The Waroeng Djamoe Spa at The Hotel Tugu, Bali

Article by Evelyn Chen, a Spa Site Guest Writer based in Singapore. Photos by Alex Ang.

Click HERE for Photos of the Resort, Guest Suite and Palace of Harmony  Click HERE for Photos of the Spa  Contact Hotel Tugu Bali • Address: Jl. Pantai Batu Bolong, Canggu Beach, Bali, Indonesia • Phone: 62-361-731701 • Fax: 62-361-731704 • Website  • E-mail Evelyn Chen Email: evelyn@leaf-pebble.com   Other Articles by Evelyn Chen • Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan • Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran • Interview with Belinda Shepherd, Spa Director at Four Seasons Bali • Amrita Spa, Raffles City Singapore • Asian Spa at The Fullerton Hotel • St. Gregory Therapeutic Spa, Singapore • Mandara Spa, Magellan Sutera Harbour in Sabah, Malaysia  Related Resources • Spas in Asia The Tropical Spa : Asian Secrets of Health, Beauty & Relaxation by Sophie Benge

We arrived at Hotel Tugu, Bali (“Tugu Bali”) on a humid and sunny afternoon in April. A nostalgic feeling descended as we walked towards the lobby on a long wooden walkway, called “Bale Agung”, the place of original Megibung (chair-less) dining inspired by an ancient village near Kintamani. We knew instantly that Tugu Bali was going to be an extraordinary experience.

The Antique Museum Resort

Nestled in the ancient fishing village of Canggu on Bali’s west coast, halfway between miles of green paddy fields and the ocean sits Tugu Bali. Founded by Javanese antique collector and lawyer turned hotelier, Mr Setjadibrata and his wife, Dr. Julianti (doctor turned proprietress), Tugu Bali was set up as a third project by the Tugu Group to house the antiques and cultural artifacts which Setjadribrata has amassed over the past 30 years. Designed personally by Setjadribrata, Tugu Bali blends traditional Balinese architecture and landscape with tinges of Javanese influence. At the centre of the resort is an open lobby with a voluminous “alang alang” roof supported by twenty-foot high wood columns, each topped with the carved head of a Boma, a mythological Balinese guardian known to ward off evil. Resting right below the roof is the statue of a gigantic Garuda, a mythological bird in Balinese legend known as a vehicle of Hindu god, Vishnu – probably the largest in the whole of Indonesia. Eclectic pieces of antique paintings, artifacts, textiles and furniture are thematically displayed throughout the property – the most stunning of which is the “Palace of Harmony”, an 18th century Peranakan ancestral hall which Setjadribrata had painstakingly rescued from destruction in Malacca. It is now transformed into a dining hall with vintage photographs, an antique Oriental teak table, chairs, cabinets, artifacts and a life-size stone sculpture of “Guan-Yin,” a Chinese deity.

The All Natural Spa Haven

Ms. Julianti warmly greeted us as we stepped into the presence of the Garuda at the majestic lobby. A tour of the estate guided by Ms Julianti opened our eyes to a blissful sanctuary (and museum) totally hidden to the outside world. Twenty-two thatched-roof guest suites are sprawled throughout the one-hectare property connected by meandering pebble-lined pathways and wooden walkways crossing lotus ponds. Interspersed among guest suites are five “Waroeng Djamoe” spa villas. A little hut next to the lobby serves as the spa reception, showcasing local herbs and ingredients used in the spa’s elixirs and treatments. “Waroeng Djamoe” is an ancient Javanese word for traditional apothecary that offers herbal drink or jamu (traditional Indonesian herbal medicine). Inspired by the need to preserve and relive the forgotten history of Indonesia, Ms. Julianti set out to concoct a spa menu using only natural roots, leaves, trunks, fruits, reeds, flowers and plants’ skin in 1998. The result was an authentic and traditional treatment menu targeted at enhancing the well-being of body and mind in a setting that promises to soothe the spirit. The spa villas, each with a unique Indonesian name, are:

Kamar Molek Seger Waras - Meaning room for freshness and health, a double spa suite with outdoor plunge pool and open bath  

Kumar Semedhi - Meaning room for meditation, a Buddhist-themed double spa suite with sunken clay bathtub, ground-level mattresses and a set of doors leading into a dimly-lit room with Buddhist artifact for deep meditation  

Kamar Solek - Meaning beauty parlour, a tiny treatment room used for hair or face therapy furnished only with an antique bed from Madura

Gubug Nglamun Leha-Leha - Meaning room for day dreaming, a double treatment area with whirlpool bath in an open setting surrounded by lush Balinese garden and stone walls. Bamboo blinds can be drawn for privacy  

Kamar Dandang Goela - Meaning "the blooming of the universe", a new double spa suite that was under construction but close to completion at the time of my visit

After a hearty dinner prepared by Chef Suhardono, we retired early into the Rejiang Suite, a charming room with private balcony and sunken stainless steel bathtub made by Javanese artisan. We had scheduled to start our hedonistic “Gemulai Penari” (literally translated into Dancing Therapist) spa treatment at 8am the next morning. This heavenly spa treatment for two (including spa lunch) was to last a sinful 8 hours – the most complete ritual we have ever experienced!

Dancing Therapist Massage

After a leisurely breakfast by the Balinese pool, we adjourned to Kumar Molek Seger Waras (room for freshness and health) for our massage and body treatment. As we entered a narrow traditional Balinese doorway, the whiff of frangipani essential oil greeted us as we were visually introduced to neatly arranged trays of fresh local ingredients used for our treatments. The Dancing Therapist body massage with a coconut base and sandalwood essential oil began our spa journey that morning. Developed by Nengah, a therapist who learned Balinese dance from Ni Ketut Cenik (a famous traditional Balinese dancer), this deep tissue massage seeks to integrate the graceful rhythm of Balinese music to the power of touch through a series of highly synchronized music and finger and palm movements. I felt completely relaxed after this unique massage, and was somewhat inspired to learn more about Balinese music and dance.

