7x Experience Bali in the Netherlands

When you spend the night at Hotel Jakarta, you imagine yourself in Indonesia. This energy-neutral hotel is located on the western tip of Java Island in Amsterdam, on the river IJ. In cooperation with Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam, a subtropical indoor garden has been created with Indonesian trees and plants. This special garden forms the green heart of the hotel. By means of a footbridge, you walk as it were through the tropics.

The hotel rooms are decorated with Indonesian influences such as wood and bamboo. Here you experience luxury in Oriental spheres. For breakfast, lunch and dinner, have a seat at Café Jakarta. The menu offers various combinations of Western and Eastern dishes, prepared in the Indonesian way.

If you feel like a tropical cocktail or Asian bites in the evening, travel to the Skybar Malabar with a great view over the IJ river! Did you know that the Skybar is named after the Malabar volcano on the island of Java?

Are you more into the back-to-basics way of travelling? Bamboo Lodge on Groningen's Suikerunie terrain is a gorgeous overnight spot with tropical touches. At Bamboo lodge, you spend the night among more than 100 different plants. This makes it seem as if you are in the middle of nature, so you actually almost forget that you are in the middle of the city of Groningen.

This accommodation is made entirely of recycled products, making it a sustainable hidden gem. You will fully unwind in this unique place and plop down on the beautiful green terrace for a snack and a drink or explore the Suikerunie grounds for more entertainment.

Rice is an essential ingredient in Indonesian cuisine. In almost every Balinese restaurant or food stall, rice is cooked with. BioToko in Zutphen is an organic Indonesian restaurant serving delicious rice dishes. You will find an extensive selection including many vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free dishes. Taste the authentic flavour of traditional Indonesian dishes in an organic setting!

And when you do discover Zutphen, be inspired by Honeyguide Simone, who wrote a blog about sustainable Zutphen.

Banhs & Coffee is known for serving unique Asian dishes. The lunchroom in Leeuwarden is run by Thien and Vivian, two top chefs with a love of Asian cuisine. This lunchroom is all about good food and drinks.

Besides the delicious food, you will also find a toko in the back of the lunchroom. Toko Saigon is a supermarket where you will find mainly Oriental products. Taste, discover and imagine yourself on the streets of Bali.

Take a break from the outside world at City Spa Bali in Utrecht. The perfect place to completely unwind in Balinese spheres. This Spa is hidden behind heavy, Balinese temple doors in Utrecht.

With its authentic Balinese interior, soothing temple sounds and calming Oriental fragrances, this spa has managed to bring a piece of Bali to the Netherlands. You can choose from a wide range of traditional Balinese massages and wellness treatments here. Delicious!

What I personally also like about this spa is that it uses freshly prepared products from natural ingredients for every treatment. These products are homemade according to ancient, traditional recipes, making them animal-tested, 100% natural and free of chemical additives.

The island of Bali is known for its beautiful and very varied flora and fauna. Therefore, a piece of nature should not be missing from this Dutch Bali experience.

Leiden is home to the oldest botanical garden in the Netherlands. This Hortus Botanicus is actually a hidden treasure, because as soon as you enter this garden, you notice nothing of the hustle and bustle of the city. You can actually think of a botanical garden as a big, green museum. Much of the collection consists of Asian records.

The Hortus greenhouses also house other collections such as carnivorous plants, tropical crops, orchids and the famous Victoria Amazonica (The Giant Water Lily). Weather permitting, it is also highly recommended to walk around one of the six gardens, each with a different theme.

Crazy about tropical gardens? Then also read this blog by Honeyguide Anne.

As a final tip, a Balinese garden cannot and should not be missed! This exclusive garden exudes a tropical atmosphere and is fully decorated with palms, bamboos, bromeliads and orchids. Upon entering the garden, you pass through a gateway with beautiful carvings and colours, which immediately makes you feel like you are in Bali.

This garden is part of Immenhof Imkerij in Heumen, near Nijmegen, which has several gardens and is completely organic and ecological.