An oasis in the centre of Bali's tourism attractions

Whether you plan on partying, surfing or spending some time in the pool with the kids. Pullman Bali Legian Beach has a major drawcard: its location.

Midway between Kuta and Seminyak, and situated right across the road from one of Bali's most popular surfing beaches, this is an ideal base for lovers of bustling international hotels.

All the local attractions are within a short stroll, whether you want to walk along the beach, visit myriad restaurants and bars, have a massage, a mani/pedi, drink cocktails, visit a market, get a tattoo, drink at a beach club or maybe see a drag show.

Or alternatively there's enough activities on site for the whole family that you could stay on site and stay busy all week.

There are a variety of room styles on offer and we were lucky enough to spend one night in a Premium Deluxe Ocean View room (below), and the second in a spacious and very quiet Exclusive Family Room.

This is a big hotel - offering terrific variety. 

There are 378 rooms and suites, each with the possibility of overlooking the gardens, pools or ocean. 

There is plenty of fresh air and sunlight no matter which room format you choose, and all rooms are  equipped with LED smart TV and cable channels, fast and free wifi, bathtubs and rainfall showers, yoga kits and safe deposit boxes.

There is a lot of greenery here; it is a little oasis from the hustle and bustle outside. Visit the hotel's own temple gardens, dine in the Montage all-day dining restaurant (with different global cuisines featured each night of the week), or dine from an on-trend food truck. 

Think Middle Eastern foods one night, seafood another, or Tastes of Asia, which we enjoyed. Not gourmet, but hearty. The relaxed resort vibe does sometimes extend to the service.

But if you need a late-night bite after being out partying, or a cosy breakfast in bed, there is 24-hour in-room dining.

Breakfast can be whatever you want from a buffet array of healthy options ranging from Japanese and Indian to western options. The egg station is quick and efficient and makes excellent omelettes. 

The al a carte all-day menu features Indian and Korean dishes, western favourites and local tastes like satay platters and bebek goreng (duck fried rice) 

There are three bars, an infinity pool, garden pool and kids pool, a well equipped gym with enthusiastic trainers, a kids club, even function rooms and a ballroom. 

Keeping guests’ wellness to the fore, the modern Tjakra7 Spa features hydro pools (below), steam room and sauna, along with a range of spa therapies. It is very impressive. 

There are bars serving cocktails, mocktails, beers and wines. Choose from L-Bar near the lobby area (which has late-night BOGOF happy hours), IP Bar at the rooftop Infinity Pool that offers great sunset views, and the relaxed Garden Bar. 

For those needing time before check in or after check out there is a lounge with computer screens and bathroom facilities. 

Kids will love the late-night movies shown open air in the gardens.  

What does the manager have to say? 

“Pullman Bali Legian Beach is a property which stands out amongst all the hotels and resorts in this legendary Kuta and Legian area," says GM Ravi Khubchandani. 

"As the home of business, casual meetings, and leisure, Pullman Bali Legian Beach is a primary choice to stay for many people that would like to enjoy the exalting life alongside the famous Legian Beach.”

See https://www.pullman-bali-legianbeach.com/

Overseas visitors still turning their back on the US

Overseas tourist arrivals to the United States continue to slump.

Apparently people from many other countries just don't like Donald Trump very much.

June preliminary figures from the US government show visitation from overseas substantially down, news hub Travel Mole reports,

The trend is due to a combination of factors including geopolitical turbulence, economic difficulties and a degraded image of the country in the eyes of many potential travellers, it reported.

Preliminary numbers released by the National Travel and Tourism Office saw visits from overseas to the US down by -3.4% year-over-year.

With 2.8 million overseas travellers in June, the figure represents only 80% of 2019 levels. The overseas figure excludes visitors from Canada and Mexico.

From the 20 top inbound markets, 11 showed a decline in June. Ecuador, South Korea, and Australia showed the most significant declines with respective drops of -14.1%, -10.7% and -10.2%.

Arrivals from Western Europe - a top inbound region for the US - were also down by 2.5% in June.

All Scandinavian countries recorded a double-digit decline but the US did receive more visitors from Italy (up 3.4%) and Spain (up 2.1%).

The most resilient region in June was Latin America (excluding Mexico). Central American arrivals posted a growth of 6.8% while South American visitors were up by 2.1%.

