Pulsating with energy and exuding Bali’s cool cosmopolitan flair. Sure, that’s an apt description of Canggu, the hottest location in Asia – but it also sums up one of the area’s best villas. Welcome to Villa Zambala!
A Canggu Check In
Villa Zambala is a real mega villa which suited our group of six just fine. As we walked in through the front gate, we were in for a real feast for the senses. The huge gardens were bursting with tropical colours while the soothing sounds of the water features played in our ears. Before we set off to explore the villa, the staff offered us delicious welcome drinks – a preview of the fabulous flavours yet to come…
Dining, Bali Style
That initial tour gave us an idea of what makes Villa Zambala one of the most in-demand villas in the area. The villa nails the modern tropical look and every inch of the property is impeccably maintained. Simply put, this villa is drop dead gorgeous.
However, it wasn’t until we gathered around the dining table that it fully dawned on us just how special this villa is. Here we were, in beautiful Bali, gazing over our private pool, awaiting our feast to be served. If that doesn’t get you into a holiday state of mind, I don’t know what will!
Villa Zambala is made for entertaining and dining in style. The dining area is huge and can easily seat a group of 12. The spacious kitchen is discreetly tucked behind a partition wall, so you can enjoy your meals in private while the chef prepares the meals. Oh, and there’s a bar and barbecue out by the pool, too.
Party Hopping & Private Banquets
First thing’s first: the food at Villa Zambala is fantastic. Many past guests say it’s some of the best food they’ve ever had in Bali. After trying it ourselves, we whole heartedly agree. We opted for a rijsttafel of sorts – a huge spread of Indonesian dishes, each one yummier than the last.
That delectable menu was further elevated by the vibrant buzz of Canggu. We loved checking out the local beach clubs and taking in their energy… and then returning to the villa for a lavish, private dinner. No fuss, no muss – just enjoying great food and each other’s company. It really felt like having the best of both worlds.
Movie Nights and More!
As Canggu has established itself as the hottest location on the island, you’ll find endless activities within footsteps from Villa Zambala, ranging from surfing to shopping and spas. But as we quickly discovered, Villa Zambala makes a very compelling case for staying in.
After dinner, we loved watching movies in the villa’s media room. The room has a massive TV screen and irresistibly comfy sofas – it would be the ultimate media room in any house, anywhere in the world. We also had some fun out by the ping-pong table where two of us played a match while the others chatted away on the sofas. And that’s just what you want when travelling with a big crew: plenty of opportunity to have fun as a group but also the space to splinter off and do your own thing when you feel like it.
Later on, we all went in for a swim. Besides its impressive size – 25 metres from end to end! – Villa Zambala’s pool really wowed us with its layout. The pool has a graduated bottom, so when you step in, the water is very shallow. This is obviously great for kids but also when you just want to relax and have a drink and a chat in the pool. As you walk down the length of the pool, it gradually gets deeper and deeper until you get to a very, very deep end, which is great when you want to jump in and play around.
Overall, Villa Zambala felt like Disneyland. There are just so many fun activities you can do together as a group. We certainly had a wonderful time!
7 Bedrooms – Including Bunks!
Villa Zambala has seven bedrooms which can sleep up to 12 adults and 4 kids. The rooms are very large in size, and they share the villa’s modern tropical decor. We all enjoyed a wonderful night’s sleep.
Six rooms have king-sized beds while one room features bunk beds – it’s just the perfect retreat for kids. A special mention to the Balinese style open-air bathrooms in the downstairs bedrooms which were divine.
Beach Club Central
When it comes to Canggu, Villa Zambala is as central as it gets. Heading out from the villa, we turned a corner and boom! We were greeted by Finns Beach Club and Atlas Beach Club – aka the biggest beach club in the world.
First, we popped into Atlas to have a look inside and snap a few fun photos. Next, we headed into Finns and joined the heaving, thriving party that was taking place inside. The place was packed with hundreds and hundreds of people from all over the world. It was probably the biggest beach party going on anywhere in the world… and it was all happening less than 300 metres from our villa!
If you have younger people travelling with you, perhaps teenagers, who want to head out to the clubs and party, Villa Zambala is the perfect choice. As everything is walking distance, the kids can head out on foot and the parents don’t have to worry about them getting on a scooter or a Gojek late at night. Good times and a peace of mind – what more could you ask for?
See You at Zambala!
Thanks to its divine design, sensational service, fabulous food and lovely locale, we give Villa Zambala a 10/10. Keen to stay here too? Contact us for a quote.
