Holiday Special: Day 6 The Mulia & Rock Bar in Bali, Indonesia! (April 2015)

Sunday at The Mulia and Rock Bar by Ayana Resort! The next installment of my gorgeous vacation in Bali is here! Today I bring to my blog day 6 of my holiday which I took with my boyfriend at the end of April. Like any smart traveler, I did plenty of research and decided that I wanted us to indulge in a fancy hotel brunch since we had a Sunday on the island. Also after being told that I HAD TO visit the rock bar, I googled it and told my boyfriend it was on our 'must do' list whilst in Bali!

I have absolutely no regrets having to book a driver to bring us more than an hour and a half all the way to The Mulia Resort to have their famous Sunday brunch at the Soleil restaurant. Despite the variety of food being half the size of Sunday brunches at similar hotels in Singapore like the Ritz Carlton, the quality and most important level of service and attentiveness was beyond any experience back in Singapore! The Rock Bar too was OUT OF THIS WORLD. I wish we could be teleported back on days where I want somewhere to chill, think about life and having awesome cocktails and finger food. 

Continue below to check the beauty and deliciousness!

Day 6 of my holiday in Bali Indonesia! Beautiful brunch at The Mulia Resort and an afternoon at the famous Rock Bar at Ayana Resort!

A gorgeously furnished area after the initial lobby at The Mulia Resort! So many plush over sized sofas!

This is only PART of their amazing system of pools! The pools at The Mulia are famous of their greek inspired statues!

The infamous pool shot which you can easily find all over instagram but unfortunately that afternoon went from lightly sunny to dark and then rainy really fast!

Here is a much better photo of the same space by another blogger who had the sun on their side! (Link to source here)

My gorgeous boyfriend in a white shirt I got him to pack! Now I sort of regret telling him to change out of the black one which was also my choice but small detail! Brunch was of the matter!

For starters my boyfriend got himself a bloody mary (which I hate because I can't stand tomato juice) and we had glasses of dry white sparkling and also a delicious mojito-esque welcome drink!

The open kitchen space, on the left is the small selection of wines and cocktails, in the center is a gorgeous grill top and on the far right (cut off in the photo) was the carving station!

The alcohol included brunch package cost about $80 SGD everything included which is INSANE, considering that's the price of non-alcoholic brunch in Singapore.

Although the brunch selection is very small compared to similar 5 star hotels in Singapore, there is an entire "Brunch a la carte" menu which brunch goers can order from as part of the package!!

From freshly made in house dishes like artisanal pastas and italian style appetizers as well as asian classics, pizzas and other amazing sounding dishes! They all however are of a modest size from what I saw on other tables as you're expected to be eating the buffet food too!

One of the two beautiful fresh and dry fauna and floral center pieces in the dining area on reflective metal finish glass table tops!

The dessert section! We both basically spent a good short time checking out what there was on the buffet. My eyes went straight to the colorful desserts, the textures, the fruits, the mousses and the chocolate cakes!

The seafood selection, fresh oysters, cooked crabs, prawns, sashimi and sushi! (As I mentioned the sunday brunch buffet at Soleil restaurant is very modest but the quality was amazing)

The cheese and antipasto selection! A very small section as I know sunday brunch at Ritz Carlton in Singapore for example has about 40 cheeses air flown from France! I'm no fan of many cheeses so this wasn't an issue for me.

The cold salads! Next to this was a big platter of fresh salad and a big bowl of fresh baked bread rolls! There was also a section of appetizers and hors d'oeuvres like springrolls, thai mango salad, seared tuna and asian fusion items which I didn't photograph!

Getting a photo with the chocolate fountain because I've only ever been in the presence of this flowing goodness twice in my life and this one was pretty epic.

The carving station which had pork, chicken and cuts of beef! Besides these items, you could choose from a range of satays, beef steak, tuna steak, lamb chops, sausages and seafood to be grilled to your doneness and then sent to your table!

A selection of sauces for the cooked meat/seafood items from mint jelly, jam, mustard and local indonesian sambals!

My first plate of food! Deep fried egg noodle wrapped wrap with thai chilli sauce, a fat oyster with red wine vinegar and shallots, a perfect slice of garlic bread with Camembert, a piece of fried fish with thai mango salad!

My boyfriend's first plate! Filled with salami, country pate,  parma ham, Camembert, bleu cheese and crackers!

I then ordered rib eye steak and tuna both grilled to medium rare. They both showed up rare but were absolutely beautiful texture wise.  Could you tell which was which from the side?

The first of many 'chef special' items which were sent to your table throughout your meal as part of the brunch! Foie gras creme brulee, the most perfect dish my boyfriend and I agreed on. The creamy egginess of the creme brulee was so light and the foie gras so complementary. We ate all of this up!

My boyfriends' second plate, cooked prawns and oysters! We both are huge fans of steamed/boiled prawns and oysters but we went easy like any smart buffet goers intending to save space for other things!

