Ubud, on the Indonesian island of Bali, is magical. Though Ubud isn’t shy of luxury resorts, making the most of the magic, flora and fauna is Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve.
At the confluence of where Bali’s longest river, the Ayung River, meets the jungle, Mandapa has every essence of Bali in one place. With 35 suites, 25 private pool villas, four dining concepts and an award-winning spa, it is a sanctuary.
The best views of the entire resort and its expanse aren’t from a pool villa, but from the balconies of the suites on the hill overlooking the jungles. Though if you’re a private pool villa person, the villas offer views of tropical greenery with the serene sounds of gushing water from the river. The Reserve Suite offers the best of the resort with rainforest and paddy field views from the daybed in the balcony. The suite’s amazing bathtub, given its prime location in the bathroom, makes a good spot for IG photos.
The spa at Mandapa offers various activities for the body and soul. Begin the day with meditation, yoga or exercises in the heated vitality pool… all against the sounds of the Ayung River. Throughout the day, there are (complimentary) classes that involve Mandala painting, sound healing and other traditional Balinese healing workshops. Of course, one doesn’t exit the spa without a signature Balinese massage that adds to the entire experience.
Mandapa takes body and soul rejuvenation seriously, and a lot of thought has been put into the culinary offerings at the resort. Begin the day with breakfast at Sawah Terrace, which offers hilltop views of the river and the flora surrounding it. What better way to start the day?!
One of the best things about Indonesian cuisine is the variety of sambals and at breakfast expect no less than four or five on offer. Believe me when I tell you that they go with everything! Breakfast is a huge buffet spread with live stations of everything one could possibly want and need. Though there is also an a la carte menu offering special plates of deliciousness. Think Jimbaran lobster omelette, Egg white frittata, Tofu scramble and the must-order Soybean curd. Sawah Terrace also offers a lunch and dinner buffet.
However, the best thing after a mid-morning workshop is to hang out by the serene pool that overlooks the rice paddies and makes the best social media pictures. A leisurely lunch of Indonesian delights at The Pool Bar adds to the experience. From the island of Bali comes the absolutely delicious Lawar klungah, which is green coconut shell salad, bumbu genep, shallots and ginger. Try the Udang karang bakar, which is char-grilled Balinese-style rock lobster, sambal merah basting and wild ferns in a colo-colo sauce. Though I also highly recommend the Rendang pipe sapi, which is Sumatran-style rendang of slow-cooked beef cheek in coconut, tamarind-scented rendang curry and cassava leaf. There is one dish that I will always order if on the menu and that is the Javanese Sop buntut or braised oxtail soup, baby shallot, chilli, herbs, chayote and nutmeg.
The best place to watch the sun go down behind the forest and hills is at Ambar, perched on one of the bar stools, drink in hand. Ambar, which translates to "sky" in Sanskrit, offers a relaxed setting to wile away the evening with some of the island's best-handcrafted cocktails by Bali-born mixologist Aryadi Saptura. Adi, as he is affectionately called, uses Indonesian herbs and spices to create cocktails inspired by traditional medicines in “The Botanist Sketchbook”. “All plants have healing properties and I combine plants in precise ways to create drinks that are (but don't taste) like herbal medicines,” says Adi. Try the Sambal Kecicang or the Monkey’s Guava and you will not be disappointed. Accompanying the drinks is Japanese fusion gastronomy and live jazz music. Evenings in paradise rarely get better than this.
For a bit of a zero-waste fine dining experience, head to Kubu, where dishes are inspired by nature, from root to leaf. Under the helm of chef Eka Sunarya, Kubu celebrates Bali's untamed flavours through place-based community sourcing. All ingredients are sourced within 100km and chef Sunarya's 10-course degustation menu reinvents classic techniques, with each dish telling a story of Bali's diverse ecosystems. Even the beverage pairing offers a choice of “island pairing”, where all the beverages are sourced within Bali. If you pay attention to the lush landscape, you’ll find many edible plants and herbs that are all over the resort and you may just see the chefs pop out of the kitchens to grab a few herbs for your lunch.
The kids club or Mandapa Camp is always worth a mention, if simply for its architecture. Dotting the landscape among the rice paddies is this huge bamboo structure that looks like a sting ray. The club is free of technology and focuses on nature walks, planting herbs and outdoor games.
Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve makes the best of what nature has to offer. At this Ubud wellness resort framed by verdant rice paddies and rolling hills, it is a sanctuary that one needs to get away from it all.
