Villa Lunala

Thatched joglo-style roofs rise over a long turquoise pool at Villa Lunala, a six-bedroom retreat in Bingin, in Uluwatu, where honey-toned timber, hexagonal stone tiles and rattan pendants set an easy, barefoot mood. The bedrooms sit in separate bungalows around the garden rather than under one roof, so every couple or family has a little pavilion of its own, each with an ensuite bathroom and glass doors opening onto the greenery.

Life here revolves around the water. Timber decking wraps the pool, with sunloungers and parasols along its edge, and the open-sided living pavilion looks straight across it: a deep built-in sofa, a long dining table for twelve and a full kitchen with a breakfast counter, so whoever is cooking never misses the conversation. After dark the pool glows under the palms, and stepping-stone paths lead through a shaded garden of big old trees and tropical planting.

Bingin’s cliff-top cafés and little shops are within walking distance, and the beach itself is around ten minutes away on foot, down the steps to some of the best-known surf breaks on the peninsula. A friendly team of three looks after the villa, with a chef who can cook lunch and dinner and staff on hand to arrange drivers, transfers and excursions further along the coast.