Perched on a rocky outcrop 14 metres above the ocean, the Rock Bar at Ayana Resort and Spa offers spectacular views amid high-end, open-air design

ituated on towering cliffs overlooking Kisik Beach in Bali, the Ayana Resort & Spa is blessed with an abundance of natural advantages. Last November, it was voted ‘Asia's Leading Luxury Resort' at the World Travel Awards 2009; previously known as the Ritz-Carlton Bali Resort & Spa, the expansive cliff-top property overlooking Jimbaran Bay celebrated its rebirth as Ayana in April last year.

‘Ayana' is derived from the Sanskrit word for ‘place of refuge'; the re-branding saw the introduction of a new management team representing the world's top hoteliers, and a fresh image firmly embedded in Balinese culture, taking full advantage of its surrounds.

Nowhere is this more apparent than at the Rock Bar, located at the base of the limestone cliffs on which the resort sits. Accessed via an inclinator that traverses the cliff-face, the Rock Bar is a spectacular feat of architecture and engineering. Designed by Yasuhiro Koichi of Japan's Design Studio Spin, whose works include Nobu Tokyo and Nobu Hong Kong, the Rock Bar offers uninterrupted, 360-degree views from every vantage point.

On either side of the main rock, timber platforms with comfortable sofas provide viewing points across the ocean. One is accessed via a natural cave, a unique entrance that leads to the terrace and a ‘secret' garden over the beach.

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