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Amen to Amari
Amanusa is sibling to Amankila, and like those siblings who are alike but different at the same time, there is a completely distinct identity possessed by the latter. Amanusa bears a more "New Bali" tag and is located right smack in the middle of a tourist area that houses other hotels and resorts. "New Bali"? This means it has a more modern character than Amankila, which Regional Manager Morty Brown says is more Old Bali, being up in the mountains, and Amandari which focuses more on culture with all the temples surrounding it. One thing I noticed immediately as I got to the room was that there was a TV, though I could easily forget about it by just keeping its cabinet closed. The speaker system was integrated into the room so regardless of whether I was listening to a CD, watching a VCD/DVD or checking out the news on cable, the whole room was filled with the sound. Good thing the speakers had a nice reverb to them. Internet? This is an Aman resort and so it was free wireless connection all the way. Not just a hop and skip away This being Bali, everyone expects everything to be connected to a beach and in this regard, Amanusa is no exception. There was one difference though: I couldn't just pop out of my room and walk out into the beach. I had to ask for a ride to get there, and there were numerous vehicles provided so I never really had to wait long. The short ride was always worth it though. I went through a very well kept golf course (more on that later) and when I got to the beach, I was rewarded by the sight of one of the most pristine and gorgeous strips of white sand around. There were a lot of sun loungers and huts ready for around two occupants. There's the sun block, of course, and some facial mist spray. Towels and, here's a good touch -- a jar of water with a dipper made from a coconut shell so that I needn't climb into the cushions with a lot of sand. Yes, you can eat there and food preparation is done very close by so you needn't worry about having to go all the way back to the hotel to fulfill your mid-beach cravings. You can get a really full breakfast there and, as you sit for the hour-long wait before you can go into the water, you can catch a few zzzzs. Just take note of what that does to a diet. If you don't fancy eating in bed, there's a table and a set of chairs right next to the hut. When you're ready to lounge in the sun, just go to the pair of deck chairs that's in front of your hut. Simple. No fighting with someone else over whose chair is whose. I noticed these two flags next to the first hut and thought that was just there for show until I was told that the umbul umbul is said to symbolize and wish for happiness. Not a bad idea to have it here, don't you think? The waves can pack a really big wallop and if you're the type of person who doesn't like swimming in deep water, better be a little cautious. From the Amanusa stretch of beach, there's a little drop before you reach the water and these waves can be quite mean. You don't just wade in and splash the water because the water splashes right back. Maybe "push back" is a better term. Mean waves and mean fun. But that's just during high tide. When low tide kicks in, it's really low and you can literally walk a good distance into the sea and still end up in just waist-deep water. One very Amanusa thing, reportedly happening around up to twelve a month, is a beach wedding. Fortune smiled and I was caught right smack in the middle of one. The couple were so welcoming and no wild hysterics to the tune of "Who's this guy taking pictures of us?!" The number of pink umbul umbul lining the "aisle" for the wedding was stunning. Oh, here's a secret though: Remember the little drop I mentioned from the Amanusa beach before you get to the water itself? That serves a really nifty purpose here. In the afternoons, many people, locals and foreigners alike play in the beach and all of them would've been seen in the photos if not for that drop. They're all there frolicking in the setting sun and there's this couple getting married in a very solemn, traditional Balinese way. How's that for amazing? One good thing the Amanusa people have been able to do is maintain a very good relationship with the locals so that no misunderstanding need take place. The vendors service the hotel guests by offering them their wares but only from a distance until they are called to come closer. Nothing wrecks a good, quiet vacation more than a pesky vendor. What about the place itself? There's more to the room than a television set, fortunately. The bed is so luxurious you really don't want to get up. After I went to the beach to take photos of the sunrise, had breakfast there and then came back to my suite, I fell asleep and wound up missing lunch. It's one of those moments where you can't really decide what you want more -- a big lunch or a restful sleep. In my case, slumber won out. The suite is so well equipped that you can easily be tempted to just stay there