Enjoying a tranquil village setting along Bali’s south-west coast, four-bedroomed Villa Shamira is a much-loved family home that’s given years of joy to its owners. This stylish yet utterly casual hideaway welcomes with a 12m swimming pool, an extensive array of relaxing indoor–outdoor living and dining areas and a team of delightful, long-term staff who are almost part of the family.
Set within lush tropical gardens and surrounded by rice fields and farming communities, Villa Shamira is a ten-minute stroll from Canggu Beach, renowned for its excellent surfing and spectacular sunsets, and only a few kilometres from the shops and restaurants of sophisticated Seminyak.
Completed in 1990, Villa Shamira was the second western-design villa to be built in Canggu village. Back then, the property had open views across endless rice fields all the way to the black-sand beach. Despite inevitable development – no doubt accelerated by its proximity to world-class surf and to hip, vibrant Seminyak – Canggu is still a peaceful seaside community.
Villa Shamira is not just another Bali rental property or showcase villa; rather it is a genuine family residence that has evolved with the local community over the years and now offers an idyllic home-from-home holiday experience for extended families and groups of friends. Well-thumbed books line shelves, original photos hang on the walls and long-serving local staff welcome guests warmly: you can almost sense the years of laughter and happiness reverberating throughout the house.
This bali four-bedroom residence (plus additional lumbung bedroom), set in lush tropical gardens, belies its age and has been thoughtfully updated with modern comforts and luxuries as it has matured. Contemporary tropical Asian influences – timelessly stylish yet informal and comfortable – complement the villa’s solid western architecture. There are so many inviting indoor–outdoor living spaces at Villa Shamira, including several dining areas, hidden patios and a poolside balé (gazebo), that it’s quite a challenge to fully enjoy them all.
These, along with its charming bedrooms and a centre-stage 12m swimming pool surrounded by a sociably-sized stone pool deck, make Villa Shamira ideal for entertaining in style and lounging in luxurious comfort.
Room
Set within private tropical gardens, Villa Shamira is western-style in design, comprising three, yellow-hued buildings topped with tiled roofing. Quality materials, including teak, distressed woods, marble and Palimanan stone are used throughout.
The ground floor of the central, double-storey building houses a large, open-sided living and dining area, TV room, kitchen and bathroom. On the upper floor, three bedrooms and an outdoor dining patio are accessed via a teakwood staircase.
To the left of the main building and accessed via a garden patio stands a single-storey detached wing aptly named the garden room, containing bedroom number four. A separate wooden staircase to the right of the living and dining area leads to an extra bedroom (without ensuite bathroom), known as the lumbung room – its distinctive curved roof a clue to the traditional touches that lie within.
Living Room and Dining Room
A contemporary tropical Asian style pervades at the heart of Villa Shamira where the expansive, open-sided living and dining area, fringed with foliage and cooled by natural breezes and ceiling fans, provides a variety of relaxed, informal living spaces. Throughout, there’s an eclectic mix of family photos, brimming bookcases, vases of tropical blooms, and antique Indonesian furniture and artefacts.
Facing the pool, a marble-floored dining area with a low sloping white timber roof above a long wooden table for ten, affords a boathouse effect. Flanking either side is a pretty blue and white cushioned daybed and a traditional-style seating area on a raised platform, providing two sublime spots for pre-dinner drinks. Adjacent, there’s a smaller dining area for more intimate soirees.
Two further dining tables and an antique daybed stacked with white cushions furnish the centre of the living and dining area while, at the far end, is the expansive TV room. Functional in design, this air-conditioned and entirely glass-encased room houses the villa’s only TV – a 40-inch flat-screen satellite TV with DVD player – which can be enjoyed from the comfort of white suede couches. A CD stereo system, iPod dock and multiple speakers are perfect accompaniments for get-togethers and pool parties. Also off the living and dining area is a modern corner kitchen, fully-fitted with white painted wood cabinets, which is compact, yet well-equipped.
Garden, Pool and Bale
The pretty, natural stone, 6 x 12m swimming pool dominates the garden to the rear of the villa; its submerged ledge just made for sunset drinks. A generous stone pool deck is furnished with five rattan sun-loungers. To the right, four woven rattan pod chairs and a large table are stunningly illuminated at night by a spherical lantern resembling a golden moon.
At the pool’s opposite end stands a thatched balé stacked with comfy cushions – a gloriously peaceful spot for reading and siestas – while along the sides of the villa, yet more outdoor sitting areas can be found. The gardens feature lawns dissected with stone steps and edged by lush, tropical flora, such as banana plants and tall palm fronds, encircled by a combination of stone walls and bamboo fencing.
Location
Villa Shamira is located on a small lane straddling two beach roads. A pleasant stroll of under ten minutes along either road brings you to Canggu Beach. The road to the left (Jalan Batu Balong) takes you to Canggu Beach ‘proper,’ frequented mostly by locals, especially at dusk, and providing only simple food outlets. However, just before you reach the beach, you’ll find the divine Hotel Tugu, one of Bali’s most celebrated hotels, with excellent restaurants and a fascinating and charming bar area.
The road to the right of Villa Shamira (Jalan Batu Mejan) leads to Echo Beach, a long-time surfer’s haunt that increasingly caters to visitors with spas, boutiques and a diverse range of eateries. A circular walk – particularly lovely at sunrise or sunset – takes you along the beach and past an ancient temple where Hindu ceremonies invariably spill out onto the beach.
