Katamama – This newly-opened hotel has been built using over 1.8 million hand-crafted Balinese bricks. It’s a stunning masterpiece with a cool bar, jungle-inspired pool and amazing breakfast offering (think black sticky rice with mango and coconut). Guests also get VIP access to Bali’s famous beach club, Potato Head.
Alila Seminyak – As with all Alila hotels, this property oozes sophistication with clean lines and plenty of natural light. The pool has absolute beach-frontage so you can happily lounge all day to a soundtrack of crashing waves.
Kaum – This restaurant is brand new and has a menu full of never-heard-before authentic Indonesian dishes. Kaum sources its produce ethically and locally, and your taste buds will explode with flavours such as kaffir lime and palm sugar. Lamb satay that comes on it’s own charcoal-smoking plate is a real winner.
Motel Mexicola – The Mexican food is fresh and fast here. The space is a mutli-coloured birdcage-like room with huge booths and a busy bar. There are often live music acts so it’s worth checking out.
Sisterfields – The Aussie café culture has come to Bali and Sisterfields serves up smashed avocado and flat whites which will impress the fussiest hipster. This light, bright space is always buzzing and the menu is full of wholesome and healthy dishes.
Tegenungan Waterfall – This is a popular spot with the local Balinese residents due to its close proximity to Kuta and Denpasar. So if you don’t have time to venture to one of the more secluded waterfalls out of town, Tegenungan is a must see. Despite it’s popularity, it offers visitors a fresh, clean swimming pool under a running fall.
Uluwatu Temple – This is about a two hour drive out of Seminyak and if you don’t have time to stay in Uluwatu on your trip then you should try and visit the temple. Set upon a cliff, the temple is a tranquil spot to learn about Balinese history. Beware of the monkeys; they may look adorable but they love stealing sunglasses! There are plenty of great bars nearby if you want to catch sunset on the beach after.
Bodyworks – This is an institution for the area and you can pretty much walk up for a treatment any time of day (rumours are they can close at midnight some days). A 90-minute massage is great value and the menu offers just about any treatment you could think of.
The Cottage Beauty House – The interior of this hidden spa is jaw-droppingly pretty. Decked out with stone and furnished chicly in white-on-white, this spa is one of the coolest in town. The prices are reasonable and if you’re looking to get glammed up, the beauty salon has a great range of products that are on-trend.
