Archive for November 2016

Legian is perhaps the most sought beachfront town in all of Bali by renowned resorts and hotels thanks to its strategic west facing location - you get the perfect Bali sunset over the ocean.

On this street you will find everything you need in a holiday, good resorts and hotels of all price range, great beaches, wide array of restaurants, bars and nightclubs and an art and fashion market nearby.

Most of the Legian hotels are close to the beach (no surprise there), and the most popular stretch of the beach is the Padma Beach (at the end of Jalan Padma), which made the resort I was staying in, Padma Resort Legian, the best high-end resort geographically in the area.

I was staying in the new deluxe chalet room, which came with its own front lawn and spacious toilet (no tub :( update: I was notified that the new design either came with bathtub and shower or just shower only). In-room wifi internet access was speedy, which was a huge plus; and I was told the wifi access was available across the resort which I didn't test out. The price of the room was priced from USD220 a night (at the time of writing Agoda was offering the room at RM650).

It's a big resort on a 6.8 hectare garden landscape with 5 swimming pools in the compound, including a family pool and an adult-only pool. It also came with a fitness centre which sadly I didn't get to utilise as I was only staying there for a night. I did enjoy that the resort was situated right outside a street filled with shops and tourist-friendly restaurants. I managed to get a taste of my first Japanese rolls on the trip in a fusion restaurant across the street. Convenience stores, shopping street, beaches were all within steps from the entrance of the resort.

What surprised me the most was the buffet breakfast the next day. Variety was one thing, the quality of the food was amazing. Despite the crowd (and it was crowded update: I was told it's during peak season and most of the guests were Australians), a table was arranged fairly quickly and there's a type of food for every type of eater out there. From gluten-free, to dairy-free, to the clean eaters to all-out-sin. I had the best butterscotch banana condiments to my pancakes in my life on this breakfast spread. And then I had seconds. It was divine.

The ups:
Good wifi access in-room. Family-friendly resort. Good facilities and 5 pools to choose from, you can view Legian sunset over at the infinity pool in front of the beach with a beer in hand from the pool bar. The room was pleasantly quiet, I suspected it's furnished with good sound-proofing walls, I managed to get much needed peaceful sleep throughout the night. Service was attentive and speedy and on ground staff was helpful to my requests. Love the location of the resort, within reach to everything you need or want in a short bali trip: shopping, food, beach. Great great breakfast.

The downs:
It can get crowded during both shoulder and peak season. You will not be able to find a quiet space in any of the 5 available pools on the resorts. And if you do no like the sounds of screaming or laughing children, this resort is not for you. Both infinity pool and adult pool have an unpleasant view of the street filled with tourists and coconut trees in front of the beach so sunset view will not be an unobstructed one (check photo below).

The neutrals:
It is not beachfront. Depending on what you are looking for, this can be a major or not-so-major factor in your resort hunting in Bali. There are ample parking space should you want to rent a car but uber is abundance and affordable in the area.

Verdict:
If you're looking for a quick trip to Bali wanting to taste a little bit of everything, this is the perfect resort. It offers comfort, convenience, food, shopping and quick walk to the beach. It doesn't offer great scenery but it's what expected in a high touristy area. If you're on a honeymoon and want peace and quiet throughout your stay outside of your hotel room with amazing scenery, then I suggest you check out Padma Ubud in the north.