Imagine this. Cool blue waters, warm sunlight and a lazy swim. The aroma of fresh coffee hits home, you open your eyes and see a huge tray of food floating across the water, making its way towards you. Creamy coffee, dense loaves of freshly baked bread, colourful flowers, exotic fruits, eggs, and sausages, and the love of your life, all coming closer and closer. You playfully splash your loved one and he teases you back, you giggle and lose balance, and suddenly, flipped off along with your dream is the luscious looking mountain of food.
We at Ithaka take you behind the scenes of the famous ‘floating breakfasts’ in Bali that became a sensation overnight. Started around a decade ago by the AYANA Resort, this luxury platter came into the limelight thanks to the “Gram”. Many places around the world, including some in our own backyard, are capitalising on this crazy tray of flamboyant food that is tweaked to suit various palates. From adding Masala Chai in Pushkar, Rajasthan, to Sushi in Japan or strawberries and champagne in California, this novelty has made its way onto every couple’s bucket list. A bait for honeymooners and lovers, this tray of deception floats on just millions of rupiahs and ungodly hashtags.
Credited for its aesthetic and intimate allure, the floating breakfast is really just an impractical facade, designed to catfish travellers into shelling huge sums of money for exotic looking substitutes of edible food. It’s impractical because, most of the time, the chlorine in the water gets to the food before you do. In our opinion, chocolate donuts and salty chlorine don’t make for the most appetizing breakfasts.
On the flip side (heh), if you do wish to splurge, or treat your partner to an exotic, Pinterest-like breakfast, take a look at these hotels and resorts that serve an amazing spread of, well, floating food.
1. AYANA Resort and Spa, Kuta
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Enjoy a three-course breakfast and feel like royalty as their handcrafted basket of exotic food floats to you.
2. Samsara, Ubud
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Their floating tray is shaped exactly like a boat, so you’ll feel completely at sea!
3. The Royal Purnama, Gianyar
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They have fairy-like tents put up at the sides of the pool where you can enjoy a few drinks and splurge on sweet treats.
4. Kamandalu, Ubud
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Enjoy breakfast in an infinity pool that overlooks the famous rice terraces that literally define “Breakfast with a View”.
5. Visesa Ubud Resort, Ubud
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Known for their authentic breakfast platters, this resort surely knows how to throw a breakfast party. What’s more, they cover the entire pool in flower petals for this exquisite celebration.
6. Ini Vie Villa, Kuta
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With a hot jacuzzi and private pools, this villa takes the crown for presentation and comfort. A warm pool and chilled champagne? Yes please!
Unless you fancy standing in the pool for hours and taking a million pictures of your partner while the once sizzling food turns cold and dry, we’d advise that you call for breakfast in bed. It is a much cheaper, and more natural, option which guarantees that you at least enjoy breakfast on land, like the majority of our species.
