When we arrived in Bali, and later in Lombok, we realised that even though their very names conjure up pictures of paradise, there is even more than the world’s most beautiful beaches and luscious landscapes to these wonderful islands. The unceasing friendliness and good cheer of the locals really lifts the spirits; there is a joie de vivre that is infectious, relaxed and genuine.
Our first destination was the Tugu Bali, a cluster of wooden thatched-roof buildings nestled among tropical foliage, each of them with decking and a terrace decorated with colourful fabrics, antique bowls and statues. It was enchanting. Our Dedari Suite was right over a lagoon with rushes growing up through the jade waters and had a huge mahogany four-poster bed as well as hand-crafted wooden furniture. Antique pictures, carved wooden grilles, statues and artefacts were everywhere; we discovered that the owner had the largest collection of antiques in Indonesia, and the purpose the hotels was to house them and share them with the world. One amazing feature of our suite was that we could roll out of bed, straight past the plunge pool outside our door and onto the beach.
The staff were ever cheerful and attentive, the spa massage was one of the most relaxing and invigorating we had ever experienced, and the restaurants’ food was simply exquisite, with so many different menus and locations it was impossible to sample them all, including Oriental, Sumatran and Balinese. Our highlight was an incredibly romantic dinner on the beach in the moonlight, with just a gentle breeze and the sound of the waves for company.
We then moved on to the Tugu Lombok, with a transfer arranged by the hotel – and we weren’t disappointed. Here our accommodation in the Aloon Garden Villa was just as beautiful as in Bali, with the fabulous white-sand beach only a few steps away through the garden. The pools were huge and the beach beyond gave us some of the best snorkelling in the world. One of the lovely things about our joint paradise was that in Bali we enjoyed the most spectacular sunsets over the sea to accompany an evening glass of wine, whereas in Lombok the sunrise greeted us every morning as we took breakfast in our garden.
Which was our favourite? That was the glory of our paradise – we didn’t have to choose, we had it all!