Day 5 – Goodbye Ayana, Hello Ritz Carlton

2 September 2026

This was the day where we shifted from Ayana to Ritz Carlton Bali located at Nusa Dua beach. The Ritz Carlton Bali Resort is a 5-star luxury, beachfront resort and offers a slightly different vibe compared to the more family-oriented RIMBA by Ayana resort.

Since we had nothing planned for the morning before departure, we woke up late and had a leisurely breakfast at the Karang.    

On the way back to RIMBA, we alighted at the Wana Wing so we could take a “jungle walk” with my grandson. He still recall the moonlight walk we did the previous night and was excited about going for another walk within the lush grounds of the Ayana resort.

From Wana’s lobby, we took the path leading to Kampoeng Bali instead of the Sky Bridge back to RIMBA.

We passed a bamboo grove and a small rice field. It was an opportunity to show the little one where the rice we eat came from.

Walking pass a small padi field on our way to Kampoeng Bali.

Kampoeng Bali is where traditional Balinese dinner and show is held in the evening. During the day, there is nothing much to see, except for a pond with some Koi. Unfortunately for my grandson, there is no staff around to provide him with the fish food.

He had a chance to feed the Koi when we returned to RIMBA. The staff at the To’ge Restaurant was present to provide him with some fish food for the Koi that swims around the restaurant’s pond. Soon after, we went back to our room to pack and left Ayana at about noon time.

The transfer to Ritz Carlton Bali took about 40 minutes by car. Upon arrival, the staff took care of the luggage from the car and we were ushered into the large spacious lobby.

The lobby of this hotel has everything we would expect from a 5-star Balinese resort. The one thing that strikes us most was the sweeping views of the vast Indian Ocean. From the lobby we could also see the layout of the vast hotel complex below us.

View of the ocean from the clifftop lobby.

Ritz Carlton’s design is quite unique as the lobby and some facilities like the Berjana restaurant is located on the elevated clifftop while the rest of the facilities are down below at almost sea level.

View of the resort located below the cliff.

Zoomed in view of the pool, located right next to the white sandy beach.

Zoomed in view of the seaside chapel.

A staff member welcomed us, offered a cold towel and refreshing drink.  

As we were a little early, our rooms were not ready. A staff member escorted us to a glass elevator that took us down to the bottom of the cliff where buggies or golf carts that can take up to 6 passengers were waiting.

The staff took us to a lounge for some drinks and light bites but we decided to go have lunch by the poolside restaurant.

Map of the hotel provided during check-in.

We saw from the map that there is a koi pond on our way to the pool, so we decided to walk instead of calling for a buggy ride. The resort has paths all around the beautiful landscape that boast lush tropical plants like heliconia, frangipani and palm. It was a short walk to the pond on a hot sunny day. Large umbrellas were readily available for us to use.

Koi food were available in a large brown jar by the lily pond and my grandson had some fun feeding the koi.

Koi feeding at Ritz Carlton Bali.

Ritz Carlton’s beachfront is framed by two signature dining venues: The Beach Grill on one end and the iconic Missoni Beach Club on the other with the swimming pool in between.

We went to the Beach Grill. This restaurant serves fresh seafood and premium grilled meats during dinner time. We ordered a pulled pork burger and a pizza to share from their simpler lunch menu. We also ordered fresh coconuts which had been our favourite drink since we arrived in Bali.

While waiting for the mains, we were served freshly baked bread that was really nice and gave a good impression on what is to come.

The warm bread is very good.

Deiicious pulled pork burger with fries and cucumber salad.

Freshly made pizza from the oven.

While we chilled over our lunch, my grandson took time to go play on the beach just outside the Beach Grill. We spotted some camels walking down the beach.

A rare sight in South East Asia – camels on the beach.

He immediately noticed that the sand does not look and feel right. Is Ritz Carlton Bali using artificial sand on their beach?

Shortly after 2 PM, a staff member came over in a buggy to bring us to our rooms. We had booked two Sawangan Junior Suites that are next to each other.

