What you need to understand is we take sunset very seriously here. It’s almost like a religion. Missing a sunset is the equivalent to missing mass especially on Sundays.

I’m getting nervous the clock is ticking and the sun will be setting soon. I quickly wrap up my work. I check my messages from my friends and look at the various invites to sunset locations tonight. So many choices what will it be a walk on the beach with a coconut, a DJ set at a swanky beach club or Tinder date with a ocean view.

I opt for the swanky beach club with a DJ and live sax, I’m craving up scale when you live on a island you crave the ability to dress up sometimes. People might be surprised by how much we dress up for events and night life. It’s a good thing I just got my eye lashes done, we all get fake lashes even the yoga girls.  I apply my lip gloss, put on my strappy heels, glitter eye shadow and jump on my motor bike in a race against the sun.

I park my bike and can hear the music pumping from the parking lot. I’m sure to wear my mask, which always screws up my lip gloss, dam, I know, I know third world problems.

I enter La Vella, a chic French owned beach club set right on the beach. Imagine white washed furniture, day beds, thatched rooftops. The hostess greets me by name takes my temperature and says the usual Laura, I have your table for you. Puurrrrfect exactly what I needed after a long week.

I quickly order one of their classic happy hour cocktails. Bali in recent years has had a surge mixology on the island. The expresso negroni is a legendary.  I take off my heels and dig my toes in the sand something about white sand and bare feet just makes one feel grounded. As the sax player begin to play the sweet notes start to cascade over me. I feel the week start to wash away from me.

My eyes have many places to feast on this evening, the surfers on their boards taking the last waves in the beautiful people arriving like peacocks a Bali fashion parade. My drink arrives just in time as the sunsets. There are more than usual beautiful people out tonight and there is a excitement in the air. We all stop and pay tribute to the last moments of the sun. Instagram moments will soon be posted. It feels like pre- covid Bali tonight with a full house, the dance floor is now packed, wind machines are set up to help keep the heat at bay. I get to have my own Beyonce moment on the dance floor dancing in the wind.

Champagne and oysters are the new Bali trend and I for one am not mad at it this trend. This is a trend I can get behind. Bottles are being popped and seem to match the mood in the air effervescent and bubbly. The men look expensive in their white shirts some are even wearing watches tonight, who needs to know the time in Bali.

I am aware of how blessed I am to be living this life, and do not take it for granted. Maybe I saved 10 puppies in my last lifetime from a burning building.

My phone begins to blow up again onto the next venue the night is young, at least two more stops before my head hits the pillow tonight.

On my way home, I spot four men in a foot massage spa. My bike has a mind of its own and before you know it, shoes are off again and I welcomed by 4 boys from London serving me tea. They brought their own tea pot and laptops to watch football. This is the life. I ask should we order margaritas and pizza to be delivered it’s all possible in Bali. Before long were having a impromptu spa party. That’s life in Bali. Feeling completely saturated on all fronts, relaxed, fed, tipsy.

I decide it magic hour for this princess, I will put on my heels one last time, NO more stops, off to bed before midnight strikes and I find out it was all a dream or was it ? 

By : Laura Abeyta