In contrast to the general trend, Argentina and Brazil posted respective gains of 15.6% and 18.6%. 

Wine, weddings, parties, anything in Western Australia

Take an American and a South African. Drop them in Western Australia and watch them build a thriving wine business and cellar door, a spirits brand and luxury accommodation.

Ampersand Estates, co-owned by friends and business partners Melissa Bell and Corrie Scheepers, offers wine and events in the Pemberton region of south-west Western Australia.

It is home to three spacious luxury accommodation options surrounded by vineyards, native forest and wild kangaroos.

The Homestead sits on the Donnelly River and has five king-sized bedrooms, each with en suites. The Vintner’s Residence is on a hilltop, overlooking the vineyards and surrounding forest – it also boasts five king-sized bedrooms with en suite bathrooms.

The Settler’s Cottage is a two-bedroom, one-bathroom configuration, adjacent to the lakeside cellar door.

A private in-house chef is available to cater for gourmets and in-house guests also have a weather guarantee.

From July through September, guests staying at Ampersand Estates will enjoy bottomless Ampersand wine - every time it rains.

There is also a Winter Escape package where guests stay three nights and pay for two.



Bell and Scheepers have reinvigorated the former Donnelly River Winery, the oldest winery in the region.

Ampersand is promoted as a "harmonious convergence of premium wines, luxury accommodation, gourmet culinary delights, unique spirits, and the breath-taking natural beauty of Western Australia". 

The property hosts events and weddings, as well as wine lovers.

The wine range includes chardonnay, syrah, rosé, pinot noir and sauvignon blanc - exported to Singapore - while the Rainfall Distillery produces a range of spirits, specialising in gins and vodkas.

Pemberton is 3.5 hours’ drive south of Perth and 40 minutes east of Margaret River region.

Part of the Southern Forests wine region, the Pemberton region boasts six cellar doors and is the Southern Hemisphere’s black Perigord truffle epicentre - producing up to 85% of the annual harvest.

I haven't tried the wines or the spirits yet - but I will report back.  

See www.ampersandestates.com.au

Stirred, not shaken: Subsea Estate trials ocean-matured wines

There are multiple ways to make your wines stand out from the crowd.

Make them organic, biodynamic, amber or natural. Choose a striking label, or uniquely shaped bottle.

But wines that have been immersed in the ocean to mature have a serious point of difference.

Meet Subsea Estate from Western Australia, which promises "a complete immersion in ocean winemaking innovation" .

These wines undergo fermentation and maturation on lees beneath the waves, stirred by the ocean swells, which create a different texture profile. Did the wines roll off my tongue, or was it the power of suggestion?

The Subsea Estate wines come in two different iterations; Land & Ocean ($40), and Pure Ocean ($120).

So think Margaret River semillon and shiraz partially, or fully, elevated under the Southern Ocean.

Land & Ocean wines are fermented on land then treated to southern maritime influence, while Pure Ocean is matured entirely on the "WineReef".

Subsea Estate has established its open ocean underwater ‘cellar’ in Rare Foods Australia’s 413-hectare ocean lease off Flinders Bay near Augusta.

Subsea Estate’s cellars lie 15 to 20 metres below the water where "consistent temperatures, oceanic pressure, and gentle currents create distinctive characteristics that speak of ocean rhythms and the seasons of the sea."

I preferred the more complex Pure Ocean version of the shiraz but the Land & Ocean version of the semillon.

I suspect it will take a few vintages to learn the ideal timing to evaluate the "unique flavour profiles that express their ocean provenance".

The wines are the brainchild of local abalone diver Brad Adams and French winemaker Emmanuel Poirmeur, sparked by a vision: "what if… Margaret River’s exceptional wines could be transformed by the very waters that make this region unique?"   

The wines are well made and stand up without their unique provenance, but certainly make an intriguing dinner party talking point or a brilliant mystery wine game subject.

“We’re excited to bring to Australians a totally new and unique drinking experience that’s a true taste of  Margaret River," the founders say in their mission statement.

“We love working with our wonderful natural marine environment to produce wines that can’t be replicated on land. They’re a truly unique product of our magnificent region and our adventurous spirit.”

