December 2017

For an authentic Balinese experience, North Bali is where it’s at! And for those looking to get into nature, do some snorkeling, or just lay by the pool in peace with no hawkers, Pemuteran is a fantastic place to be. This was our 3rd time to Pemuteran, but first time in Lisette’s villa. Lisette’s villa sits on a stunning property at the end of a long local road. For those with kids, renting bikes or scooters would be recommended as the walk in the heat can be challenging for young kids. Two families shared this villa comfortably, with all 3 kids in one room and each couple in a separate bedroom. The upstairs bedroom is enclosed mainly in glass with great views but it was quite tiny, which was fine for us. Also of note, there are only bathrooms on the main floor. The downstairs bedrooms were very spacious and there was ample storage. We were treated to much wildlife include many birds, frogs in the ponds surrounding the house, lizards, and tokay. Of course, with outdoor living comes bugs, so do expect some. Dogs and chickens and cows were omnipresent on the road getting to the villa, and while walking, we did have many dogs bark at us, but none seemed threatening. It was a delight to wake up to the roosters crowing and beautiful bird songs. The kids spent hours in the gorgeous pool, and we loved lounging on the veranda, staring at the mountains and enjoying meals in the al fresco dining area. Putu was a great help to us, as he checked in most days and even walked us all the way to the beach one day. He also arranged a wonderful snorkeling trip to Menjangan Island for us (a must!). Also be sure to get to the Bio Rock for wonderful snorkeling right off the beach where they are working to save and encourage coral growth. Renting snorkel gear is ridiculously cheap and can be done next to Taman Sari Hotel, where Bio Rock is located. At the villa, Iluh graciously made us wonderful breakfasts each day and it was a huge bonus to have the breakfast included with our stay. We also enjoyed hiking up the mountain behind the villa, which gave a gorgeous view of the whole Pemuteran area. Thank you to Lisette, Iluh and Putu for an enjoyable look into Balinese life and for being gracious hosts!

Kristin and Family