Our home in Ubud: Sanctuary Villa

Our new house is known as Sanctuary, and was the former home of a California couple who are long-time Bali residents and now own several properties in Bali.  Although we had seen photos and descriptions of Sanctuary, it turned out to offer more than we had imagined.

It is a compound made up of a series of separate buildings, laid out along a narrow plot.  One long side borders a side street and is walled.  The front door into the compound faces onto a busy main road into Ubud.  The other long side borders a steep ravine that plunges down to a stream, across from which stretch fields of rice paddies.

As you enter through the front door, to the left, up a flight of stairs, is a one-room tree house with a panoramic view of the rice paddies.  To the right is a two room building, that was used as an art studio and display space.  Down some steps, past a goldfish pond, is the main living quarters, a combined living room, dining room and kitchen, nicely decorated with art and wooden furniture.  A few steps further along, reached by a narrow wooden footbridge over a little pond, is the girls' bedroom.  Then a few steps later is our bedroom.  The property backs onto the Desa Sanctuary bed and breakfast, featuring two story bungalows and a pool, owned by the same couple.  The Desa Sanctuary staff have been a huge help in getting us situated. 

There are many water features on the property, which are both attractive and functional, as the water sounds diminish the impact of the street sounds and the occasional dog barking from the dog shelter past the bend in the road and on the other side of the rice paddies.

The grounds are lush with trees, plants and flowers.  There are sculptures throughout the property.  An elderly woman comes in the evening with a tray full of little bamboo leaf and rice offerings which she leaves at various spots on the property.

The showers are open air, though private.  The main living area has sliding glass doors on three sides which are left open in the morning and closed in the evening.

The house comes with a housekeeper and gardener, which we will introduce you to later.

There are views of the rice paddies from every room in the house.   It is a calm and beautiful setting.

There is so much to digest that there is time to only lay out the bare facts now.  We will share our impressions in another post.

The thatched roof of the treehouse on the left.

Main living area looking toward kitchen

The girls' new bed

With the Buddha overlooking the outdoor bath

One of two outdoor showers

The front of our bedroom facing towards the front of the property

View from our bedroom