Skin Food for the Body  

Following the “rhapsody”, we had a lavish Body Scrub treatment lasting 2 hours. Using firm effleurage movements, a blend of grated carrot and ground rice powder was applied to the body to exfoliate (Alex, my husband, chose ground Balinese coffee powder as it was recommended for male skin). A warm towel hugged the skin for 5 minutes before the ingredients were removed. A gentle massage ensued and this was followed by the next layer of Temu Giring (local ingredient from the rhizome family, previously used by the princess of Keraton for beauty treatments) blended with rice powder to thoroughly cleanse and soften the skin. The entire process was repeated with freshly squeezed avocado (to moisturize) and cool yogurt (to revitalize).

Soak and Meditate

After the body rubdown, we were guided to the exotic Kumar Semedhi (room for meditation) upstairs to soak and relax. Two panels of red doors with gold plated leaves opened into a room infused with sandalwood incense and a sunken tub filled with local herbs, fresh frangipani and rose petals. The soak, though hot, was extremely effective in calming the body and relaxing the mind, thus setting the pace for an hour-long meditation.

Revitalizing Spa Lunch

With a calmed mind and toned body, we were then guided to an open-air spa pavilion with towering greens, Guby Nglamun Leha-Leha, where our lunch was set up romantically at a table shaded by an enormous tree. The delightful Revitalizing Spa Lunch (created by Chef Suhardono), using only fresh local ingredients, was incredibly creative and delicious with the 6 courses laid out as follows:

Spa Lunch Menu

Fruits Lassie (Fruit plus Yogurt)  
(Watermelon, Melon, Pineapple, Papaya, Apple, Passion Fruit, Seasonal Fruit)

Bulung Meurab  
Chicken and Seaweed Salad  
Fresh Seaweed Salad with garden vegetables and slice or steam chicken with sesame and ginger dressing

Tim Ikan Babah  
Fresh Catch or The Day steamed with ginger, scallion, mushroom and served with steam rice and stir fry vegetables.

Rojak Toegoe  
Traditional fresh fruit salad with palm sugar sauce

Choice of traditional “Djamoe” to improve health and recharge the body:  
Beras Kencur (Mixture of rice, turmeric, tamarind, “kencur”, honey, palm sugar, lime juice) Kunyit asam (Mixture or turmeric, palm sugar, tamarind)

Choice of:  
Purbawati Sukabumi Tea Leaves, tong Tji Tea Leaves, Slawi Jasmine Tea Leaves, Slawi Green Tea Leaves, Lao Ren Tong Bian Tea Leaves, Surakarta Gardone Tea Leaves, gentong Mas Tea Leaves, Crysanthemum Tea Leaves, Tegal Tea Leaves, Java Tea Leaves, Chinese Oolong Tea Leaves.

Skin Food for the Face

With rustling leaves and the sound of waves as a backdrop, our spa journey continued. The facial treatment began with a scrub made of temu giring blended with rice powder to thoroughly cleanse. A gravity-defying facial massage ensued using blended oil of frangipani for Alex and bamboo oil (I did not even knew that bamboo oil existed!) for myself, commencing with light movements on the lymph glands to flush out toxins followed by a deep tissue massage. Whilst Alex selected a freshly grated carrot mask (the carotene provides an excellent source of vitamins), I opted for the more unique grated bengkuang (yam beam) mask, known to have a whitening effect on skin. With the masks intact, fresh ice-cold cucumber slices were abundantly placed on our faces. With the reputation as a skin softener, fresh cucumber treatment is also known to tighten the skin and replenish moisture. Our complexion looked remarkably clear by the end of the lavish facial treatment.  

Relieve the Scalp and Revitalize the Hair

A good scalp treatment is one that activates hair follicles and reduces head tension. The “Waroeng Djamoe” scalp treatment did more than just that, it delivered sleek and aromatic hair with its treasure chest of the best local beauty secrets for healthy hair. After shampoo and conditioning, aloe vera sap freshly extracted from leaves were massaged into the scalp (to encourage hair growth and protect against dry hair and split ends).  After rinsing, ground kemiri (rich candlenuts) oil blended with crushed hibiscus leaves (used for hair washing in Indonesia before the advent of shampoos) were then applied onto the scalp to put grey hair at bay. This was followed by banana stem dew juice (dew collected from the stem of a cut banana tree left overnight) treatment to strengthen root of the hair. These fresh extracts were massaged onto the scalp with strong and quick motions, then rinsed out before the next was applied. Kemiri oil was then massaged onto the scalp and hair at the end of the treatment. The blessed hands of the therapist brought out the best of the most lavish (and most complete) rural hair ritual to reveal “new” super shiny and healthy hair!

Having decadently indulged 8 hours in treatments endowed by nature, we were due for Royal Manicure and Pedicure. Unfortunately, we had to give this luxury hand and foot treatment a miss in order to catch a flight home to Singapore that same evening.

Tugu Bali was indeed a rare find – one that embodies history, nature and luxury in a Balinese setting which feels more like home than home itself. The god-sent spa treatments and rituals remind one of an alchemy passed down from years gone by. This is one spa who holds dearly to its commitment to nature. It provides an exotic experience that spa goers to Bali should definitely not miss. We absolutely love our Tugu experience!  

 Photos courtesy of Alex Ang

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