Balian Break

Massage

SITTING under the radar of normal Bali destinations, Balian isn’t even on the map. Technically, it doesn’t exist. The name comes from the River Balian so named because it is deemed sacred — a sacred healer. Lalang Linggah Beach sits on one side, Surabrata on the other. Easy perhaps, to understand why the name Balian was adopted for this magic bay.

To surfers it is a magnet. Not because the breaks rank in Bali’s top five or even top 10. They are, however, arguably the most consistent. If the swell isn’t running at Balian, it’s probably not running anywhere around the island. Which makes it a drawcard for Kiwis greedy for time out on the water.

There for a few days for a big celebration this month, a Gizzy mob discovered a considerable number of Kiwis sharing the waves with them on a daily basis. A best kept secret? Sadly, not anymore. Development is happening.

For now, it remains an elusive escape. About a three-hour drive from Bali’s hassle-bound haunts, this coconut coastline is about as far removed from the beach bustle and shopping frenzy as you could hope for. The drive is about the only chaotic aspect of the sojourn. One of two what you could loosely call state highways, the road to Balian is the main drag between Denpasar and the ferry port of Gilimanuk. Buses, trucks and cars ply this winding highway daily, juggling for space with the incessant barrage of scooters as traffic lugs supplies and people to and from Java. Drivers beware.

Balian hints of Gisborne in a small way — two roads in, two roads out, Balian River in between. Little wonder that former Gisbornite, Ben Morice, found his way there many moons ago . . . following the surf. Barely more than the traditional village clusters that have inhabited this area for generations back then, Ben has seen huge change.

From the exquisite vantage point of his idyllic weekend retreat, the bay basks below. Across the river, a string of accommodation places now dot the hillsides.

Accommodation optionsWhen Ben first arrived, the landscape was rice fields and towering coconuts, many more than 100 years old. They are the postcard of tropical tranquillity. Today, punctuated by ‘bales’ (bah-lei) and rooftops, accommodation ranges from rustic and cheap to high-end villa luxury.

Yoga lovers find their way here too. The Pondok Pitaya Hotel has built its name on surf, yoga and “resto” — that’s local lingo for rest, in case you hadn’t guessed.

Pondok Pitaya runs a comprehensive wellbeing programme, from daily yoga sessions to weight-loss programmes and massage.

The “shala” — yoga room — takes up to 40 people. Sitting on the beachfront, yogis gaze through glass-lined walls to the surf as they exercise. It is a tranquil setting and Balian has become a popular alternative to the busier pace of Ubud.

When it comes to dining, yoga buffs take precedence, it appears. Swanning in and out of the yoga room on their quest for inner awareness and muscular contortion, their stomachs are given priority. Don’t bother turning up to dine in their allotted time. The blackboard gently ushers incomers away.

The weight-loss programme explains Pondok’s exclusive dining times. In Indonesia, it’s not hard to learn a new way of eating. Traditional Balinese cuisine is all about vegetables and spices, heavy on the chilli.

Lalang LinggahIn Lalang Linggah, it’s a different kettle of fish. On the ridge where Ben first started creating his retreat to escape business demands back in Denpasar, his was the first place to be built. There was no power, he needed a 4WD just to get in. Life was simple, blissful.

Today, there are a string of residences along this ridge — among them the luxury Villa Tao. Apparently built by a couple of “lads” a decade or so ago, its black and mirrored décor is the ultimate party central. Three-day minimum booking, naturally!

A short slide down the hillside to the beach and in total contrast, the Balian Surf Camp warung (Balinese for eating place) epitomises what this place is truly about. It’s East Coast nirvana, home away from home — beachfront, basic, brilliant. All profits go to its village. And with those villagers starting to build simple beachfront accommodation alongside, this is surfer’s paradise in the truest sense. A bed, a shower, a Bintang beer after a session — what more do you need?

If you do hanker for a tad more luxury — Balian style — permanent residents Jamie and Wendy have carved a niche in this place they now call home. Jamie, an Aussie, was a chopper pilot, Canadian, Wendy is a lawyer. Both have travelled the world, New Zealand included. Now, their lives are integrated into Balian’s life, with all its vagaries. They run the exclusive Beach House retreat at the bottom of their garden, along with a ridge-top haven between Villa Tao and Ben’s end-of-the-road sanctuary. Both are booked solidly throughout the year.

In Balian for the long haul, they invest financially and spiritually with the complicated nuances of Indonesian ways. As has Ben. His high-end jewellery manufacturing business meets client demand around the world, among them two in New Zealand. Bali might have been his home for decades, but in the true cliché: You can take the lad out of Gisborne, but you can’t take Gisborne out of the lad.

Rugby is entrenched — watched with typical enthusiasm as the ABs storm their way to World Cup glory. If the wind is favourable and the stars in our favour, come final time, you might just hear him holler from a cosy bar in Balian.