The suite at 99 square meters is super spacious. However, the view was not that great. The large terrace simply faces the surrounding trees. There are signs warning us to keep the balcony doors shut in case of monkeys!

Once again, the hotel provided my grandson with a birthday cake and also did a little decoration in his room.

Small birthday toy and balloons.

Bath toys for the kid.

Soon after the birthday celebration, we took a short walk to the Kids Club. The Ritz Kids club offers daily, complimentary activities designed for young guests aged 4 to 12 years and features indoor and outdoor play spaces, playgrounds, and a private pool with water slides.

Outdoor play area at the Kids Club at Ritz Carlton Bali.

The indoor area features a PS2 room, toys room, TV room, and library. Compared to the Kids Club at the Ayana, the indoor facilities are more basic. However, the staff over at Ritz are wonderful with kids, remembering all their names, and welcoming them to take part in the activities.

He had fun playing with the toys in the play area by himself.

While my grandson kept the ladies occupied in the Kids Club, my son and I went to laze by the Nusa Dua beach till sunset. It was low tide and we could walk on the exposed beach while the surf breaks a few hundred meters further out.

The beach at Ritz Carlton Bali at low tide.

Unlike Jimbaran, Nusa Dua is on the eastern side of Bali, so we will not see dramatic sunsets. The sun will set behind the cliffs.

Paragliders could be seen in the western sky behind the cliffs.

As the sun sets, hotel staff were setting up tables and dining equipment for beachside dinners and also a bonfire.

Staff setting dining tables on the beach.

We enjoyed a complimentary beachside bonfire and marshmallow roasting experience at sunset. The resort staff are present at the fire pit to help oversee and ensure a safe roasting experience.

The bonfire was set on the beach against the backdrop of Nusa Dua's sunset.

Nice experience for the kid – first time toasting marshmallow on a bonfire.

After the marshmallow were roasted, the staff placed them between chocolate and crackers to make a delicious snack.

For dinner, we went to Berjana restaurant, serving authentic Indonesian cuisine. The restaurant is located on the clifftop, next to the upper lobby. We did not make a reservation but were able to be seated inside.

Upon entry, each of us were given a frangipani flower and then shown to our table. The ladies wore the flowers above their ears, getting the Hawaiian look.

Once seated, a staff came over to do an ancient Balinese hand-washing ritual before a meal. He uses a decorative bowl and gently pours warm water over our hands.

Doing the ancient Balinese hand-washing ritual at our table before the meal.

Immediately after the hand-washing ritual, another staff pushed a cart to our table and made sambal using a traditional mortar and pestle. We  could specify the level of spiciness. The sambal was used as a dip and eaten with crackers while we browsed the menu.

Staff making the sambal right in front of us.

Free flow of rice crackers. There are 3 variety in the bowl but I like the prawn crackers and emping the most, especially eaten with the spicy and savoury freshly made sambal.

The menu was comprehensive and we ordered Indonesian dishes such as beef rendang, bebek goreng aceh (fried duck), sop buntut (oxtail soup) and local vegetable.

Rendang Daging Sapi -  Sumatran Slow Braised Beef in Spiced Coconut Milk.

Bebek Goreng Aceh – Aceh Fried Duck served with sweet dipping sauce.

Local green spinach stir-fried with baby anchovies and garlic.

Sop Buntut - Beef oxtail flavor broth, tomato, carrot, potato, and chili sambal.

All main courses come with a choice of red, yellow or steamed rice. Why not try all three?

The Kid’s meal at Berjana is very comprehensive with choice of one appetiser or soup, one main course, one dessert and one kid’s beverage. We chose the chicken satay and fries as appetiser, grilled snapper with rice as main course and a single scoop of chocolate ice-cream for dessert. 

Kids meal  – grilled local snapper, steamed brocolli and rice, plus satay and fries and a cup of fresh milk.

Overall, the service, ambience and food served at Berjana was excellent. We plan to return the next day. 

We had a pleasant surprise when we returned to our room after dinner. The hotel provided some complimentary fruit tarts for our dessert or supper.