Whilst the incoming stream of holidaymakers isn’t on the cards right now, there are still a few lucky expat’s making the most of the idyllic coastline of Bali, Indonesia. In particular me (Taylor) an Australian expat, who is fortunate enough to call Bali home. Recently I could resist the chance to drive east with my Indonesian family for the weekend to enjoy a stay at Villa Jukung, Candidasa.
When planning to go away for the weekend with friends, we wanted to venture a little further out than our usual go-to’s of Canggu or Keramas. We decided to head east, to the charming coastal town of Candidasa. I have previously holidayed in one of the sister properties to Villa Jukung that are run by welcoming husband and wife owners, Sylviane and Richard and the experience was incredible. So, it was an easy decision to choose Villa Jukung as it came highly recommended.
It’s All in the Details at Villa Jukung…
Let’s get the formalities out of the way so you can hear more about our experience. Villa Jukung is a 4-bedroom, two-storey spaciously laid out villa. It is perched on the oceanfront of Candidasa with 180-degree views starting from sunrise in the east and sunset over mountain peaks in the west. Directly across the striate is the increasingly popular Nusa Penida which is visible on clear days.
Villa Jukung boasts, a shimmering 13-metre swimming pool, jacuzzi, fast WiFi, satellite TV, a professionally trained team of staff including; a villa manager, housekeeping, gardeners, pool attendants, chef, butlers, security and spa therapists. Groceries are at cost, and they also provide a very robust menu of delicious meals to choose from.
Each bedroom enjoys a spacious layout of a king-sized bed, private ensuite bathroom with a bathtub and shower and three of the four enjoy direct views of the ocean. We particularly liked the layout of this villa as some of our guests were travelling with young toddlers. As you know, finding a family-friendly villa can be difficult as the definition of child-friendly can vary from group to group. For our guests travelling with children, they particularly enjoyed the green grassed areas shaded by lush gardens, well-appointed bedrooms (privacy can sometimes be key at nap time), bathtubs, private sandy waterfront and warm accommodating staff.
Delivering WOW Factor!
To say we arrived in coastal paradise is an understatement. A few days prior to arrival, Nengah (Villa Jukung’s highly-experienced Villa Manager) worked with us to curate a menu for our weekend. We ate breakfast, lunch and dinner (and a few extra snacks in between) at the villa as the food was incredible and thus gave us little reason to ever want to leave (more details down further)!
From the moment we arrived and were greeted with cold refreshing iced tea’s (Es Teh) and shown throughout the villa. Whilst we could hear nature’s coastal soundtrack of the ocean lapping the water’s edge, our group quickly interrupted this with comments like; Ooo’s and Ahhh’s and Oh My Goodness there’s more! It’s safe to say we wanted to impress our guests with a holiday like no other, and boy did Villa Jukung deliver.
Services.
During our stay at Villa Jukung, we were looked after by a team of 5 staff all of whom were beautifully lead by Nengah (Villa Manager). She coordinated our meals, check-in and out times, any additional requests we had, spa appointments and assisted us with any questions we may have. The team ran like a well-oiled machine, like clockwork our meals were served family-style on time and hot(!), whilst the greater team of housekeepers, butlers, gardeners, pool attendants and security tended to the villa so we never felt like we needed to lift a finger.
Chef services are included in your stay and so we made the most of trying as much of the robust menu as possible. Travelling with a mixed crowd of both Westerners and Indonesian’s, Nengah and her team easily catered to the varying tastes and dietary requirements with ease. Whilst we are fortunate enough to stay in many villas throughout the island, Villa Jukung’s chef scored perfect 10’s for every dish. There was not a meal we didn’t ask for seconds, and there isn’t a dish we don’t secretly want the recipe too.
As we are travelling domestically in Bali, there was no need for a rapid test to be done prior to arrival, however, we do want to note the thorough nature of practices that Villa Jukung’s team has included in their already diligent cleaning routine.
- On arrival, all guests were temperature checked.
- We all washed our hands and sanitised.
- Every bedroom and main living space has hand sanitiser provided for guests use.
- All staff wore masks and face shields and also underwent temperature checks before arriving on-site each day.
These are just some of the stand out features we noticed, however, we are sure there are more that seamlessly are implemented without interrupting a guests’ stay.
Our stay was short but sweet and we cannot wait to go back. Villa Jukung offers incredible value for money and an experience much higher than the price tag it is offered for. With early-bird discounts, long stay options and affordable year-round rates – this coastal gem is one you must experience! Talk to our villa specialists to get the best rates, guaranteed.
