7

Executive chef Dwayne Cheer

surfs before work (“though

not as often as I’d like”).

So does restaurant manager

Maggie Kennedy and several

of their staff. Their waterfront

workplace – the new Como

Beach Club at Canggu, on

Bali’s south-west coast – is

framed by the breaks of Echo

Beach and Old Man’s, so surf

conditions are scrutinised by

staff and guests from breakfast

lattes to late-night Negronis.

Flanked by an infinity

pool and a surf school run

in partnership with safari

operator Tropicsurf, the

beach club is the showpiece

bar, restaurant and lounging

fC U C

Bali’s next wave

All eyes are on the breaks framing the surf-focused resort

of Como Uma Canggu on Bali’s south-west coast.

in Bali. It’s the beachside

complement to Como

Shambhala Estate, the group’s

pioneering wellness retreat,

and the jungle hideaway of

Como Uma Ubud.

Interiors in the 119 rooms,

suites and apartments by

Japanese designer Koichiro

Ikebuchi are pared back and

elegant, in blues and sand.

Penthouses have rooftop pools

with stunning ocean views

from dramatic scooped-out

rooflines. Some rooms have

courtyards with outdoor

showers; others have swim-up

access to the central 115-metre

lagoon pool or balconies

overlooking it.

The lagoon pool doubles

as the venue for beginner surf

HOT HOTEL

Clockwise: a

penthouse at

Como Uma Canggu

overlooking Echo

Beach; beginner

surf classes in the

lagoon pool; Como

Beach Club.

22 G OURMET TRAVELLER

venue ofComoUmaCanggu,

the hotel group’s third resort

For an express trip (via espresso) to two spots with a storied coffee-growing

history, try Arabica Ethiopia Harrar and Robusta Uganda, from Nespresso’s

newest range. $9.50 for 10 capsules. nespresso.com/origins-of-coffee

classes; Tropicsurf’s instructors

cater for all skills and ages, and

hire out Firewire boards.

In contrast to the serene

rooms, Italian designer Paola

Navone’s work on the beach

club is characteristically bold:

black and white stripes and

colourful batik prints teamed

with hand-made sea-blue tiles

and a surf-shack aesthetic.

Como Uma Canggu is the

first beachfront resort in the

once sleepy village of Canggu,

about 11 kilometres north of

Seminyak and a fast-growing

hub of co-working spaces, juice

bars and yoga schools.

A perfect day at the resort

might begin by paddling to

the break off Echo Beach,

wandering back to the beach

club for a Como Shambhala

juice, grain bowl and fresh

pastries for breakfast, and

complimentary sessions in the

gym, or the Pilates and yoga

studios (including aerial yoga).

Segue from poolside salads to

sundowners on the beach-club

deck, followed by dinner from

the “monster” wood-fired grill,

perhaps a whole snapper or

a 30-day whiskey-aged rib-eye

with oxtail “marmalade” on

brioche. Then settle with a

Dark and Stormy on the deck

and wait for the next surf

report. Rooms from $326. Como

Uma Canggu, Jalan Pantai Batu

Mejan, Echo Beach, Canggu,

Badung, Bali, comohotels.com

For our insiders’ tips on Bali,

see page 150.