Desa Seni

Your arrival to the extraordinarily peaceful Desa Seni is heralded by the beat of a giant gong. Meant as a welcome, the sound also serves to signal a retreat from reality: next, enter an ethereally pretty garden of wildflowers, winding stepping stones lined with Balinese fringed parasols – at night-time, illuminated by colourful lamps – and a sea-green saltwater swimming pool. The accommodation is comprised of a dozen traditional Indonesian wooden structures, dotted around the site amidst thick jungle and the rolling vegetable patches that generate 80% of the produce for the fantastically good on-site organic restaurant. The rustic villas have eclectic but considered interiors, filled with colourful handmade fabrics and dark, antique furniture imported from across the country. Guests can take advantage of the free daily yoga, taken in an open-air pavilion and highly regarded amongst yogis living in Cangguu – although if the way you prefer to relax is altogether more horizontal, its Merapu Svaaasthya spa programme offers a mixture of Balinese, Traditional Chinese, and Western treatments in a serene setting.