If it all sounds like a clever conspiracy designed to captivate, to lure and to induce romance — it is and it does.
Balinese culture and traditions have long cast its spell on weary souls in search of an earthly paradise. European artists who settled in Bali gave the world a slice of life of this island, piercing through its exotic and mystical allure. Not long after, tourists followed in their trail — many became settlers inspired by the beauty and the culture of Bali. Soon, traditional arts were fused with modern forms, giving a whole new twist to Balinese style.
In similar fashion, the Four Seasons took its design cues from Balinese culture and traditions incorporating five-star comforts to create a resort that is truly idyllic and unforgettable.
A visit to Bali is, above all, a sensual experience. At the Four Seasons, it begins when you drive through the resort. Winding paths are lined with a profusion of plants, shrubs and flowering trees — 200 species of dazzling shapes, colors and forms. If you are energetic enough to walk around the grounds set on 35 acres of steep slope, you may come across some of the Hindu shrines built by local craftsmen and oriented by a village sage.
The views are equally stunning. As the resort rises to 147 feet above sea level, it affords unobstructed views across Jimbaran Bay to Mt. Agung — the spiritual center of Bali.
Way down the sloping terrain is a stretch of fine, sandy beach. Past the Four Seasons property, hawkers ply their wares — colorful batiks, sarongs, t-shirts, local fare and fresh fruit juices. Some may offer you a Balinese massage in an open-air hut, others may invite you to sample their newly-opened food stall. As you walk down the beach, you quickly realize that Jimbaran Bay is really a sleepy fishing village enlivened by the presence of three luxury hotels. There are few or no distractions here–just a place to unwind, and to indulge in some sensory delights.
Somehow even idyllic spots seem less ideal without a loved one. Somehow it’s hard to think of Bali without thinking of a romantic interlude. Where so much beauty thrives, romantic possibilities are endless.
The Four Seasons has perfected the art of romance — Balinese-style villas with private plunge pools, meandering paths leading to secluded gardens, secret coves on the beach and rejuvenating spa treatments for couples. If romance doesn’t blossom in such a setting, it never will.
If you have just four nights to go anywhere with a special someone — this is the place. Even when you arrive late at night, a romantic aura pervades the Four Seasons. The darkness of night is broken only by subtle lighting, heightens the sense of mystery. In your private villa, separate thatched and roof pavilions for sleeping, living and dining feature fine Indonesian furnishings. A basket of native orchids, homemade chocolates and a selection of local fruits are welcome delights after a near seven-hour flight from Manila.
There is nary a sound around save for water spouting from a carved poolside fountain. The rhythmic sounds and the cool, gentle breeze lulls you into a state of sheer bliss.
Bali is magical at any time of day or night but perhaps more so at daybreak. Sunlight streams gently into your dwellings. A light fog hangs over the horizon. At a distance, you may even catch a faint glimpse of Mount Agung.
It’s hard to tear yourself away from your villa, a little Balinese home perched on a hillside landscape with stunning views to the sea. So you linger over a hearty Indonesian breakfast of Nasi Goreng, fresh tangerine juice and Balinese coffee. You feel blessed to be able to share all this with a loved one — one who shares your thoughts, your feelings and appreciation of all that life has to offer. Then you remind yourselves that the day beckons and so much more awaits.
When you leave your secluded paradise, a much larger paradise unfolds. The gardens of the Four Seasons are truly a work of love and a work of art. Made Wijaya, the resort’s landscape architect, is a foremost authority on tropical gardens with some 400 gardens to his credit and a career that spans 25 years.
In creating Balinese gardens, Made Wijaya has been guided by this principle. "One starts with the premise that every piece of land has a spirit", he wrote, "and by ‘peopling’ the space with plants and ideas, one must create absolute beauty in order to placate the spirits."
What pleases Bali’s pantheon of god and goddess can certainly enchant mere mortals. The tropical wonderland that is the Four Seasons bursts with bougainvilleas Hibiscus, ginger flowers, ferns, frangipanis and hundreds of other species that warm the heart and lift the spirits.
Should visual stimulants leave you hankering for a total sensory experience, stop at the Four Seasons Spa. This haven of peace and tranquility is set in an environment of natural stone, lush greenery and bright-colored furnishings. The spa treatments are made purely of local botanicals and deliver what they promise. For a real lovers’ treat, indulge in the Lulur Jimbaran, a traditional Javanese beauty ritual. The treatment begins with a relaxing Balinese massage, followed by a light body scrub of granular tumeric, sandalwood, rice powder and ginger root. Your newly-polished skin is then rubbed with fresh yogurt before you step into a bath infused with flowers. You and your loved one emerge from the bath completely refreshed, rejuvenated and fragranced for the evening. Need I say more?
As night falls, the dining options at the resort are tempting enough to make you want to stay in. Why head to Kuta, Legian or Ubud when you can enjoy a candlelit dinner in the privacy of your villa? Why not sample ‘Warung Mie’ the resort’s colonial style noodle house set in an exotic garden? If you have the time, you should try to do both.
Waring Mie evokes the feeling of old colonial Asia. The restaurant appears to float around a water garden and is reached through stepping stones set within a pond. In the main dining area, a Javanese communal dining table seats 22 guests who can watch chefs prepare dishes in the open kitchen and noodle bar. For a more intimate ambiance, smaller tables are situated at the edge of the water. Warung Mie offers traditional noodle dishes from all over Asia. The mie goreng and laksa, spicy noodle dishes from Malaysia and Singapore, are notable as is the sweet, iced Balinese coffee.
One of the highlights of a romantic holiday is the candlelit dinner served at your villa. The three-course meal comes with a choice of wines. Your very own waiter is at hand to serve the meal but will leave you alone between courses to ensure privacy. The dinner itself consists of continental fare — a salad of field greens in a light citrus dressing, grilled lobster tail on a bed of pasta drizzled with a light lemon butter sauce. A heart-shaped chocolate truffle cake makes a fitting finale to this romantic dinner.
More memorable than the delicious meal is the setting. Your personal waiter arrives at the villa to set the ambience. Candles surrounded by red flowers line the plunge pool. The dining table is dressed in a fine white cotton cloth. The centerpiece, a bouquet of tuberose flowers, bears a white candle wrapped in a banana leaf. Just before you sit down to dinner you’ll notice that the place glows, just as you yourself feel an inner glow. The air is rife with romance — but don’t blame it on Four Seasons. They just took the best of Bali and brought the magic to you. When you finally leave the place reluctantly, you’ll be hard pressed to tell where the Balinese experience ends and the Four Seasons experience begins.