Have you ever heard of a place called Sidemen in Bali? I ended up there four years ago when a dear friend convinced me to join them for a few days’ escape. I didn’t know what to expect – they just said, “You’ll love it.” They were right.
This time, as my friend Anna and I arrived at Wapa di Ume Sidemen, one of the staff greeted us with a smile. Before I could even take in the view, he began a small ritual, tying a bracelet made of red and black threads around my wrist while murmuring a quiet blessing. It’s a tridatu, a traditional Balinese ritual meant to bring balance and protection. I stood still, watching his hands move with such care. The moment felt grounding, like being reminded to pause before stepping into something sacred.
For a while, neither of us said much. There was something deeply calming about it – the way kindness and spirituality blend so effortlessly in Bali. Then, as we walked further in, the landscape began to unfold. Rice fields stretched out in every direction, so green it almost didn’t look real. Sidemen still feels untouched, peaceful in the way you imagine Ubud once was, decades ago.
The Wapa Lux Tent
The Wapa Lux Tent – even the name makes me smile. I’d seen photos before, but nothing quite prepares you for stepping into it. A glamping tent with a private pool in Bali? I know, it sounds unreal, but there I was at Wapa Di Ume Sidemen, standing inside this circular canvas pavilion, staring at my private pool glistening in the sun. The space feels both wild and refined – soft fabrics, polished wood, the faint scent of lemongrass in the air.
The bed sat right in the centre, surrounded by warm light and quiet. On it was a message made entirely from flowers and leaves gathered from the garden – Welcome Back Home. Simple, thoughtful, and so heartfelt it made my chest tighten a little. It’s rare to feel that kind of warmth in a place that’s this beautiful.
Outside, the private pool shimmered against a jungle backdrop, where birds called through the morning and the leaves never seemed to stop moving. We didn’t even unpack. Within minutes we were in the pool, laughing, taking too many photos, and just soaking in the quiet. It felt easy here, like time had slowed down just for us.
The Sound of Sidemen
At Wapa Di Ume Sidemen, nature is everywhere. Rice fields stretch out in layers of green, gardens spill with tropical plants, and a river runs gently below the resort. You can hear it from the tent – that soft rhythm of water flowing through stone. Mornings are cool and still, the kind that make you breathe slower without realising it. In the distance, Mount Agung rises above the valley, half hidden by clouds.
One morning, I followed the sound of the river down a narrow path and found a spot on the rocks. I sat there for a while, just breathing, listening to the water and the rustle of leaves. I remember thinking, this is exactly why I keep coming back. It’s so rare now to find a place that still feels this pure.
Giving Back with Heart
One of the things that truly moved me about Wapa Di Ume Sidemen was how much the team gives back to their community. Recently, the staff came together to help renovate a small home for a single mother raising her child with disabilities. They didn’t just donate, they showed up, rolled up their sleeves, and built something better for her with their own hands.
There was something deeply grounding about that. In a world where luxury often feels detached, seeing kindness in action like this reminded me what Bali has always been about – connection, community, and gratitude. It made me admire the resort even more, not just for how it looks, but for what it stands for.
Life in Sidemen
The next day, I joined the Sidemen village tour – not so much a tour, really, more like stepping quietly into someone’s everyday life. We passed locals working in the fields, children waving from doorways, and women carrying baskets of offerings to the temple. Everything moved at its own pace. No rush, no show, just life, unfolding.
We stopped by a workshop where women were weaving ikat, a traditional Balinese textile made by hand. Watching them work was mesmerising. Their hands and feet moved in perfect rhythm, thread by thread, pattern by pattern, the same movements they’ve done for years, maybe even generations. It takes months to finish a single piece, yet there’s no complaint, only quiet focus.
It made me think about patience, and how art, in its truest form, isn’t about speed but devotion. The colours, the stories woven into each design, it’s a craft that connects the past to the present, and I felt lucky to witness it.
The Art of Offering
Later, I joined one of the staff to learn how to make canang sari, the small daily offerings basket you see everywhere in Bali. Each movement had meaning: the way the palm leaves are folded, the careful placement of every coloured flower. White for purity, red for strength, yellow for prosperity, green for balance. Nothing is random, everything holds intention.
As I sat there weaving the small square tray from young coconut leaves, I found myself slowing down. Every fold felt meditative, almost like a quiet prayer. It made me wonder how many of these are made each day across Bali – how much time, patience, and love go into these rituals that most of us just walk past.
It’s such a simple act, yet it carries so much grace. Maybe that’s what I love most about Bali, the way spirituality lives in everyday gestures.
Girls Just Wanna Unwind, Sidemen Style
There’s something about Wapa Di Ume Sidemen that makes you forget the world outside. Maybe it’s the calm of the rice fields, or the way the jungle wraps around the resort like a quiet hug. Or maybe it’s what happens when two friends finally slow down long enough to just be.
Mornings started slow, breakfast at the Lounge, which is reserved for guests staying in the Lux Tents. Fresh fruit, local coffee, and the sound of the river below. No crowds, no rush. Just soft music, sunlight, and the kind of peace that makes you want to linger.
Anna and I spent our days laughing more than we talked, dancing in the pool, taking silly photos, collapsing into random fits of giggles. We did yoga at the beautiful bamboo pavilion that overlooks the valley, not because we’re yogis, but because it felt right to breathe in a place that peaceful. And when we went for massages, we ended up adding another hour because we couldn’t bring ourselves to leave.
There was no rush, no agenda. Just the two of us, unwinding in a place that made it easy to smile for no reason. Wapa Di Ume Sidemen isn’t only for couples or honeymooners – it’s the kind of place where friendship feels celebrated too. A girls’ getaway here isn’t about escape, it’s about slowing down together, finding joy in the simplest things, and realising that peace can be fun too.
What Wapa Left Me With
This trip wasn’t about escaping life, it was about slowing down enough to feel it again. That’s what Wapa Di Ume Sidemen did. Anna and I laughed until our faces hurt, talked about everything and nothing, and found joy in the kind of silence that only comes when you’re at ease.
Wapa isn’t loud about its luxury. It’s in the warmth of the staff, the stillness of the mornings, the way everything feels genuine. And when you finally leave, it’s not the view you think about, it’s the feeling. That calm that lingers quietly, long after you’ve unpacked your bags.
If you ever find yourself in Bali, go. Take your time. Let Sidemen work its quiet magic.
📍 Address: Jl. Banjar Dinas Tebola, Sidemen, Bali 80864, Indonesia
📞 Phone: +62 366 543 7600
🌐 Website: www.wapadiumesidemen.com
📧 Email: reservation@wapadiumesidemen.com
