Bendega Villas’ manager has a wealth of information about nearby places of interest and will help arrange transport and make any bookings required. Do also ask the staff about the local area. Many of them live nearby and will be able to give an interesting insight into some of the fascinating aspects of Bali life. In the meantime, here is a taste of the many and varied activities on offer within reach of the villas. - The Legendary Beach House at **Echo Beach** is a ten-minute drive or a pleasant walk along the beach from the villas. This is a great place in the evenings for watching the beautiful sunsets. The restaurant has a large eating area that spills out onto a beachside bluff offering a casual international menu, and at weekends has a daily seafood barbecue. Also at Echo Beach is Sticky Fingers, a great place for coffee, smoothies, and fresh juices. - Other **local places to eat** include the grandly named Deus Ex Machina – Temple of Enthusiasm, which serves a wide range of Asian food with cold beer in a combination art gallery clothing store cum motorcycle repair shop within a five-minute walk from the villa. There are also several smaller restaurants serving Asian cuisine within walking distance, including one at the Ametis Villas that serves only organic produce, Betelnut, Kakilima, and Crate Café. - Also within walking distance along the beach is **The Tugu Hotel**, a living museum of priceless antiques and rare cultural artifacts. The Tugu also offers casual and fine dining restaurants and a delightful spa. Across the road and practically beachfront is a great cafe, **Old Man’s**, where you can enjoy breakfast, lunch, or dinner, daily happy hour, often live music, and a monthly Saturday market. - Trendy **Seminyak** is just 20 minutes’ drive away and has a wide choice of international restaurants. Our favorites for world-class dining include the legendary The Living Room, Petitenget Café, Sardine, Metis, Potato Head, La Favela, La Plancha, Mosaic, Barbacoa, Mexicola, and MAMA San. More casual restaurants include the Bali Deli, La Sal, Cafe Moka, Made’s Warung I & II, Naughty Nuri's, Hog Wild in Bali, Biku, Casa Loca, La Barca, and last but not least Grocer and Grind, the best coffee in Bali. There are also a number of chic cocktail bars (try the Hu’u Bar late at night) and exciting nightclubs such as Townhouse. Seminyak also has many lavish spas and elegant boutiques. - About 15 minutes’ drive from Bendega Villas is the most famous temple in Bali, **Tanah Lot Sea Temple**. - Other **sports** available nearby include Kuda P riding stables, Aquamarine scuba diving, off-road quad biking, surfing schools, and fishing. - The most exclusive **Bali trekking tour** promises breathtaking vistas and heart-warming encounters while supporting sustainable social change in the once-forgotten villages of Muntigunung. Elite Havens is a proud partner of Muntigunung Community Social Enterprise. - Drive westwards to explore the charming **Tabanan Regency**, revealing terraced rice fields of emerald green, volcanic mountains, and black-sand beaches dotted with fishing communities. At 850m above sea level, the view from the Jatiluwih rice terraces, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2008, is one of the finest imaginable. Alternatively, head north to explore the volcanic lakes near the mountain town of Bedugul, including Lake Bratan with its photogenic and stunningly positioned Pura Ulun Danu – one of Bali’s most important temples. - Bold and brave bargain hunters should head for one of **Denpasar’s markets** within the heart of Bali’s bustling provincial capital, for an exciting and rewarding shopping experience. - Borrow one of the villa’s bicycles and explore the scenic rice-field landscape and rural villages – a great way to **get under the skin of the ‘real’ Bali**. Stop off at a local warung (café) to sample some basic Balinese fare or cool off with a cold drink. - Covering 3.8 hectares of tropical parkland in Kuta, **Waterbom Bali** has 16 water slides (including The Climax with its 360-degree loop) to entertain the young and the young at heart. A great family day out, but go early to beat the crowds.