Stand at the top of the sweeping stairway and drink in a scene that has stunned even long-time Bali residents who come to Villa Moira for the first time. Down the regal sweep of the steps modelled after temple stairways past the soaring roofs of two elegant, octagonal pavilions, over the 14 meter pool and into the terraced rice fields that almost completely surround the villa.

This isn’t a still life, though: it’s a living breathing world of its own, a study in contrast and change, from the intimacy of watching farmers bring in the harvest in the rice fields just a few score meters away to the distant majesty of the triple row of volcanic peaks to the north; from the glory of a blazing sunset over the pool to the sight of a phalanx of black thunderheads sweeping in from the sea. Villa Moira is much more than just spectacular scenery, though. It is a house solely dedicated to one object—the serenity of its guests.

Everything is designed to ensure that the cares of the mundane world beyond Villa Moira’s walls swiftly fade.

The emerald infinity pool is 14 meters long, complete with a separate half meter-deep child section. The four bedrooms are individual villas, each with its own spacious (and private) garden, huge bath, outdoor shower set in a miniature rock garden that echoes the island’s many rivers, oversized (2 meter by two meter) bed, a safe for valuables and a stereo system with a selection of classics from jazz to rock and classical.

Then there are the numerous nooks and corners where guests can retreat: the bale begong, a traditional pavilion next to the pool built that’s perfect for curling up with a good novel, a relaxing massage or simply a snooze. The spacious living pavilion where friends can gather for drinks lulled by the trickle of the miniature waterfall behind them that feeds the fish pond; the small dining table for two perched right above the rice fields for that romantic dinner under the stars; the 3-meter table in the main pavilion for a more boisterous gathering of up to 12 diners; the private verandas overlooking the gardens in each bedroom for a peaceful breakfast amidst birdsong.
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