paradise found From left: Cacao House in Green Village; a delicacy from Room 4 Dessert stop by the CRAFT DISTRICT (craftdistrictbali. com) showroom in Kerobokan. Most of the top chefs on the island pick up their distinctly local tableware at GAYA CERAMIC (gayaceramic. com) outside Ubud, or at KEVALA CERAMICS (kevalaceramics.com), with at least three locations on the island. Any expert in textiles has probably heard about THREADS OF LIFE (threadsoflife.com), a gallery and NGO that supports traditional Indonesian batik and ikat weaving commissioned from around 40 different cooperatives all over the country. The newest and possibly only true contemporary art space on the island is ARTBALI (artbali.co.id) — a pioneering new industrial-style art space in Nusa Dua spearheaded by Heri Pemad, the founder of ARTJOG, Indonesia’s flagship contemporary art fair. Currently on display until mid-January is a show of works entitled Speculative Memories showcasing the works of 32 contemporary artists from Indonesia and beyond. It’s possible that you might meet one of the artists at The Dinner Series hosted by ELAMI & CO (elami.co), a local marketing and events initiative, with the help of cultural curator Maya Kerthyasa. The dinners, born of a nostalgia for the intellectual era that existed on Bali in the 20th century when it attracted anthropologists, artists and art students from around the globe, are held in changing locations with a different cultural theme each time. In the past that has meant an open-air meal in the rice fields at the home and studio of an artist and ceramicist and included the exhibition of eco-inflatable sculpture created by the artist and jewellery designer Carina Hardy. Elami & Co also organises retreats that it calls THE CREATIVE REFRESH (thecreativerefresh.com), a bespoke five- to ten-day experience that deeply immerses guests into traditional Balinese culture, from craftmaking to Hindu rituals. Bali, specifically the Ubud area, is a major hub for wellness, attracting some of the world’s most respected yoga and meditation teachers and bodywork therapists. Perhaps two of Bali’s most spectacular spas are both located outside Ubud: The Sacred River Spa at FOUR SEASONS RESORT BALI AT SAYAN (fourseasons.com/sayan) and COMO SHAMBHALA ESTATE (comohotels.com), which boasts an openair spa hidden in one of the world’s most beautifully landscaped jungle gardens. Just the views alone, of endless emerald-green rice terraces, visible from both spas, are as healing as a Balinese massage treatment. ALINA VLASOVA, MARTIN WESTLAKE 54 NetJets
