Since the reopening of borders in several countries, Singapore’s Changi airport is once again the bustling space it has been before the pandemic. Although it will take some time to reach its glory days, its improvement is noticeable, particularly during the summer holidays happening now.
One popular holiday destination in the region is Bali, Indonesia, which has recently opened its borders and is seeing droves of tourists getting their taste of the sun and the beautiful beaches there. With that, Club Med, the pioneer of premium all-inclusive holidays, has finally reopened its doors and is introducing an all-new repertoire of activities and programmes.
“Following the announcement on the streamlining of Bali’s quarantine-free arrival measures – which includes no longer requiring fully vaccinated traveller to undergo Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests upon arrival – Club Med Bali has experienced a surge in requests from excited travellers all around the world,” says Rachael Harding, CEO, East and South Asia & Pacific Markets, Club Med.
“We’re extremely excited to help multi-generational families reconnect and make up for lost time, bringing them renewed purpose in travel through a myriad of outdoor adventures, wellness programmes, lifestyle ambience and shows,” adds Harding, who explains to Options that Club Med is a safe cocoon that provides everything a guest would need without having to expose themselves to the walls beyond Club Med.
Located in Nusa Dua, just 30 minutes’ drive from Denpasar’s Ngurah Rai International Airport and a mere 12km away from Kuta Island, Club Med Bali spans over half a mile along the beach, holding the title of the longest resort beachfront in Nusa Dua. The resort also perfects the art of all-inclusive holidays, offering the largest number of in-resort sports and activities in Bali.
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When I was first told about Club Med’s all-inclusive offerings, I honestly did not know what to expect until I was finally there. If you have not yet been to Club Med, I will try my best to put in words the wonderful experience I have had in Club Med Bali.
Your experience with Club Med starts at the arrival pick up point at the airport, where a Club Med representative is ready to welcome you and bring you over to the resort. Upon pick up from the airport, it is just a short 20 minutes journey to arrive at Club Med. And upon arrival, a crew of happy staff are waiting at the entrance, eager to welcome you to paradise.
Every person – child or adult – will be given a wrist band upon checking into Club Med. While you are required to keep the wristband on throughout your entire stay in Club Med, this wristband acts as “the key” to almost everything you need. From unlocking the room to your hotel room to grabbing drinks, food and attending the activities within the facility, everything is accessible through this wristband.
The rooms here at Club Med Bali sport a simple interior with some Balinese style decorations, such as its pillow cases. I was put into a superior room villa with a balcony that spans over 25 sqm, which includes an expansive bathroom with a rain shower. While the rooms are comfortable and clean, the fun activities are all outside.
New beginnings
The newly reopened Club Med Bali is set to wow guests with a brand new robust entertainment line-up.
Step into a whole new world through Club Med’s newest digital Colours Show, featuring dazzling costumes and vibrant performances by the resort’s talented Gentils Organisateurs (GOs). The resort will also be introducing the all-new Magic Tribe show, an immersive stunning visual performance that will take the audience on an emotional journey with the use of electronic screens, lights and sounds.
Come summertime, guests will be fully immersed in the Nomad Festival themed day, where colourful bohemian-chic happenings and curated activities await. Throughout the day, experience a variety of thematic workshops such as eco-friendly glitter make-up, dreamcatcher-making, tribal friendship bracelet-making and more.
Treat yourself to the authentic flavours of Bali and hit the bar for an afternoon of cocktails with natural elements infused with herbs, fruits and spices. Come nightfall, groove to popular beats by a live DJ at a nomad-themed festival party dressed in your most boho-chic outfit, feather headpiece optional.
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These are just some of the new activities on top of some of the existing mainstay activities that are inclusive of your stay at Club Med Bali, such as kayaking, snorkelling, bungee jumping, flying trapeze, archery, sunset yoga by the beach and more. Found by the beach shores at Club Med Bali are also some third party activity organisers and providers (that are not included in your Club Med Bali package), offering activities such as jet skiing and beachside Balinese massage.
On top of that, Club Med Bali has launched its all new Mini Club Med+, a kids club that is created from a science-based framework inspired by Positive Education that offers a fun-filled experience where play, cooperation and kindness are celebrated to help develop their soft skills while on vacation.
Club Med has been a pioneer of Kids & Family experiences since 1967, with its initial introduction of Mini Club Med, a space for children aged four to 10 to learn and grow while on vacation. Parents can safely leave their little ones with the resort’s GOs and rest assured that they will have the most enriching experiences.
“Families are at the core of our offering at Club Med and this new enhancement of Mini Club Med+ truly redefines the enriching holiday experiences children will have at our resorts. Over 70% of our guests from Asia visiting Club Med are families, we see the value and opportunity to empower the next generation with the character strengths they need to thrive in this fast-changing world,” says Harding.
“We are thrilled to be able to launch this enhancement across Asia (excluding China) and highlight our commitment to delivering unparalleled and meaningful experiences for families,” she adds.
Overall, my experience at the all-inclusive Club Med Bali was one to remember. It felt as if it was a safe cocoon, with everything included and there was no need for me to even set foot outside the resort. But if you do want to seek some of the other tourist attractions in Bali, Club Med Bali also provides guided tours arranged by the resort to some of the locations.
The food here at Club Med Bali is free flow and food is constantly served from 6am till 12am, allowing you to happily enjoy your meals and snacks throughout the day and night. Club Med Bali has two restaurants: Agung Restaurant, where the buffet spread is and the Deck Restaurant that serves plated food, albeit free flow too. At the Agung Restaurant, you will find several stations representing different cuisines from around the world, such as Balinese, Japanese, Korean, Italian, Chinese and more, with each station serving one plated dish on top of the buffet spread.
While the restaurants are closed, food can also be found throughout the resort, with food carts, or Makan on Wheels, around the area serving Balinese delicacies. You will also be happy to know that there are about three bars located throughout the resort.
You’ll also be happy to know that there are at least three bars within Club Med Bali with free flow of alcohol all-day, though certain premium spirits are chargeable.
Future of travel
In an interview with Options, Harding acknowledges that the Covid-19 pandemic was a hard hit to Club Med – not just Bali but to all its operations globally. While Bali may be the last to open up its doors to tourists in Southeast Asia, there are several that are still closed to foreign visitors, such as Club Med in China and Japan.
Nonetheless, Harding still expects a strong recovery in the markets that have opened up. “Tourism is taking off now and search traffic for our resorts have been gaining momentum. Bali is thus far bouncing back the quickest within the region. And I think this is all thanks to timing, consumer confidence and the reopening all working in our favour,” says Harding.
While this is true, Harding is aware of the limitations of the resort’s recovery. “We are seeing a recovery and more guests in Club Med Bali. But we have yet to reach pre-pandemic levels. Right now, we can only go as fast as the airlines, as flight frequencies are not back to the pre-pandemic levels,” she says.
On the outlook, Harding expects Bali tourism and by association Club Med Bali to grow and improve. However, she notes that there will be some changes in the tourism industry, as the market has to evolve and offer guests not just the assurance of safety amid the still spreading Covid-19 virus, but also provide flexibility on bookings. She also highlights the importance of sustainability and preserving the environment, which Club Med has also done so with several of its activities to educate and involve guests in ecosystem preservation.
While Club Med may be a French-owned brand, Harding has also reassured that guests will be able to experience authentic local culture in Club Med Bali. Its staff are all international, with about 70% locals, while several activities within the resort are linked to the destination, such as the Balinese cooking class and Balinese massage class — and last but not least, a dedicated counter at the buffet space serving Balinese local food.