throughout the whole of your vacation. You can walk out to a magnificent pool that's all yours and take your pick of two deck chairs right there next to your pool, complete with the sun block and facial mist. The pool's not really that deep since there obviously can't be a lifeguard stationed at any of the suites with pools. Besides, if you want a pool, chances are you know how to use it. Here's a nice touch: There are jets of water coming out near the steps that bring you more deeply into the pool. Think of the whole arrangement as a Jacuzzi on steroids. This worked well for me. I never really saw the logic of being forced to move to another body of water to get your jet stream after you've spent some time in the pool. There seems to be a fascination with bathing incorporated into the design philosophy of the suite. There're at least three main ways to bathe here. You get the tub with a very good view of a small private pond that covers the entire width of the room, there's the usual shower and, if you're up to it and enjoy a little outdoor fun, there's another shower right outside the usual, more traditional shower. You're still assured of some privacy and only a person inside the suite itself can see anyone showering there. The whole suite itself is walled by a lot of glass so you always have a greater sense of space. Traditional blinds are easily brought down to shut everything out. There's a gazebo in every suite so, if you have a suite like mine that's a bit perched up high, you get a good view of your surroundings and you can watch the sun set on the other side of the island as you wile the day away. You really want a big pool and don't fancy the idea of being stuck in a room? Go to the main pool where you can get the feeling of being part of something immense. The architecture accentuates the whole experience of having a big gorgeous pool surrounded by such a massive piece of artistic masonry. Massage the Balinese way This is Bali and it seems like the right thing to do to try the Balinese massage. The masseuse (Sunya is supposed to be the best) made sure I had a good amount of privacy as I put on my birthday suit and lay face down on the massage table. I'm really not one to have massages often so this was special. It's kind of awkward to let your guard down this way but that's the only way to really enjoy somebody hovering over your body to make sure that all that stress is kneaded away. It was quite relaxing. There is no hard pressure bearing down on any part of the body at any point, and with the way the masseuse's hands moved, you really do get the feeling that you're being massaged by waves. With your eyes closed, you can imagine yourself on the beach with the waves running up to your shoulders and then moving down to your legs. The food? I wanted my first dinner in Amanusa to be a bit of an experiment. Singapore, where I'm based, serves a mean Rendang. Very spicy and nigh irresistible. Since there was Rendang in the menu, I ordered that to see what differences there were. Here's the low down: It's not as spicy as its Singaporean counterpart but is spicy in its own way. The beef is lighter and more tender. It's very tasty and flavorful and great with rice. Dinner the second night was another experiment. It really struck me as odd that there was an Italian restaurant in a place like this. There was no dress code though the place is easily a fine dining restaurant. Wearing shorts from the beach? Come right in! The main course, Osso Buco alla Milanese, slow braised veal shank with saffron risotto and preserved lemon gremolata was stunning. The risotto had a very rich cheese taste owing to some parmesan. The rice itself is enough to make you happy but the choice cut veal was very tender. The coffee flavor of the tiramisu I had for dessert always has this effect of clearing the palate for me and served to wake me up the from rather heavy veal. My last meal was composed of Gado-gado, Chicken Satay, Pork Curry, Marinated Fish in Banana Leaf, Vegetable crackers and Dried Tempe, my favorite bean cake. Topping everything was coconut ice cream with fruits. The whole combo caps almost perfectly this Indonesian sojourn of mine. What am I not telling you? I'm not a golfer you see and one thing Amanusa is known for is golf. There are people who stay for more than a month just to play golf. What so special about playing the game here? It's really like having the whole course to yourself. You hardly bump into anyone while you play and, as one driver explained it to me, the family feeling that the staff have amongst themselves and share with the guests is really part of what makes this a special place. Of course it's not easy to leave. I don't know about other people but even without the golf, Amanusa is right up there in places that I do wanna visit again and hopefully, this time, much longer than three days. Morty Brown talks about guests taking home the "Wow" factor. Yeah, I do think I'm taking home a lot of that. |
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