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4 Essential Steps To Start An Online Business And Travel The World!
After arriving back to Bali from the States two weeks ago, it’s been a whirlwind of indulging in all of our must-have Canggu eats (We literally dream about Motion Cafe & Watercress Cafe when we’re away), crankin’ out work at our fave tropical coworking space, Dojo Bali, and let’s be real, conquering some serious jet lag after my 20+ hour trek!
So it was no surprise that I woke up on Saturday morning with an instant craving for a totally blissful weekend retreat (sometimes, an online girl boss has to disconnect right?)
Enter: Suarapura Resort & Spa.
THE LOCATION
I’ll be honest, even after living in Bali for an entire year, I’d literally never heard of this stunning Japanese-inspired boutique hotel, which is actually one of the reasons why I love the Island of the Gods so darn much – there are so many epic adventures and hidden gems to be found!
But leave it to this girl – after a little online research, I stumbled upon this seriously dreamy video of the Suarapura Resort, with suites nestled in the cliffside of a small rural village, Desa Sebatu, about 30 minutes north of Ubud (and only 10-minutes from my favorite rice terraces in Bali – more on that later!) and I was literally packing my bags and jumping on my scooter within the hour!
Magical green rice paddies and lush tropical jungles…”Sign me up!”, I thought.
THE VIBE
Absolute serenity. Imagine stepping into an enchanting and intimate jungle sanctuary – the air is quiet and cool and the only sounds come from the birds in the jungle that surrounds you. It’s a true remote, peaceful oasis unlike any I’ve ever experienced. You’ll be inspired to walk slower, breathe deeply and quiet your mind – which, let’s be honest, is not too often when you’re running a full-time online biz and community!
THE ROOMS
With only seven Japanese-inspired rooms built into the cliffside of the jungle, each room has seriously jaw-dropping views overlooking the lush jungle valley from their private terraces.
I loved that our suite, Sakura, was equipped with a king-sized bed perfectly positioned in the middle of the room and facing an entire wall of glass doors that opened to our large terrace. The plush duvet and soft sheets were constantly calling my name to just veg-out in my robe and sip a cup of hot tea while writing in my journal or diving into my Kindle – serious party girl over here 😉
I have to admit, I was a little bummed there wasn’t a bathtub to take a soak but a piping-hot rain shower definitely did the trick.
THE WIFI
It’s every online girl bosses worst nightmare to be struggling to score a signal to check in on biz things and upload a sweet Insta story, obvi!
While I wouldn’t recommend retreating here to get major online work done (it’s straight up in the jungle after all!), I will give Suarapura a virtual high-five for having individual wifi routers in each room, and a separate one exclusively for the restaurant that all worked decently. I only tackled a view emails in my inbox but I could totally imagine myself taking cover in this inspiring space to write.
THE FOOD
Oh yessss. Especially since the resort is 30-minutes from the bustling Ubud center, I was really crossing my fingers that the stylish on-site restaurant, Matahari, was going to satisfy my foodie needs. Guess what? It totally did.
For our complimentary breakfast each morning, we indulged first in a fresh fruit plate followed by our choice of eggs, toast with homemade pineapple and pumpkin jam (YUM!) and a fresh-squeezed fruit juice all while overlooking the infinity pool and the majestic jungle.
While the breakfast was good, the dinner was AH-mazing. The menu is an assortment of traditional Indonesian dishes, Italian plates and a few Japanese-style entrees. Considering we’re in Bali, I opted for the traditional beef rendang (a must-try!) which was honestly the best I’ve had on the island and the second night I devoured the chicken curry, which was also divine.
THE COFFEE
My eyes lit up when I realized I was being served my own individual pot of hot coffee – heck yes! While the coffee though wasn’t a close match to the perfect cup of java I had at Freak Cafe (this simple spot 30-minutes south in Ubud center is defs worth a stop), the views and the whole vibe totally make it a dreamy cafe experience.
THE POOL
One word: infinity pool. I’m a sucker for infinity pools – I mean, who isn’t? Plop that in the middle of a jungle oasis and you have yourself a blissful afternoon with sun-bathing first on the agenda. Since the resort only hosts seven rooms, there’s a high chance you’ll be the only one at the pool – did I already mention how blissful this place is?
THE ADVENTURES NEARBY
Tegalalang Rice Terraces
The Tegalalang Rice Terraces are one of the most famous sites in Bali created by the local people using a traditional irrigation system and should absolutely be on your #BaliBucketlist! Even more conveniently, they’re located only a few minutes drive from the resort which also makes it super easy to get there early to beat the heat and the large crowds of tourists (score!). After hiking through the fields, be sure to find a cafe on the ledge, grab a cup of local Bali coffee and admire the stunning view.
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Pura Dalem Pingit Lan Pura Kusti
Just a 5-minute walk from the resort, you’ll stumble upon these mystical temples and holy waters where locals come to pray and bathe. Although I didn’t get a chance to see them for myself, the owner of the resort made it clear that it’s a must-see magical site in the area.
THE FINER DETAILS
- Keep in mind that the resort is quite remote, about a 30-minute drive to Ubud and other restaurants, shopping etc. so if you’re looking for a vibrant, walkable and central Ubud hotel, definitely keep looking. Personally, I think that’s the magic though of this serene place!
- There’s a beautiful onsite yoga and meditation center for you yogis looking to practice those downward dogs and chaturangas in paradise.
- Be sure to take a quick peek at your Weather app before heading up into the jungle. The clouds tend to take reign over here and most likely you’ll need to pack some pants and a light sweater for the cool evenings.
Adventures like these always remind me of why I’m so darn grateful for the freedom of working online – for being in total control of my days and for truly appreciating this one life we’re given to pursue what we love – and let me tell you chica, traveling and experiencing the world and new cultures is very high on that list!
If you’re thinkin’, “How can I do that too?!” then be sure to head over to join our free Facebook community of aspiring and seasoned Bucketlist Bombshells and dive into our free 4-part video workshop where we’ll teach you how to find the online skills that will get you hired online, so you too can build a killer online biz (even if you think you don’t have online skills!)
