Villa Bangkuang

If you would love to be close to the beach but set apart from Bali’s more crowded tourist areas, Villa Bangkuang is a perfect choice. This stunning five-bedroom villa rests on the edge of Seseh, a traditional coastal village set between hipster Canggu and have-to-visit Tanah Lot on Bali’s south-western shore. The fully staffed villa can comfortably accommodate up to 8 adults and 3 kids in five large suites spread across two pavilions within delightful gardens featuring a 17-metre swimming pool, lotus pond, gym facilities, massage pavilion, a working rice field, and a sunggei (stream).The wild black sand beach is just 300 metres away, and rice fields unfurl uninterrupted from the villa garden to the ocean edge.

Created for the owner’s personal use, Villa Bangkuang has emerged fresh from an extensive 2021 remodelling by noted designers of Grand Hyatt fame. The result is a skilful blend of contemporary and traditional: vaulted alang-alang thatched pavilions with thoroughly modern interiors of tropical woods and marble filled with both custom-built and antique furniture. There’s breathing space for up to 8 adults and 3 kids, with multiple living and lounging areas looking over the enormous 17-metre pool. With three bedrooms in the main sleeping pavilion and two at the rice-field edge, this villa is particularly suitable for multi-generational families, two or three families holidaying together, or even a group of friends.

How to spend your days in this beach haven? Start with breakfast served by the villa’s attentive staff, Sprawl on the oversized daybed on the enormous deck, cool off in the pool, take coffee in the garden gazebo, work up a sweat in the villa gym, get a massage in the dedicated spa room, and then gather for cocktails on the rooftop terrace as the sun sets over the sea. Beyond the villa estate, stroll on the beach, take a yoga class, pop into a café close by, or head to the bright lights and buzz of Canggu a short drive away. When you holiday at Villa Bangkuang, you’ll never want to leave.

THE LAYOUT

Indoor Living

• Living pavilion with marble-topped dining tables seating 12 for your group to gather around • Seating area facing a 65-inch television with Netflix for movie nights • An open-plan guest kitchen with a sit-up bar, wine fridge and cooking facilities • The house also has a service kitchen which is out of sight • The living areas are all air conditioned with large glass doors that can be opened up to allow the sea breeze in • Air-conditioned library and den that opens onto a lovely garden terrace and has its own attached bathroom • Alcoves by the bedrooms with daybeds, sofas and chairs • Well-equipped gym with a Startrac running machine, Yesoul bike, Inspire functional trainer, MX55 weights and yoga mats • Spa room with a massage bed, aesthetic water feature and calming rice field views Outdoor Living A refreshing 17.5-metre greenstone-tiled swimming pool with views that extend across paddies • Sundeck with four sun loungers facing the length of the pool towards rice fields • Large entertainment terrace with antique daybeds and a sit-up bar counter • Garden gazebo with seating for four, the perfect spot for reading a book • Rooftop sunset terrace with a bale and seating with prime views across rice fields towards the ocean • All the bedrooms boast verandas and decks for private alfresco living • Beautiful tropical garden with a small stream flowing through, and a working rice field

BEDROOMS

Master Bedroom Suite

• Palatial master suite spread across the entire upper level of the main sleeping pavilion • Grand four-poster bed and sitting area with a sofa set • A 55-inch flat-screen TV for your viewing pleasure • Light-filled space with vaulted ceilings, Bengkirai wood floors, and three walls of glass allowing endless views • Large air-conditioned dressing room with wardrobes and an extra-wide desk/vanity area • Majestic air-conditioned bathroom with twin stone basins, a walk-in rain shower, terrazzo bathtub, and more clothes storage • Breezy full-width balcony with built-in daybed looking onto the garden and rice fields

Guest Bedroom 1

• Located closest to the entrance in the main sleeping pavilion at the ground level • Perfect for elder or less mobile guests • Tastefully furnished with a four-poster bed • A planters chair to recline on for a moment of reflection • Indoor-outdoor bathroom with granite basins, walk-in rain shower, terrazzo bathtub and a heliconia-filled garden • Lovely outdoor deck with views of the garden

Triple Family Room

• Huge L-shaped air-conditioned bedroom located next to the guest bedroom • Three single beds and a large sofa that can be set up as a fourth bed, if required • Elegant furnishing including matching ottomans • Ideal space for children as well as young adults • One bed is set apart, so could be suitable for a live-in nanny supervising young ones • The room opens onto a private courtyard garden with traditional Javanese rattan chairs • Bathroom with stone basins, walk-in rain shower and terrazzo bathtub

Seaview Garden Guest Bedrooms 4 and 5

• Two guest bedrooms share a separate pavilion in the garden bordering rice fields • Each room has a king-size bed on a raised platform • The rooms are well furnished, each with a planters chair, work desk, and a window seat • Walk-through wardrobe leading to the ensuite bathroom • Each bathroom has a stone basin, walk-in rain shower and terrazzo bathtub • Sliding doors that lead to a small deck with ocean views across the rice fields • The bedrooms share a private lounging area with antique rattan sofa facing the view

Location

Villa Bangkuang is located on the edge of Seseh, a traditional Balinese village. The village borders a stretch of volcanic black sand beach that is merely 300 metres away from the villa. Hipster haven Canggu lies 9km away by road that has the same distance as the sacred sea temple Tanah Lot further up the coast.This quiet village follows the traditional generations-old rhythm of rural life focused on community, culture and rice cultivation. It’s like turning back the clock to times forgotten. The village is now gently absorbing the opening of chic cafes and eateries, as well as a yoga retreat and wellness centre all without impacting its old-world charm, and a mere five-minute walk from the villa.