| The long winding country road from Seminyak | | | | Flags of pray form Tibet spread the wish to the |
| offered picturesque views of infinity rice-field | | | | world by the wind breeze. Decoration of each |
| gently sloping down to the beach. Close to the | | | | bedroom pavilions was a proper blend of luxurious |
| horizon was the soaring wall of Uluwatu cliff at | | | | comfort without creating distance to the nature, |
| the South peninsula. The combination of golden | | | | with wide openings and private garden terraces. |
| paddy closing to harvest time and the azure of | | | | All en-suited bathrooms were open to the sky, in |
| the Indian Ocean behind is nothing less than | | | | a small garden covered by terrace perimeters. |
| magnificent. Tourists might find it appealing, but I | | | | Two of the bedroom pavilions were set as villas |
| have been seeing these views almost everyday | | | | within a villa. Hidden behind its own gate, these |
| for the last five years. I needed something | | | | pavilions enjoyed their own private swimming pool |
| different to get impressed. Before long enough, I | | | | and garden gazebo. You can choose the one at |
| turned right entering a serene farmers' traditional | | | | the top of the estate, or the one at the bottom |
| Balinese village of Tibubeneng. Each modest house | | | | closer to the river. Just the matter of distance to |
| built from traditional material like bamboo-sheet | | | | either the entrance gate at the top or living |
| and wooden frame, has its own shrine, where | | | | pavilion closer the river really, both enjoys superb |
| people put offerings to the Gods. Hiding behind the | | | | views. Even from the one at the top your views |
| village I found a small thumb with the villa name, | | | | would not be bothered by other buildings. As a |
| the only mark I found of its existence. There are | | | | sanctuary to separate yourself from the rest of |
| no buildings, no soaring walls, no security post, | | | | the world, it made sense that Dan do not put TV |
| nothing. Unlike many other villas soaring up to the | | | | in all bedrooms or provide wireless internet |
| sky compared to their surrounding, Sukhavati | | | | connection across the estate. However, for those |
| Retreat appeared as humble as the rest of the | | | | who still want to keep connected or just couldn't |
| village. Driving along narrow shady path I finally | | | | live without modern entertainment, there were |
| got to a small lobby hidden under shading trees | | | | huge plasma TV with international channels at the |
| and lush shrubs. Dan, the young Australian owner, | | | | living pavilion and a computer with internet |
| and a few of his staffs greeted with their smile. | | | | connection at the lobby. Well, Dan, now I |
| So, no doubt, I haven't been lost. "But where is | | | | understand why you got that glorious title for the |
| the villa?" was the first question glanced in my | | | | villa. Sukhavati Retreat was not a holiday |
| mind. Dan must have been seeing my expression | | | | accommodation, at least not to my eyes. It was |
| a hundred times, and with a grin on his face he | | | | not a place for you to sleep at nights for |
| said "Hold your breath!" before leading us to the | | | | exploring all the beaches Bali has to offer during |
| inner entrance. Stunned at what I saw, I was | | | | the daylights. It was a place to cleanse your mind |
| completely speechless for a while. I guess my | | | | and soul by temporarily separating yourself from |
| mouth was wide open with a long wow. It was | | | | the bustling world by being closer to the nature |
| really hard to find the right word to tell you what | | | | and the holy spirits commanding the universe. Not |
| I saw and the first impression I got. Within the | | | | only mind and soul, but body as well. The kitchen |
| lush tropical forest steeping down to the river, | | | | was staffed with professional chef to cater your |
| scattered the separated pavilions in traditional | | | | culinary experience with healthy organic |
| thatched roof, partly hidden under shady large | | | | ingredients. The villa also provided some high |
| trees. On the other side of the river the forest | | | | quality mountain-bike so you can either hike or |
| hiked up creating an image of a soaring green wall | | | | bike the natural countryside around the villa, and |
| separating us from the bustling world outside. As | | | | experience the real traditional Balinese living. It's |
| far as my eyes could reach, there were no other | | | | time to hike the steps up, back to the real world |
| buildings of any kind around. Dan explained that | | | | now. Among shortening breath when hiking up the |
| for the sake of environment, in addition to the | | | | steps Dan explained that in addition to in-house |
| two hectares built as the villa and its perimeters, | | | | security he employed, he also maintained very |
| he bought eight hectares along the river as a | | | | close relationship with the neighboring villages. |
| buffer. It is really a complete solitude to dissolve | | | | People have accepted the villa as a part of their |
| ourselves with the mother-nature and temporarily | | | | family, making them willing to voluntarily took care |
| forget the world behind. Hundred steps led us | | | | of the villa and its guests. I believed after a week |
| down to the centre of the estate, the main | | | | or so in Sukhavati Retreat, I would have come |
| swimming pool. Each bedrooms and functions | | | | back to the real world as a different person, with |
| were housed in separated building, mainly to | | | | different way of seeing the world around me. |
| conserve the land topography. In addition to the | | | | Unfortunately I did not have that much of money |
| six separated bedroom pavilions, it has kitchen | | | | to buy that luxury. It was mainly for discerning |
| and communal area with comfortable lounge and | | | | clientele I had, those successful wealthy people |
| dining tables. The last pavilion caught my attention | | | | who care about the health of their body, mind, |
| more than the others, it was the meditation | | | | and soul. While you can rent the villa by room, |
| pavilion. Separated with more distance from the | | | | you are encouraged to rent it as a whole. If you |
| rest, this open pavilion can comfortably | | | | are traveling in a small group which needs less |
| accommodated yoga for 20. Wide lawn with | | | | than six bedrooms, you still can block the whole |
| soaring shady trees going down to the river | | | | estate with an extra surcharge. |
| allowed us to completely cleanse our busy mind. | | | | |