Originally Posted by Musken

What I love about the Amans, is that they tend to offer not only the obvious sights that "everyone" wants to see, but also simple treks in the local nature with a guide knowing a lot about the flora and fauna, things you might not even notice by yourself and you walk with the guide and really noone else, except some locals who you might meet.

Originally Posted by Musken

...Amankila. The driver helped us dressing properly in sarongs and we joined him and around 1.000 locals in a huge ceremony... driver did his best to explain everything for us, and acted as translator between the local boys and our son

Originally Posted by Musken

Only need to dress properly in sarong. We were alone as only tourists

Originally Posted by Musken

What Aman does really well at Dari for example is that they are very closely connected to the local village where many employees live and they let tourist take place during very small and intimate local ceremonies in this village, almost as part of the village people. We would for example go to the local temple to give offerings after the cooking class at Bali. This is something that no FS does - at least not the ones that I have been to. But find and take you to a larger ceremony, I guess they could have done. But they have never been as good as Amans in terms of making you aware of these things. I remember being at FS Jimbaran during Ogoh-ogoh and nyepi three years ago. We saw the Ogoh-ogoh being carried around and out of the FS by the staff, asked reception wether we should go and have a look at the happening at night. We were not really told what to expect and ended up not going (wrong!)

Originally Posted by Ericka

Amanusa...That afternoon, we took the VW Thing to the beach and enjoyed the great service from our beach bale. On the way back, our driver stopped when he noticed a traditional ceremony underway (we won’t discuss the details as it’s not really PC by western standards). When we thanked him for sharing this impromptu moment with us, he told us how much fun it was for him to share. “My job is my hobby. My hobby is my job.” And that pretty well sums up why we try to include an Aman in all of our vacations.

Originally Posted by bhrubin

Amanjiwo may be the most magical place we've ever been short of Singita Boulders Lodge. You will love it, especially if you have any appreciation of a spiritual feel. Neither of us are spiritual in the least, but Amanjiwo (and to a less extent, Amandari in Ubud) really struck us in the most spiritual way. It was pure magic and total escape for us.