30 August 2026
Buffet breakfast is included in our stay. We could chose to have breakfast at any of breakfast venues located within the resort complex such as Padi (at AYANA Resort), Karang (at AYANA Segara) or To'Ge at RIMBA. The buffet breakfast spread is quite similar across the various breakfast venues but different venues offer different views, vibes and experiences.
Breakfast at To’Ge Restaurant
Since we were staying at the RIMBA, we had our first breakfast at To’ge Restaurant. The restaurant is situated directly below the reflective pool of water on the lobby floor. It is surrounded by lush tropical gardens and a koi pond. The koi in RIMBA are much larger and more attractive than the ones outside the Damar Restaurant.
To’ge Restaurant in RIMBA is located below the lobby area.
Grandson enjoys feeding the huge koi in the pond surrounding the restaurant.
Kubu Beach
The plan for the day is to spend the morning at Kubu Beach. This beach is quite unique in the sense that it is framed by dramatic cliffs and hence very secluded and private.
For guests like us, access is via the hotel’s shuttle. The tram stop is located on the clifftop just above Kubu Beach. We paused to soak in the views and took some photos before heading down.
A semi-open elevator brings guests up and down those almost vertical cliffs. There is also a steep footpath connecting the beach to the top of the cliff, just in case the elevator fails. Or if there is a tsunami warning and we need to evacuate. Bali is located in an earthquake-prone region and the tsunami threat is real.
A hotel staff, manning the lift, ensured we got down to the beach safely.
It was exciting to take the elevator as we could feel the ocean breeze and enjoy the views of the vast blue sea as we headed down. Pictures of sea critters that live in this part of the coast adorned the walls of the lift.
Signboards indicating the route to Kubu Beach and also the Kubu Beach Club, a beach bar, on the other side.
Also located at this area is the Kubu Beach Club. The beach club serves light bites and tropical cocktails.
We headed straight to Kubu Beach as that was what we came for. The hotel staff at the beach provided F&B service so we could order from the menu served from the Beach Club.
Path to the cliffside beach bar.
Kubu Beach as seen from the foot of the elevator.
Kubu Beach is definitely a very beautiful beach in Bali, with white sandy shores. Unfortunately, the orange flag was up, meaning we could swim in the sea with caution. The sea may look calm at one moment and then followed by a sudden huge wave. No one was swimming in the sea although a lifeguard was on duty.
Sudden strong wave that reaches up to the lifeguard’s post.
A popular activity for the younger visitors - taking selfies on the beach.
The beach was very pretty and many were buy snapping photos of the surroundings.
For me, it was chill and relax under the shade of the beach umbrellas and do some people watching. Watching my grandson having fun with the sand and young ladies in bikinis, taking selfies, after selfies, after selfies…
Beach toys are available from the hotel staff but we brought our own toys too.
Building castles in the sand and under the shade.
The tiny red sign is a constant reminder that Indonesia is in the earthquake zone and the risk of tsunami is real.
Lunch at Karang Restaurant
After a morning at the beach, we took the shuttle to AYANA Segara Bali for lunch at the Karang Restaurant. Located next to the pool at Segara, this open-concept restaurant provides a breezy, outdoor vibe, excellent service and a comfortable environment to enjoy a diverse range of Indonesian cuisine.
The menu and food quality outshine those at the Damar Restaurant. Also, no pesky flies!
Some of the signature dishes we had was the Iga Babi Bakar (Balinese style grilled pork ribs) and the Mackerel Fish with rica rica sambal. The rica rica sambal is a fiery and aromatic hot and spicy chili sauce originating from the Manado cuisine of North Sulawesi, Indonesia.
Iga Babi Bakar - Balinese-style grilled barbeque pork ribs with long bean salad.
Mackerel Island Signature Fish - charcoal-grilled mackerel infused with Manado’s signature rica-rica sambal, accompanied by water spinach, spicy sambal, aromatic fish broth, and a refreshing hint of lime.
Grandson’s battery flat by this time of day. Needed a quick recharge.
Karang serves the best Indonesian food we had so far in the resort and we plan to be back again in the days to come.
Swimming pools at RIMBA
We went to swim at RIMBA’s pools till 4 PM. RIMBA has five pools: Upper pool, Lower pool, Cabana pool, Three Monkeys pool, and Unique pool.
We went to the Cabana and Lower pool as the Upper Pool, Unique and Three Monkeys Pool are not open to children under 12 for safety reasons.
The lower pool is best for families with kids. There is a waterfall, a shallow area, and a water slide. Unfortunately for my grandson, children must be at least 5 years old and no taller than 1.6m to use it. He enjoys paddling around the pool on his inflatable floating car that we brought.
Sunset and dinner at the Rock Bar
The highlight for the day would be sunset watching and dinner at the Rock Bar.
Situated on natural rocks at the base of AYANA's towering cliffs and 14 metres above Indian Ocean, this innovative open-air bar is Bali's most chic sunset destination. Soon after it opened in 2009, it won accolades as one of the world’s best bar and best sunset venue. Hence it is extremely popular and during peak periods, the queues can be significant, particularly around sunset. A good thing about staying at AYANA is that hotel guests have priority over walk-in customers.
We made reservations in advance via the AYANA app soon after we checked in at RIMBA by Ayana.
Access to the Rock Bar is via a cliffside inclined elevator (funicular lift). The cabin holds only 8 people per trip so we had to queue for about 10 minutes to board.
It was a bright and warm sunny day. Umbrellas provided by the kind staff and sea breeze kept us cool while we waited for the elevator to bring us down.
An attendant retrieves our umbrellas right before we boarded the cabin of the elevator. Riding the “elevator” down the cliff was fun for us and more so for the kid. Being a train enthusiast, he was fascinated by the gears and wheels on the car.
The Rock Bar features seven distinct seating areas, each offering a unique vantage point. These are named the Round Deck, Top Bar, Dinner Table Sofas, Tapas Table, Day Bed and Counter Top.
The most sought after seats are those on the Round Deck and Top Deck where the DJ is located.
The Round Deck is exclusively reserved for guests staying in Ayana Villas. There are other sections reserved for RIMBA and Segara guests. Since we are a group of four adults and 1 child, the most suitable seating for us was at the Sofa. Here, we could order tapas and drinks.
Where we sat was only a few meters above the Indian Ocean. Unfortunately (or fortunately), the tide was low so we did not see and feel the waves crashing on the rocks.
The bar is completely outdoor and has no cover at all. The kind staff provided large umbrellas to shield us from the setting sun that was still quite warm for the next 20 minutes or so.
The food and cocktails are good but quite expensive (as expected). We had grilled octopus, butterfly king prawns, BBQ chicken wings, nachos and mini beef sliders.
Greek-inspired, wood-roasted/grilled octopus served with Revithada spread, chickpeas, dried tomatoes, caviar and capers.
The cocktails are pretty good. Not the diluted stuff.
Sipping cocktails on a cliff with a view of the sunset over the Indian Ocean!
The Rock Bar is definitely an excellent place to see the sunset. During our visit, the time for sunset was about 6.15 PM.
During this time, almost everyone was snapping photos of the sun, low on the horizon. We watched the sky slowly changed from a golden yellow to a pinkish hue. As the sun disappears beneath the horizon, the blue sky deepens in colour and the lights came on.
Truly an unforgettable and special sunset experience at an incredible location.
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