What better way to prep for Fashion Week than by heading to Bali? Swimwear designer Carena West managed a quick escape before the fashion week madness.
My best friend Maddy and I decided to ditch winter for a week of sun and relaxation and so of course I couldn’t miss the opportunity to squeeze in a quick photoshoot of my summer collection! I was incredibly lucky to arrange two gorgeous models to meet us at 6am in the dark to get some beautiful sunrise shots. We also managed to catch up with a couple of pals Chloe and Ashton for a few days too, making the most of the brunch at the W, lazy afternoons at Potato Head beach club and dinner at Motel Mexicola.
Here’s my top 5 things to do in Bali:
1. Do nothing
This was one trip where I was planning to return feeling relaxed and not in need of a few days recovery time! My favourite things to do in Bali include parking up next to a pool with a book (or two in my case!), hitting Spring Spa in the afternoon for a massage or a facial, and eating copious amounts of food. Cafe Bali, Cafe Organic, Motel Mexicola, Petitenget, Sea Circus and Sisterfield were a few of the places that were within walking distance of our hotel in Seminyak. Also, while relaxing all day in the sun, make sure you have some really good sunscreen – that way you can avoid our little streaky sunburned legs situation that we encountered when we used a ‘less than reliable’ Bali pharmacy brand.
2. Nusa Lembongan
Although I didn’t manage to make it to Nusa Lembongan this time due to time constraints, I could not recommend this island enough. It is a welcome escape from the mainland with dirt roads and mini resorts peppered all over the island and the feel is a lot more ‘Island Holiday’ than you find on the mainland. Plus, you can regale your friends with stories about the time you went snorkelling with Manta Rays and had a mini panic attack (this might be experience speaking haha!)
3. Old Man’s, Canggu
Old Man’s in Canggu hasn’t been around long but it has already established itself as a local haunt. Good, cheap food and if you ask nicely, they will put rum in a fresh coconut for you! It’s an awesome place to watch the sunset so make sure you get there with time to spare to get a good table!
4. Uluwatu Temple
If you fancy doing something touristy, then the Uluwatu Temple is hard to beat. Set high up on the Uluwatu cliffs with the ocean breaking below, it is a breathtaking sight – I even managed to forget about my fear of heights for the teensiest minute! There are guides that can take you for a walk and explain the area to you, and with monkeys on site it is a lot more relaxed than the monkey forest (for one, they don’t jump on your head and steal your stuff…)
5. Events
Keep an eye on sites such as the Bali Bible and Bali Guide, because while you are in Bali there will without a doubt be events going on all over the place. We managed to tick off a surfing competition at Finn’s Beach Club in Canggu that was held at night and illuminated by spotlights – the surfers were towed into the waves behind jet skis. If we hadn’t had a quick squiz online the day prior we never would have known it was on!
* Carena West will showcase her new collection at 3pm today at New Zealand Fashion Week. Stay tuned for updates.
