holiday with the beckhams

In my line of work, I sometimes have a chance to experience what my clients offer in order for me to able to get a clearer depth of the concept and ideals they are selling. This is especially true with Amankila, an ultra exclusive Aman hideaway built on the hills of Manggis in Eastern Bali, Indonesia.

We stayed here several months ago - on a hilltop villa overlooking the spectacular Lombok Strait...




Tired from the evening journey by plane from our prior holiday in Central Java, we arrived at the Ngurah Rai International Airport but had to be shuttled for around two hours to the resort as the east coast is far from Denpasar. Although it was already 11 pm when we reached the resort, the breathtaking set up got us back into our feet.


With the bathroom bigger than the actual bedroom, we were almost tempted to stay here instead...


Traditional Balinese flavours abound in the villa - four poster beds (was so tempting we dove into it the moment we finished our welcome cocktails), alang alang thatch roofs, ornate wood work and the sweet smell of coconut around!


After that long trip, the tub was our best friend that night...


We started our first adventure in Bali onboard the aman 16th boat which took us on a spectacular tour of the island's east coast...


We hopped from one island to another and did some snorkeling on a spectacular reef. The highlight of the day was the breakfast prepared by our guide when we swam back to the boat. The Aman service is so legendary that they even knew that I was left handed and a vegetarian... they served my spoon to my left all the time!


We went back tot he resort and soon found our way to the Beach Club below where Amankila's private beach lays. Although technically, Bali won't win in the best beaches category (I'll take Boracay anytime!), their culture and their other natural wonders truly make up for it...


East Bali is THE Bali that everyone deserves to know. As the beaches and the lifestyle of Kuta and Jimbaran are now overrun by backpackers, it is hard to define what the real Bali is.

Manggis, the town where Amankila sits is a laid back and culturally-rich heartland. We strolled around Candidasa and took a fantastic tour of a town where all its citizens are not allowed to marry anyone outside of its walls...


For dinner, we dressed up nicely and went to the restaurant where Amankila's signature and often-copied three-level infinity pool is located...


During dinner, we were all strung by candle light and the cool sea breeze was wisping on our faces. There were other guests in there. There was a couple who was dressed in full kimono attire (so cool!) but what caught my wife's attention was this odd couple... the girl, short, but voraciously sexy was wearing a nice little black cocktail dress, but the man she was with was wearing a plain white shirt and a pair of board shorts! Also full of tattoo, he seemed almost out of place from among the crowd as we were all dressed up to the nines for the formal dinner!

We almost forgot about them but right after the dessert, the couple stood up and when we saw them up close as they approached the table, we almost dropped our dessert spoons out of oblivion...

It was David and Victoria Beckham!