Our honeymoon was in Bali. It was split between the rural wilderness of West Bali, and the cultural centre of Ubud in Central Bali. Our first stop was The Menjangan Beach Resort in West Bali for some much needed R&R. We had done thorough research into where to stay in Bali, and the West of the Island seemed like an obvious choice. Still relatively untouched by tourists, but with great hotel resorts to stay in. We picked The Menjangan as it was set slap bang in the middle of the conservation area and spanned a large area from the central ‘Bali Tower’ to the coastal section with its private beach villas.
We were greeted by the hotel manager, and a lovely cup of local tea. For someone that doesn’t drink tea, I am now obsessed with the Bali local black tea. Its beautiful!!! Anyway, after checking in we boarded the little camper van taxis that escort guests from one section of the hotel to another. The vans have been adapted so you can sit on the roof and take in all the land. As you drive through the juggle forest you come across local animals, who stop and stare at you. As much as its incredible to see these wild animals Id love to know what they think we are. Through-out our stay we saw wild monkeys, deer (and a stag!), starling birds, a number of little insects and yet no snakes or spiders. The hotel staff do their very best to make sure that these aren’t near guests, thankfully!
We were staying in one of the VIP beach huts. There are only 6 of these within the resort so you feel extra special on arriving at your own villa. They look straight onto the beach, and to wake up to the sun rising each day warms the soul.
The villa has an outdoor toilet, shower and bath at the back of the property. A great addition to any house should be an outdoor shower or bath, I just love them. There is something magical about showering under the stars. Although a morning shower does become more fun when you realise a cheeky monkey is watching you from a tree.
As I mention wild animals roam about the resort. It gives you a different perspective on life, as you realise you are within their habitat and must respect it. The animals, especially the deer, keep their distance but occasionally come quiet close to you as you can see from below.
Breakfast at The Menjanga is a tranquil affaire. Each morning you dine at the coast restaurant, and can pick from a wide selection of Western or Local Balianese food. 
We really enjoyed the fresh fruit to start, followed by nasi goring, a dish of fried rice, vegetables (sometimes meat) and a fried egg. A great way to get going in the morning and something we have taken back to the UK. A much better choice than cereal I have to say!
After breakfast we loved to pick up fresh coconut water, and wander back along the beach to our villa to get ready for the day ahead. Typically this often involved running down the pier and jumping into the inland sea water. It was especially fascinating to snorkel around the pier as lots of tropical fish often gathered around here, something I loved to watch. 
Another highlight of the resort is the Bali Tower. This is the tallest structure in the area and stands well above the tree line.
The tower is made of a number of different floors, as you climb the stairs you pass the restaurant and continue to the peak. Once you reach it, there is the most incredible view over the sea on to the close by islands. Its the perfect place to sit with your loved one, sip a cocktail and take in the sunset.
Post sunset, we made our way back down to the first floor restaurant. Here we enjoyed a number of local dinners and drinks, and on one occasion even found a local traditional board game that kept us entertained for hours.
So if you are looking for that Bali tranquillity you have heard of, I can recommend you visit West Bali and The Menjangan Resort. Its a romantic, blissful, back to nature resort with all the mod cons you need in a hotel. Check out my other blog post about the different activities available at The Menjangan from snorkelling, to sunset horseback riding and canoeing to name but a few things.
