TRAVEL: At least 9 reasons why you should consider Bali for your next holiday.

When Mamamia Editor Jam told me I was going on a holiday to Bali, two things immediately came to mind:

1. A free trip to Bali? I get to drink cocktails by the pool FOR WORK? Well, if you insist.

2. My previous trip to Bali, which in hindsight turned out to be a disaster. I made the very silly decision to try and keep a relationship together by booking a holiday under the logic that ‘BALI WILL FIX EVERYTHING.’ While Bali has undeniable appeal with its limitless supply of strong cocktails and breathtaking ocean views, it turns out that spending 24 hours a day with someone – even in paradise – can be detrimental to a relationship. Who would’ve thought?

This time it would be different. I was riding solo.

Well, actually, I was with 8 other Australian journalists and the lovely people from Jetstar.

Jetstar has a new plane called the 787 Dreamliner, which travels from Melbourne to Denpasar and I was told it was revolutionary. I don’t know very much about planes, but I do know I normally walk off a plane with bags under my eyes and feeling like I haven’t showered in three days.

Jetstar must’ve heard the thousands of complaints of swollen feet, dry skin and the ‘I haven’t showered in three days’ feeling because the Dreamliner experience was far from any of those things. It was truly magical.

The Dreamliner is quieter, smoother, has lower cabin altitude pressure and LED lighting to make people feel as comfortable as possible. I guess I should also say that it’s extremely convenient that the Jetstar staff are only a buzz away from ordering another wine. And boy, does every feature make a big difference. A quick 5 hours later and I strutted off the plane and into the balmy Bali air feeling like Beyoncé.

Well played, Jetstar, well played.

Arriving in Bali immediately set the scene for the rest of the trip. I was greeted with frangipani leis and beaming locals playing Balinese music. By the time I was in the hotel lobby of the Semara Seminyak with a welcome cocktail and a hand towel (hand towels are totally a luxury in Bali), I was wondering why it had taken me so long to come back to paradise.

The Semara is located in the heart of Seminyak and is a hop, skip and jump away from some of the best restaurants and boutique shopping in Bali. While I would have been content relaxing in one of the sunbeds sipping cocktails all day, there was too much to see and do in Bali to even consider lying down. But I wasn’t complaining.

The first day was nothing short of spectacular. After possibly the best breakfast I ever had (the Semara has a menu which is Australian centric), we were off to Uluwatu. The Semara has a sister hotel in Uluwatu which was where J Hawks stayed for her wedding. The woman has class. The Semara likes to call these dwellings ‘villas’ however I would be more inclined to call them HUGE MANSIONS IN PARADISE. Each ‘villa’ boasts of private infinity pool overlooking the ocean and complimentary staff on hand to cater for you and your 10 best friends’ every need. It is the ultimate place to sit back, look out over the water and contemplate life. And this comes at the cool price of $3000/night.

The Semara also has exclusive access to one of the best beach clubs in Bali, Finns, which was where we spent most of the afternoon wining and dining. Finns is secluded in an alcove and overlooks the crystal blue waters of Uluwatu. The sand is white, the cocktails are strong and the food is delicious. On a side note, I normally don’t Instagram food, but I couldn’t resist. The food tasted even better than it looked.

After what seemed like having many cocktails whilst slightly changing the location and view, we headed out to dinner at Motel Mexicola. I know what you’re thinking: Mexican food? In Bali? Trust me, I had my reservations. You go for the $3 tacos, but you stay for the strong margaritas and the coconut rum.

Our final day in Bali was a free day, and I was overcome with choice. Should I go shopping? Should I relax in one of the sunbeds all day and catch up on reading The Book Thief? Should I head to the Waterbomb theme park or visit the monkey forest?

As everyone else went into Kuta for cheap shopping and massages, Jetstar’s Publicist Di and I opted for a more relaxing day. We started the day off by heading to the Cocoon Medical Spa for next level indulgence. The Cocoon Medical Spa is not your average day spa; it has stunning architecture and internationally trained staff. And you can have peace of mind that a lovely lady from Melbourne, Louise Cogan, owns it.

As soon as I walked in, I knew I wanted the infamous Kim Kardashian vampire blood facial. Louise, however, took one look at me and knew I wasn’t

ready to have needles poked and prodded in my face. Instead, she said I would be best having the 24 CARAT GOLD PLATED facial. Yes, you read correctly. I walked out of Cocoon Medical Spa knowing that not even Photoshop could make my skin look that good. Not only was my skin literally shining, the lovely ladies at the Cocoon Medical Spa let me take my reusable gold plated facial mask home in a bag full of water* to show off to everyone. Because fancy.

Di and I continued our day of ultimate relaxation by booking into Bodyworks for massages and manicures. The Mamamia girls told me that if there was one thing to do in Bali, it was to go to Bodyworks. Although Bodyworks isn’t as cheap as other day spas in Bali (it’s around $AU30 for an hour massage), it is definitely worth booking in an afternoon to be pampered. Bodyworks has a cult following and it’s something you can’t understand until you’ve experienced it.

Our Jetstar trip ended with everyone drinking cocktails and watching the sunset over the beach at Potatohead Beach Club. It was incomparable, and I’ve already started thinking about when I can head back to Bali.

* I tried to get it into the country, but Australian Customs wouldn’t let the mask through because it looked like a living bacterial organism. I also missed out on a debut appearance on Border Control.