NATURAL BEAUTY ON THE INSIDE AND OUT
The Maya Ubud Resort & Spa in Ubud boasts one of the most well-rounded wellness experiences in Asia.
With an intrinsic belief that natural beauty starts from the inside, ‘we are what we eat’, as well as on the outside utilising a combination of authentic Indonesian and cutting edge international beauty treatments, the River Café and Spa at Maya work together to create unparalleled results with long lasting effects.
Executive Chef Katherine Townsend and her team are the creative geniuses behind River Café’s ‘conscious cuisine’, the most delicious dishes imaginable that not only taste delightful yet are also chock full of nature’s most potent anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals. Her new blood-building, oxygen-rich menu works in conjunction with the spa’s recently launched Intraceuticals Oxygen facials, world-class beauty treatments favoured by such A-list celebrities as Madonna and Miranda Kerr.
With mesmerising river valley views overlooking a stunning infinity edge swimming pool and the picturesque thatched roofs of the spa’s treatment suites, River Café is a popular destination for residents and visitors. Before indulging in the Intraceuticals ‘Rejuvenate’ face treatment, revered for its hydrating, lifting and skin tightening properties, Townsend recommends partaking in her new three-course menu, a heady selection of iron and zinc-rich foods designed to increase the body’s ability to absorb oxygen.
Breaking through the stereotype that healthy food will leave you feeling deprived and worse yet, hungry, your culinary journey begins with a reinvigorating burgundy-hued tonic comprised of freshly juiced cucumber, carrot, orange, mint and ginger. Served in a simple white ceramic bowl presented on a wooden platter topped with a banana leaf, your first course is a succulent salad composed of spiced red rice crusted deep sea prawns, tender shavings of green mango and whisper thin slices of star fruit tossed with a light tamarind, honey and chilli dressing. Your second course is a generous slice of imported salmon with crispy skin, balanced on a moist chick pea and spinach fritter surrounded by a creamy, dairy-free sauce made from green pumpkin seeds. When the third course arrives, a modern twist on the classic cheesecake dessert, you are presented with a culinary work of art, 100% vegan and raw. A vivid wash of raspberry colour is complemented with heavenly dollops of deconstructed citrus ‘dreamcake’, blueberry compote, crushed nuts and sweet tuile shaped into the design of a traditional Balinese carving.
Now that your body is nourished with beauty inducing ingredients from the garden and sea, it’s time to experience one of Bali’s most cutting edge facial treatments in an enchanting riverside spa suite at Spa at Maya. A secret weapon for looking your best before special events, and for slowing down the aging process with regular treatments, the therapist uses a sleek silver wand to deliver cooling pressurised oxygen directly onto your skin. Incredibly relaxing, she fluctuates between gently misting the entire face with oxygen and pin-pointing every centimetre to ensure complete hydration.
For fun and to prove the treatment’s efficacy, the therapist completes one-half of your face and then shows you the results in a hand-held mirror. On the treated side, fine lines have literally disappeared and your skin is plump and fresh in comparison to the untreated side. Unlike many anti-aging programmes available at medi-spas around Asia, the Intraceuticals facials are completely pain-free and are in fact so relaxing that I nodded off a few times during the second half. What a treat to wake up to skin that looks like I’ve given up my vices and have had weeks of restful nights. With absolutely no down time needed, you can book the facial right before your next special event at a highly competitive rate of USD$99+. Looking your best while indulging in the most pampering environs imaginable just might have to become part of your monthly beauty regimen.
Maya Ubud Resort & Spa
Jalan Gunung Sari, Peliatan, Ubud
Bali 80571, Indonesia
T: (+62) 361 977 888