More trials, and more grape varieties are on their way.

Subsea Cellar Door is at Lot 331 Augusta Boat Harbour, Leeuwin Road, Augusta, and is open daily. 

Explore their story further at https://subseaestate.com

Church Block: And then there were three

Church Block has been a favourite with red wine lovers since it was launched by Wirra Wirra back in 1972.

The brand was originally a grenache/shiraz blend before  founder Greg Trott transitioned to the now-classic cabernet-led blend.

Now Church Block will offer three different McLaren Vale reds - so wine lovers will need to pay attention which iteration they pick up from their local bottle store.

Church Block Shiraz and Church Block Grenache Shiraz join the traditional Church Block Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Merlot blend, which has become regarded as a benchmark for value with an RRP of around $25.

Maintaining the integrity and legacy of Church Block was key to the development of the new wines, says Wirra Wirra CEO Matt Deller.

“The evolution of Church Block was a natural next step,” Deller said.

“It gives us the freedom to explore McLaren Vale’s classic reds through the Church Block lens, with the same focus on authenticity, balance and style that’s defined it for more than 50 years.

“It deepens what Church Block stands for, while staying true to where it began.”

Emma Wood, Wirra Wirra’s chief winemaker since 2022, had a clear vision for the new releases.

“We’ve always approached Church Block as a fine wine,” she said. “We carefully source and blend for complexity, style, and balance.

"These new wines need to live up to the reputation built over 51 vintages by over-delivering on quality, which is why Church Block resonates with both casual drinkers and collectors alike.”

The current vintages of Church Block Cabernet Blend and Church Block Shiraz will also debut a new lightweight proprietary bottle, reducing glass weight from 547g to 410g. This innovation cuts production emissions by 68 tonnes annually, representing a 10% reduction in overall emissions for Wirra Wirra.

The new Church Block wines will hit the stores any day now.

My samples have just arrived, so look out for an update over the next few days.

Why you need to be cyber alert when travelling

Travellers tend to relax when away from home. They shouldn't.

Many don’t realize that their hotel rooms can be hotspots for digital threats - making seemingly relaxing getaways risky moments for their personal data and devices.

"Cybersecurity doesn’t go on holiday just because you do," says Matas Cenys, senior product manager at Saily.

"Even in your hotel room, hackers can exploit weak spots in public infrastructure and devices to access your information.

"That’s why travellers need to take digital security seriously - especially when relying on unfamiliar networks abroad."

Here are some of the ways devices can be hacked on vacation - and how to stay safe with smart precautions and secure mobile connectivity, as recommended by Saily.

Hotel wifi: Protect your connection
Public wifi can be convenient, but it's also one of the easiest gateways for hackers. In hotels, cybercriminals can exploit network vulnerabilities by either infecting the hotel’s legitimate wifi or setting up fake hotspots that look like official hotel networks but are designed to steal your data. Confirm the correct network name with hotel staff or avoid public wifi by using mobile data via an eSIM service, which provides secure, and affordable internet access.

USB charging ports: Stick to the socket
USB ports in hotel rooms may be convenient, especially for international travelers, but they’re not always safe. Modified ports can enable “juice jacking” - a method where malware is transferred to your phone via the USB cable, allowing hackers to steal passwords, credit card numbers, or even your location.

Smart TVs: Don’t let your screen spy on you
Smart TVs in hotel rooms often come equipped with cameras, microphones, and access to streaming services - and they're sometimes poorly secured. Hackers can exploit these devices to eavesdrop, watch, or capture login credentials.

Automatic connections: Disable and defend
Most smartphones are set to connect automatically to known wifi networks, but this can backfire when you're surrounded by insecure or malicious networks. Devices can reconnect without you noticing - even when you’re not in the room. Turn off auto-connect for wifi and Bluetooth. Enable security apps like firewalls or VPNs.

Phishing scams: Don’t let your guard down
Advanced cybercriminal groups like DarkHotel have been known to target high-profile travellers at luxury hotels with phishing campaigns and malware-laced networks. Their phishing emails are convincing, often highly personalised. Avoid clicking suspicious links or downloading unknown attachments.

# Saily is promoted as an affordable and secure travel eSIM app created by the team behind NordVPN.

Image: Lin Watchorn, Scop.io