It’s a new year filled with new opportunities here at our cliff-front paradise. While 2020 was obviously a challenging year, we were grateful to be able to keep our villa doors open, providing jobs for our amazing staff and a safe haven of good vibes and epic waves for all our valued guests in 2020.
Highlights of the year included: a historic season of incredible swells and uncrowded waves out front; unveiling our new tropical modern luxury villas to the world; and hosting so many of you who made it to Uluwatu for the vacation of a lifetime in spite of challenging circumstances.
This is the first January in years that we still have flexible availability for the upcoming season. Take advantage of this great opportunity to pick your preferred villa for your preferred dates in 2021.
We are also currently offering multiple discounts – book any villa for any dates through March 2021 and SAVE up to 30% OFF our standard villa rates. Because you deserve to join us at our Uluwatu cliff front in 2021 💫
Greatness recognizes greatness. In 2020 it was our honor to host two of the the sporting world’s Greatest Of All Time – 7-time Formula 1 Champion Lewis Hamilton and 11-time World Surfing Champion Kelly Slater.
Mr. Hamilton, a newly-stoked surfer when he’s not tearing up the F1 track, made himself at home in our new Cliff Front 6 5-bedroom luxury villa for over two months – surfing, training and eating healthy from our special plant-based menu at Mana Uluwatu while preparing for the F1 season to resume.
After a rejuvenating long-term stay in Cliff Front 6 – and A LOT of epic sessions at empty Uluwatu – Mr. Hamilton returned to the track, going on to claim his record-92nd career win with his victory at the Portuguese Grand Prix in October, surpassing racing legend Michael Schumacher for the all-time F1 wins record. Hamilton continued his amazing run by clinching the 2020 F1 Championship with yet another victory at the Turkish Grand Prix, tying Schumacher for the most championships in the sport’s history, with seven total.
Congrats, Champ! We look forward to celebrating your incredible accomplishment with more waves and good times on our cliff front soon!
Slater, meanwhile, stayed with us for over three months beginning in August while the WSL Championship Tour was on hiatus, keeping his barrel form fresh by scoring countless spitting tubes out front and down the road at Padang Padang. During his stay with us, Slater was reunited with his original 1994 Pipe Masters Trophy, courtesy of our GM, Arrow Dunk. He also took advantage of our new speedboat surf charter service to make strike missions to G-Land, Lombok and West Sumbawa when the ideal swells lined up. In between all the perfect waves, Slater enjoyed jamming out in his villa.
After an epic stay on the cliff front, Slater headed off to Hawaii to compete in the WSL’s restart at the Pipeline Masters, where he nearly claimed a record eighth Pipe Masters. Our favorite 48-year-old WCT surfer fell to eventual 2020 champion John Florence in a Semifinals Super Heat watched around the world.
It was our great pleasure to provide some welcome R&R for two of the hardest working and inspirational athletes in the world while they trained and prepared to return to their respective arenas. Come back any time, gentlemen!
Kelly Slater puts on a show in front of USV along with Strider Wasilewski, Rizal Tandjung and Betet Merta.
Koa Smith’s Land Rover Adventure
In addition to Hamilton and Slater, 2020 also saw several of the best in their field come to stay with us at the villas, including Championship Tour surfers Kolohe Andino and Griffin Colapinto, Dutch footballer Marc Klok and award-winning Indonesian actress Raline Shah.
What did they all have in common? They all wanted to go for a spin in our vintage Land Rover Adventure Wagons! But the award for best USV Land Rover Adventure goes to world-class tube hunter and Surfer Poll Award winner Koa Smith. Koa and his friends loaded up our USV Land Rover and hit the road to discover one of the longest (and glassiest) barrels of the 2020 season in Indonesia. See Koa’s full score below…
Koa Smith’s USV Land Rover adventure score.
USV Featured in New Gestalten Book
We are honored to be featured among world-class architectural masterpieces in the new coffee table book from Gestalten, “Out Of The Woods: Architecture and Interiors Built From Wood”. Pick up a copy from the venerable publisher’s website and find a cozy spot to enjoy our new favorite coffee table book and get inspired.
“Uluwatu Surf Villas are examples of what a successful dialogue between traditional craft and contemporary design can look like. Against a backdrop of the rolling hills of southern Bali, the resort overlooks the Indian Ocean and the big-wave surf breaks that have made Uluwatu famous.”
— Excerpt from Out Of The Woods: Architecture and Interiors Built From Wood by Gestalten Press
Thank you to everyone who joined us for our weekly Saturday BBQ Sessions at Mana Restaurant & Pool during November and December. We had an epic run of spectacular sunsets, delicious Balinese BBQ, and epic poolside sounds from some our favorite selectors, including Jef Dam and Ozlem and our very own DJ Kish. Thanks to all of you who made it such a special community event!
We are putting our Mana Saturday BBQs on hold for the start of the year, but plan to bring back the fun and community vibes later in the new year. We’ll be sure to keep you all posted. In the meantime, you can enjoy spectacular views at Mana Uluwatu every day from 8am – 9pm. Because the only thing better than an epic sunset is an epic sunset with friends ✨
Just a friendly reminder that class time at Morning Light Yoga has changed slightly. Join us for class every day from 7:30am – 8:45am at our Morning Light Yoga Studio overlooking the Indian Ocean. And don’t forget your complimentary chilled coconut after class, courtesy of Mana Uluwatu.
Our experienced instructors, including Jess, Sami and Khat, are always happy to help you find your flow to the rhythm of the waves and make sure you leave every class with an inward smile.
Mats are pre-sanitized. To ensure safe distancing, classes are limited to the first 15 students, so be sure to arrive on time. No need to book ahead. See you at Morning Light!
Ocean View Inspiration with Kristyan Stjerne
We are pleased to announce that USV Artist in Residence Kristyan Stjerne – better known around here as “Kish” – has been featured in the latest edition of The Surfer’s Journal. In addition to being a talented artist, Kish is a surfer, yogi, muse and purveyor of good vibes and kindness. If you’ve visited USV in recent years, you’ve no doubt had the pleasure of experiencing Kish’s welcoming good vibes.
Among Kish’s recent creative endeavors was helping to design one of our newest luxury villas, Ocean View 6. Kish helped us conceive Ocean View 6 with an artist’s dream retreat in mind, making it the ideal place for a creative escape and the perfect space to get inspired.
The Surfer’s Journal article explores Kish’s journey as an artist, surfer and human, and how the magic of Uluwatu has influenced his work and lifestyle. Featuring beautiful photography of Kish at work in his USV studio on his trademark pointillism paintings and surfing his favorite wave out front, you’ll want to pick up a copy of the latest TSJ to learn more about Kish’s unique journey.
Kish also recently recorded a captivating episode of the Terrible Happy Talkspodcast here at USV in which he looks for silver linings and shares his hopes that perhaps 2020 was a good year after all. You can listen to Kish’s podcast episode HERE.
So if you’re searching for the ideal haven for a creative retreat – be it writing, painting, manifesting or beyond – look no further than Ocean View 6. You can thank Kish after you’ve created your masterpiece.
Make this the year you experience our amazing Uluwatu cliff front. All our villas are now available for long-term stay (3+ nights) specials! Through March 2021, SAVE up to 30% OFF our standard villa rates. The longer you stay, the more you save!
If you’re ready to join us for the luxury surf trip of a lifetime, CLICK HERE for details on how we can arrange your international travel to visit us in Bali.
Much love from Uluwatu!
