Hanging Gardens of Bali

Though a long way from Babylon, the Hanging Gardens Ubud might just be worthy of sharing a name with one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Consider the situation: a half hour outside of Ubud, Bali’s inland attraction, it clings to the edge of the densely forested valley, a situation so precipitous that guests ride a funicular from the reception to the villas.

The accommodations are fairly conservative in style, but packed with all the luxe trimmings, including, crucially, private plunge pools. What counts here is not the interior design but the exterior view — you won’t miss designer furniture when you’re taking in the view across the valley.

Perhaps the best place from which to take in the view, however, is the infinity pool — backed with the right view it’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, and this one certainly makes the most of its situation, each of its two levels coming to a point that feels suspended out above the valley. Add yoga, a spa, and a well-trained chef overseeing two Indonesian restaurants, and there’s very little that can go wrong — Ubud may be an open secret, but the Hanging Gardens are far enough from town to feel very comfortably secluded.

How to get there:
Hanging Gardens Ubud is a 90-minute drive from Ngurah Rai International Airport.