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Destination Spotlight: Bali, Indonesia
In the posh lounges and international kitchens of Bali, kayumanggi lived a hedonist's dream. She's no stranger to the world's natural luxuries, either, as her other journals covering Samal Island and Bali's Candi Dasa attest to.
There comes a time in your life when you need to shrug off the comfortable and drench yourself in something new and unexpected. That's why I decided to forego Boracay Island and instead spend 2 weeks in southern Bali.
I stayed in Bali's Seminyak area simply because I wanted to avoid bars filled with jocks in neon trunks sipping on Cyclones (Bali's version of a Long Island Iced Tea.) Being the upwardly mobile young woman that I am, I instead naturally gravitated to where others like me were hanging out: Ku De Ta.
Set against the crashing waves of the Indian Ocean, where intricately tattooed surfers with polished bods mingle with fashionistas, Ku De Ta creates the kind of dizzying, atmospheric spell that's only possible when so many attractive people are all in one room. Each night I found myself sinking deeper and deeper into Ku De Ta's plush lounge chairs, sometimes pondering the meaning of life, but mostly just staring off into space for hours, lulled by the DJ spinning his latest Café del Mar concoction.
Even going to the bathroom was an experience here. The hallways are adorned in local artwork, and terry-cloth towels await after you wash your hands in the pristine sinks. Through the oak bathroom walls, you can overhear conversations in German, Australian, and yes, even in Tagalog. All of a sudden, you're part of a global community—and this is just the bathroom. This was precisely the reason why I and so many others kept returning to Ku De Ta and the other posh haunts sprinkled down Jalan Oberoi (aka “Eat Street”) and Jalan Raya Seminyak.
One afternoon at Ku De Ta, I sat and wondered what it would have been like to visit Bali 20 years ago, when there was no trace of the modern fanfare that so defines the chic beach scene of Seminyak today. But before I got too pensive on my lounge chair, a waitress asked if I wanted another drink. I politely declined, but before she left she tilted her head towards the ocean, where the sun, in its orange ball of glory, was slowly setting in the horizon; now this is why I came to Bali. Like so many people streaming past the arrival gates at Ngurah Rai International Airport, I was determined to enjoy Bali's every sight and sound with all of my senses.
For as long as the sun rises and falls, I'll keep coming back to Seminyak and Ku De Ta. There's nothing like being a part of this global community's temporal indulgence, even if only 2 weeks.
