Our first visit into the balinese jungle
Wait – a Perth couple that hasn’t visited Bali before?
Yes, that would be us. We’ve long been tempted to the island paradise but had opted for destinations further abroad, but for our first overseas trip post-COVID we thought why not start closer to home?
After talking to many friends about their balinese adventures, we had locked in on Ubud as our first stop. Wanting the full ‘jungle experience’, opted for the Padma Resort in Payangan (1/2hr north of Ubud), which first opened in 2016 but had only just welcomed guests back after COVID. We were lucky enough to see a quieter resort than normal; most restaurants were comfortably full but we never felt crowded in any of the resort areas.
What makes the Padma Ubud special?
The star attractions for Padma are definitely the infinity pool and the jungle views, and this would have to be one of the best in Bali for both! (in fact they were since awarded the #2 Hotel in Asia by Tripadvisor)
Padma’s location makes it somewhat remote from central Ubud (and a long trek from the airport), but once you’re there the atmosphere makes the journey so worth it. We did the stereotypical ‘yoga at sunrise’ class and their own jungle trekking adventure, as well as lots of time in the pools. We never felt bored around the resort area, but it’s easy enough to order taxis or Grab rides into town whenever needed.
What made the Padma really stand out to us was the staff and service. Being Bali our expectations were high, but every staff member we saw went out of their way to help guests and ensure everyone was having an amazing time! From reserving deckchairs at the pool, arranging special food orders, or planning activities, there was nothing too troublesome for the team there. Nowhere else we visited in Bali even came close to matching the service level we saw there.
