Ronald Akili’s guide to magical Bali

Bali has always been my second home. I was born in Jakarta, so the island was a weekend escape for us. The first time I actually lived here was about 20 years ago. We opened Desa Potato Head in 2010 with the vision to build not just a beach club or restaurant but a whole cultural village (“desa” means village in Indonesian). Since then I’ve moved back to Jakarta, then back to Bali. Now I live in Singapore and visit once or twice a month. 

In Indonesia we have more than 13,000 islands, and Bali is the only Hindu one (the rest are mainly Muslim). It’s quite different to the Hinduism of India – it’s mixed with Bali’s old traditions, which were closer to animism. People believe God lives in everything – whether that’s the mountains, the trees or the stones. There are three key principles – to respect the gods, nature and other living beings – and that translates into everyday living. If you walk around Bali, you’ll see offerings in the form of beautiful flowers and snacks. Everything feels like a ritual here.

When I first moved to Bali, I lived in Sanur. There was a hotel, Tandjung Sari, where people like Mick Jagger and David Bowie used to stay, and Geoffrey Bawa did a project there. They used to call it a sleepy town; now it’s busier. But it’s still quite laidback. If you want a more vibrant beach, go to Seminyak on the south side of the island; The Oberoi Beach Resort is a classic hotel there. Canggu feels like it’s a small surf village, while Ubud is a serene mountainside area. I wind down at the Bambu Indah hotel. I’m not so much into longevity clinics, more yoga and wellbeing. Go to Yoga Barn or Alchemy Yoga and Meditation Center, which opened a few years ago near Campuhan Ridge Walk.

Everything feels like a ritual here

My favourite part of the island is the east side – Karangasem and Candi Dasa. It still feels like old Bali, with paddy fields and the beautiful Virgin Beach, which really is a virgin beach. I love to surf there. In Seminyak, there’s another nice surf spot that no one really goes to on the Ku De Ta side of the beach. And sometimes I’ll take a small boat to Kuta Reef or go to the black sand beaches, where you get long, uncrowded waves. 

I really like homeware, and there are lots of ceramic places here – Gaya Ceramic in Ubud also offers workshops. The Balinese are very artistic, so everything is beautifully crafted. For textiles, Threads of Life offers very rare, very diverse types of Indonesian textiles – all handwoven – and Tarum’s pieces are naturally dyed. For something really nice, there’s also Carina Hardy, who makes the most amazing jewellery. 

Food here is aromatic – lots of turmeric, galangal and ginger. While Indonesian food can get quite heavy, Balinese dishes are fresher and more fragrant. That said, the island is famous for its suckling pig: Bali is the only Indonesian island where pork is widely eaten – the rest practise Islam – so everyone has to try it. I still like the traditional places, and one restaurant that’s never changed is Warung Mak Beng Sanur. If Michelin came to Bali, it would earn at least one star. It just sells fish soup, and once it runs out for the day, no matter how long you’ve been queueing, that’s it. 

Around Seminyak, I’ll go for something more modern – FED by Made, a small restaurant and bar inspired by Melbourne’s dining scene. Further north I go to an Indonesian restaurant, Home by Chef Wayan; he worked with us on Desa Potato Head’s restaurant. Another amazing place is Room4Dessert, which offers a 15-course dessert-focused tasting menu. It’s run by Chef’s Table star Will Goldfarb, who was named the world’s best pastry chef by 50 Best a couple of years back. 

I don’t know how many days off Balinese people get, but there’s a ceremony for everything. One of my favourite times of the year here is the Nyepi festival in March, known as the Day of Silence. The day before there are parades with beautiful ornaments of different demons and of gods, which are burnt to release bad spirits. Then, for one day – 24 hours – the Balinese shut everything. No internet, no phone, no electricity. Even the dogs are quiet! It’s quite amazing for such a busy destination to shut everything down. But that’s the nice thing about Bali; you get both worlds. If you want to party, you have that. If you want to chill or get into the deep cultural stuff, you have that as well. Finding that balance is what makes the island special.