gangga
Bali, Indonesia[view map]
Reviewed by Mr & Mrs Smith.
Mr & Mrs Smith have a trip to this eco-friendly rustic resort in the diary, and just as soon as they've unpacked their sarongs and sunscreen, a full account of their stay in Bali will be with you. In the meantime, just to whet your wanderlust, here's a quick postcard from these glass-wrapped rice-field bungalows…
Waka Gangga isn’t for everyone, but that’s what makes it so special. Some may baulk at the lack of in-room TVs, DVD players, or other five-star creature comforts, but for Mr & Mrs Smith, this southern Bali beach resort is the ideal antidote to urban ennui. Lying back on a wooden sun deck, overlooking the heart-easingly tranquil greenery of the rice fields is the approximate equivalent of an hour-long massage, in terms of the relaxing effect. When a member of staff appears, cocktail in hand, the effect is magnified.
Rooms are round and rustic, hardwood-floored, glass-walled, thatch-roofed and four-poster-bedded, offering minimalist luxury without modern contrivance. Outside, you find a sunken terrazzo tub in which to soak away your woes, with a set of stepping stones leading through pebbles to the curved basin of an outdoor shower. Although you always have the option to ride horses from the locals stables down the beach, trek the rice fields, or visit the nearby Tanah Lot Temple, the easiest – and most rewarding – activity at Waka Gangga is good, old-fashioned relaxation. This is truly the destination for those who want to get away from it all, then move even further away.