The View From the Beach

Simona - Living RoomView Wide, originally uploaded by bhmvillas.

Today is the open house for the launch of the new Simona Oasis & Spa. There are a lot of nice villas on the island, but let me tell you, this place is something else. Built on an island in a rive in Canggu, the place is palatial and absolutely top of the line. A full spa facility is provide for guests, and a wide variety of other amenities. Each bedroom is equipped with stunning baths, iPod docs, LCD TVs and DVD players.

One of the keys to this place, though, is the staff. The property has an experienced and very senior staff with a full time manager and an excellent chef.

With top facilities, excellent service standards and a drop dead setting — Simona Oasis & Spa will be a favorite with the high end crowd and event planners.

The property is marketed by BHM.

Indah Manis Living Room, originally uploaded by bhmvillas.

Villa Indah Manis has a new website as of today. Visit them online to learn more about the villa or to book direct at www.Villa-IndahManis.com.

The villa itself is remarkable — 6 bedrooms, a gym, a spa, a media room, a guest office, two pools and a professional staff with full time manager and chef. Located in Pecatu Hills, the property has views out to the coast and up towards the mainland where you can see the volcanos in the distance.

Located within Indah Manis is the honeymoon suite Bulan Madu — a villa-within-a-villa. Completely private with its own pool, Bulan Madu is a great romantic escape. Check it out — it’s a great example of the “destination villa” comcept.

This villa is managed and marketed by BHM.

Ten Things Every Person Who Wishes to Live In Bali Should Know

1. Learn to love the month of May; the rainy season has gone and the tourists have yet to arrive.
2. There are, seemingly at random, large piles of black sand in the roadway. This makes driving at night….interesting.
3. You must be fairly tolerant of lizard shit.
4. Never ask “why?” — you will only frustrate yourself and others.
5. “Yes” does not always mean what you think it means.
6. Irony is completely out of the question.
7. The black stuff in the Babi Guling is pig blood.
8. The lane markings in the road are strictly advisory.
9. Policemen are not cheaper by the dozen.
10. 128K is broadband.

Street Scene, originally uploaded by rico!.

It’s Nyepi Day — Bali’s Day of Silence. If you’re not familiar with this wonderful tradition, here’s a link to a good little piece in the IHT (though it’s a year or so old).

I’ve also posted some photos of last night’s Ogoh-Ogoh in Seminyak if you wish to have a look.

The Elite Havens Group, one of Bali’s best known brand names, has opened a new sales office in the fashionable Oberoi district. The move comes on the heels of the group opening a new dedicated sales website and signals what appears to be a more aggressive market stance from the luxury market leader.

“We’ve had a great year, but our operation has always suffered a bit from a low profile office,” states Matthew Georgeson, head of Sales at Elite Havens. “We’re more visible in this area and expect both a boost to our brand recognition and to our walk-in traffic.”

The new office, sporting a colonial style and a wide veranda, is located on the same street as competitors Paradise Property, Exotiq, C151, and virtually next door to new-comer Royalty Property. “We’re known as a luxury brand. In line with that the Oberoi office is the largest and most prestigious in the area. We’ve made a real effort to distance ourselves from the competition,” noted Georgeson.

Visit them in Oberoi at 18c Jalan Laksmana or online at www.EliteHavensSales.com