2 DAYS IN CENTRAL JAVA

Java is beautiful. The island originates almost entirely from volcanoes, 45 of which are considered still active. The land is incredibly fertile, and you'll find the most beautiful rice paddies and intense, vivid green fields. We stayed at the wonderful Mesa Stila, part resort, part coffee plantation, set within 55 acres of gardens and tropical jungle with a truly colonial vibe. The reception used to be a train station, the facade of which has been kept intact, and the rooms are decorated in traditional Javanese style. It is truly a heritage property. We were lucky enough to barely see another guest during our stay - it felt as though we had the entire place to ourselves. 

We spent one day exploring some incredible temples (don't miss Borobudur and Prambanan, the two most famous ones) and having sundown drinks at the stunning Aman (favoured by royals and the likes of Mark Zuckerberg). We started another day with a morning yoga class, then spent the rest of it riding bikes through fields and across old train tracks, playing croquet, swimming, enjoying afternoon tea, playing the piano, enjoying a tour of the plantation grounds (where we met the adorable foal pictured above), playing snooker and having evening drinks.

For more on our time in Java, check out my Instagram. This was the perfect feel good retreat to begin with. Next stop...Bali.