Aman resorts really don't belong in a place like Nusa Dua, which is dominated by huge hotels from the international chains. At Amanusa, they try to bridge the gap between their high end, small resorts and the big chain environment of Nusa Dua, but it doesn't really work. It's the largest Aman I've been too, and also the emptiest. In fact, I think we were the only guests. It's got great facilities, especially a well designed pool. But it's on a golf course, which to me screams out suburbia and I don't understand the appeal at all. Of course, Somchai begs to differ, since he lives for golf, and in fact that's what he did every day. There's also a nice beach, but it's a buggy ride away and you can't see it from the villa, which I don't like. And the staff acted like they worked at a big resort. Usually at Aman you get to know all the staff, who are very friendly and personable. Here, they seem to have given up trying to get to know you since it's a larger hotel, but again, we were the only guests so it couldn't be that difficult to remember us. So after three days here, it's a bit disconcerting to be greeted with blank faces as though it's the first time we've met.

86. Nusa Dua

Left the friendly embrace of Amankila for a very long drive to Southwest Bali, into the not so friendly embrace of Amanusa. Amanusa is located in a peninsula that juts off the bottom of Bali, sort of an appendage that grows off the big city of Denpasar and the airport. It's cut off socially as well as geographically, as it's a strictly tourist zone, with all the big chain hotels throwing up posh resorts, and nobody allowed to be here except hotel guests. So it really has nothing to do with Bali, but people probably make too big a deal about that. Most islands in the South Pacific, the Caribbean etc. do the same thing, with tourists confined to the beach resort strips. But Bali does have a lot to offer culturally, and it would be a shame to come here and confine yourself to Nusa Dua. But spending part of your Bali holiday here makes perfect sense, as a great battery charger. It's also very close to Kuta, which is the big party strip, sort of Bali's answer to Thailand. (It's also the part that got blown up by terrorists a few years back, but it's recovered somewhat since.) There are also a few special temples within driving distance from here, some great golf courses if you're into that, but mainly it's just a strip of Hiltons and Four Seasons, so you wouldn't want to waste all your time here.