I have written before about the close proximity of Bali. From my home base in Darwin, it only takes a quick 2 and a bit hour flight to arrive in one of Indonesia’s most popular islands. So, when the opportunity to stay in a villa in Ubud for a few nights came up, I had no hesitation in grabbing a couple of my girlfriends and jumping across the pond for a relaxing girls weekend away.

We were lucky enough to be invited to stay with Dwaraka The Royal Villas in Ubud. We scored a two bedroom villa with a private pool for two wonderful nights, and it was just the kind of secluded hideaway that I love. Even in Ubud there is a lot of hustle and bustle, and having a quiet place to retreat to is such a luxury.

Despite scoring a stay with Dwaraka, I was in no way required to write about my visit with them, so I am not writing a positive review because they asked me too, I just genuinely liked the villa!

They don’t provide a service as fancy or comprehensive as some of the more luxurious hotels, but if you are just looking for a peaceful hideaway with a pool and a view – then it is the sort of place that will be right up your alley.

The weather in Bali tends to mimic the weather in Darwin, and as we had flown from constant torrential wet season rains, it was no surprise that it was cool and wet in Bali too!

A spot of rain doesn’t usually discourage me from exploring, but I have travelled to Bali a whole lotta times and as a result, don’t feel the need to actively push myself to explore when I return. So, instead of forcing ourselves to go see the sights, we focused on relaxing.

Sometimes that meant splashing around in the pool…

…other times it meant squishing into the bathtub like a bunch of absolute idiots!

When we weren’t gorging on delicious food or tucked away in our villa, we decided to head to one of the many spas in Ubud to score a massage and get our nails done.

After some googling, I decided that Karsa Spa looked like the nicest option, and it did not disappoint!

We treated ourselves to an incredible 90 minute Balinese massage, and afterwards, we got to enjoy delicious herbal tea whilst soaking in the prettiest flower bath I have ever seen.

My friend Amelia and I ended up in the couples room, whilst our buddy Caitlin got a single to herself. It may seem strange to share a bath with a friend, but honestly, we are both midwives! We see naked bodies just about every day of our lives and as such, don’t find it weird in the slightest.

There were so many flower petals in this bathtub! Trying to get them all off of you is no mean feat, and even after showering I was still finding petals stuck to me by the end of the day!

After two days of relaxation, we headed back to Seminyak to spend one last night in Bali before returning to midwife life.

I gotta be honest with you, there aren’t really any photos of this time in Seminyak because we mostly spent it eating and drinking!

If you have been reading about my adventures for a while you will know that I love to travel and explore, but every once in a while a girl just wants to spend a few days relaxing and recharging, and Bali is a pretty perfect place to do just that.

THE  LOWDOWN

Getting to Bali: Denpasar airport is well connected internationally
Dwaraka Villas: One night in a pool villa starts at $450, click here to learn more
Camera: Images captured with an Olympus OM-D E-M1 in conjunction with the M.Zuiko 7-14mm f/2.8 lens
Remember: Not wanting to explore doesn’t make you a bad traveller, it simply makes you human!

Disclaimer: I stayed with Dwaraka The Royal Villas on a complimentary basis, however, this post was not commissioned or sponsored and all thoughts and opinions expressed on this blog are honest, unbiased and in no way influenced by the Dwaraka brand, its management or its affiliates.