The Residence Seminyak villas is at the epicentre of Bali’s most exciting and cosmopolitan district. The buzz is apparent the moment you step out from your peaceful villa oasis. Shopaholics will be in seventh heaven. Gone are the days when ladies fashion in Bali was limited to batik rayon sundresses. The last few years have seen a flood of new designer boutiques in the Seminyak area. In Jalan Laksmana (Eat Street) you can even shop between courses should you wish! Boutiques include Paul Ropp, Biasa, Magali Pascal, Anouck, Lily Jean, Bamboo Blond, Dinda Rella, Innuendo, Religion, Body & Soul, Buddha Wear, M. Harcourt, Pura Vida, and Uma & Leopold to name but a few. Kids fashion stores include Kidsagogo and Kiki’s Closet, and, just round the corner is Seminyak Square and the new high-end shopping centre Seminyak Village. For art lovers, galleries worth visiting include Randelli Gallery, Biasa and Kendra. In neighbouring Kerobokan you can rummage for treasures through cluttered little stores and dark junkshops crammed to the ceiling with curios and ‘made-to-order’ antiques, derive inspiration from classy homeware shops, or wander through huge furniture warehouses. For furniture and homewares check out Lio Collection, Christy, and Sun. Soft furnishings abound at Haveli, Sunbebek and Disini, and Geneva is the one-stop shop for handicrafts.

You could eat out at a different restaurant in Seminyak every night – for months – and still not run out of options. Jalan Laksmana (also known as Jalan Oberoi and Jalan Kayu Aya) is Bali’s fashionable ‘Eat Street’, offering plenty of high-end restaurants including Mamasan, Kilo, Chandi and Bikini, Saigon, Merah Putih and Bambu. Then there’s La Plancha, a rustic beach bar between Double Six and Chez Gado Gado: very popular, with good tapas, very reasonably priced drinks and live music and DJ events. A short taxi to Kerobokan will bring you to Sarong, Barbacoa, Sardine and Métis (from the owners of former and fabulous Kafé Warisan) and Wild Hog formerly Naughty Nuri’s in Batubelig (a franchise of the original in Ubud) famous for barbecue ribs and wicked martinis, and not to be missed, just up the street, Watercress, a Byron Bay’esq eatery. Mid-range dining options here include Wah Wah Gourmet Burger Winebar which specialises in sassy burgers with sexy connotations, Rumours for a great steak, Motel Mexicola and numerous other cheap ‘n cheerful options.

And when you’re shopped and dined out, Seminyak beach is just moments away. Balinese sunsets are legendary and the west facing beaches around Seminyak provide the ideal spot to relax and watch the sun sink below the horizon while you sip a cocktail from one of the many beach-front bars such as chilled out La Lucciola; new kids on the block, the Potato Head Beach Club, or the infamously trendy Ku Dé Ta.