With the opening of Karma Reef late last year on 19th October 2013, Karma Royal Group ushered in barefoot luxury to the Gili, the idyllic trio of islands clustered near the northwestern corner of Lombok, Indonesia.
Located on Gili Meno, the tiniest of the three islands, the luxury boutique resort operates under Karma Royal Group’s Karma Resorts brand and brings to 24 the group’s total number of resorts across Southeast Asia, India, Australia and Europe.
“Karma Reef embodies the fulfilment of everyone’s Robinson Crusoe fantasy of being stranded on an exotic tropical island, “ said John Spence, Chairman and CEO of Karma Royal Group. “If your idea of a perfect holiday is to literally leave the world behind, go barefoot in the sand, celebrate incredible sunrises, then it’s time to discover Karma Reef at Gili Meno. A Karma Resort for the sophisticated leisure traveller who appreciates the fun of laidback luxury, exploring local culture and emerging destinations, where you can simply get lost and maybe – in the process – find yourself all over again. At Karma Resorts – life’s an adventure!”
Karma Reef sits on a sprawling four hectares, of which only one has been developed for the resort; its architectural reliance on bamboo and other ethnic local materials making Karma Reef completely harmonious in blending seamlessly with pristine island grassland dotted with palm trees and a myriad of local flora and fauna, fringed with long stretches of secluded white sandy beaches and laced by the gently lapping waves of the crystal blue Bali Sea.
Guests at Karma Reef can experience laidback sophistication with an authentic indigenous touch for the resort’s collection of charming lumbung bungalows, all sea-facing and with expansive private balconies to blur the lines between indoor and outdoor living. The lumbung or “rice granary” is an intrinsic part of the local architectural heritage of the Gili islands, as well as of surrounding islands Lombok and Bali. Constructed with bamboo and other locally sourced materials and traditionally used to store rice under the protection of the Indonesian goddess Dewi Sri, with the modernisation of farming methods, lumbungs are now seldom used for storage and have instead been resurrected as dwellings. Each lumbung at Karma Reef sleeps a maximum of four people and is fully appointed for optimum comfort and relaxation, with an ensuite bathroom, tablet device and film library on USB stick, Nespresso coffee machine and tea making amenities, telephone and air-conditioning.
Karma Reef’s Karma Beach Club has seating for 70 diners, who can enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner with unobstructed views of shimmering azure waters, or bask lazily in the sun on daybeds at the resort’s white sandy beachfront. Much like the Karma Beach Clubs in Bali and Fiji, Mediterranean-meets-New-World cuisine takes center stage, with an emphasis on abundant, locally caught seafood and a modern twist on traditional Indonesian dishes. Customized Signature Cocktails complement the resort’s concept of casual-chic dining that encourages leisurely grazing and sharing during long lunches, while enjoying Gili Meno’s awe-inspiring views and idyllic island lifestyle. Entry to the beach club is free.
Concierge services at Karma Reef provide a knowledgeable guide to the island’s and the neighbouring Gili islands’ comprehensive snorkeling and scuba diving sites, including a peek at the sea turtles often seen nestling at the beach right in front of the resort as well as more adventurous marine life-gazing excursions in the resort’s boat.
Tucked into the northwestern corner of Lombok, Indonesia are three coral reef islands, where the sand is still powdery white, the water a clear sparkling turquoise and the distant sunsets over Bali’s volcano Mt. Agung in the west, simply spectacular. Fringed by colourful coral reefs, home to turtle hatcheries and legendary dive sites, and blessed with miles and miles of white sandy beaches, Lombok’s Gili Islands, a cluster also known as the “Turtle Capital of the World”, offer the type of adventure beach holiday paradise fast disappearing in today’s commercialised tourism capitals. Originally “discovered” by backpackers in the mid-eighties, the Gili islands have slowly shed its former racy reputation as an illicit party spot and has now evolved as a world-class scuba diving destination and a diverse, unspoilt adventure island hideaway suitable for families and travellers of all ages.
Gili Meno, perched in between its bigger sister islands Gili Air and Gili Trawangan, is the enchanting island home of Karma Reef; as the smallest island of the trio, it is least frequented by tourists, thereby offering absolute privacy and seclusion sought after by honeymooners and adventure travellers seeking a complete get-away. Among the island’s attractions are a saltwater lake and and splendid dive sites, such as the Meno Wall, Sea Turtle Point and Blue Coral Point. Sparsely populated by about 300 locals, the island has no cars or motorcycles; all travel is by horse-drawn carriages, known as cidomos, by bicycle or on foot.
Direct public boat transfers to Gili Meno can be arranged from Bangsal Harbour on Lombok Island, approximately thirty minutes away, or Padang Bai Harbour in Bali, approximately 75 minutes away; travel between the three Gili islands takes between five to ten minutes via regular daily island-hopping boats. Helicopter transfers are also available. Lombok International Airport, on Lombok’s south side, is the closest airport to the Gili islands while Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar serves a greater number of international routes.
For enquiries and reservations, guests may contact Karma Reef directly, by telephone or facsimile: +62 (0)370 642 340.
For more information visit
www.karmaroyalgroup.com.