Pan seared foie gras served on a pancake with a reduction and braised plum! This was from the ala carte brunch menu and we had a total of 3 pieces (we got them to put two on one plate) The server only put in an order for one piece although we told her we wanted 2 but on one plate. We love our foie gras you see!

Battered and deep fried zucchini flowers with a chilli aioli! This was so yummy, I loved anything fried and I'd never tried this favorite item before!

The BEST SATAY we have ever eaten and my boyfriend is Indonesian so he's eaten a lot of authentic satay! The blurry ones are a prawn/fish paste satay (every bite had beautiful fresh local herbs), we also had beef, lamb and pork satay all which were so tender, fatty and melt in the mouth with the actual taste of the meat very present and not masked by marinade!

Another chef special item sent to our table, fresh gnocchi, very well seasoned, gorgeous soft texture and light sauce!

My messy plate of tiny helpings of their indonesian dishes! I tried a braised pork item, fish, fried rice and a fried vegetable dish!

A cod fish gratin which was utter perfection with the most butter soaked and cripsy pieces of bread. My boyfriend didn't have any as he's not a fan of fish!

So perfectly creamy, the fine texture of fish, cream and creamed potatos with herbs. I would have eaten the whole bowl if we were going to skip dessert!

From our table, the interior of Soleil restaurant. Very luxe, clean and the touches of old gold and champagne and stone colors made me think of a high end spa. The look is very modern and the space between tables made your dining experience very private.

The selection of mousses and jellies! We were so overwhelmed, you could have an entire meal from just the desert selection!

Cupcakes, fruits, tarts, sliced cakes, artisan chocolates!

Mini fruit tarts! I just oogled at how colorful and fresh they looked! A coat of glossy jelly helps too!

A beautiful large tart cut into squares covered in mixed fruits and white chocolate flowers!

Glasses filled with local cooked black rice dessert in sweet coconut milk!

Desserts I picked! YES, EVERYTHING BE CHOCOLAT. The best one was the moussey banana one in the front!

My boyfriends' choices! He also took this shot from the top being all artistic! He picked a flan, lemongrass infused jelly/panna cotta and a strawberry dessert with a madeleine!

Oh I also had a petite rainbow cake! It was nothing special though although gorgeous to look at!

A dessert sent to the table from the kitchen! A chocolate bombe with vanilla ice cream and chocolate cake inside! I only thought of  taking a photo after the warm chocolate was poured over! BOO.

Freshly fried donut balls covered in fine sugar. THESE WERE THE BEST EVER. Both my boyfriend and I agreed the texture of these were top notch. So light, fluffy, chewy and being hot from the fryer they were perfect. Despite being so full we ate all of them sans sauce.

After we 3 hour long brunch affair we took a slow walk around back to the lobby but on the way stopped at a high tech japanese toilet where my bum got warmed and my butt washed and then we spotted their 'Deli' shop and we had to go in!

Inside the Mulia Deli be ready to be absolutely amazed by all the beautiful artisan confectioneries! The cakes, the fondant pieces, the chocolates, everything is just so colorful, innovative and gorgeous!

The main island counter in the center of the deli, the display cases with gorgeous whole cakes on display, tarts, slice cakes, chocolates, breads and everything sinfully yummy!

Check it out!! The most beautiful artfully crafted pastries! At the Mulia Deli!

The case full of their home made gelatos and sherbets! Bali is common place for gelaterias, especially for delicious fresh fruit flavors so do stop by any shop you spot!

The most beautiful hand made artisan chocolates at the Mulia Deli! Not only were they beautiful to look at and also an option at sunday brunch but they are so incredibly cheap just like most of their desserts!

Fondant pieces! Hand bag look a likes and lovely small boxed pieces! Everything was for sale!

This gorgeous edible high heel filled with chocolate truffles! Only for about $15 singapore dollars at the Mulia Deli, this is CRAZY!

A lovely fat crepe cake in the display case at the Mulia Deli!

Other gorgeous delicious looking large cakes in the case at the Mulia Deli, ranging from the classic ones to more innovate flavors ranging from $20-40 Singapore dollars which is the same cost for cheap generic local bakery cakes in Singapore!

Colorful and fine looking tarts and small cakes at the Mulia Deli! I love how the details are on these pieces!

The most perfect looking eclairs, muffins and cakes at the Mulia Deli! Up close, there's the most pretty silver over spray on the eclairs just make them look so luxurious!

An artful bird's nest filled with gorgeous pastel eggs on a log looking piece!

More eclairs, domed cakes and pretty cupcakes! Love the fine touches like flower sugar, candied glossy fruit, pieces of chocolate and shiny bits!

The lobby at The Mulia Resort that greets you after you alight from your transport! (drop off/pick up is in the back of the photo)

A shot on the grand stair case from the lobby down to the ground floor at The Mulia Resort!

After our 3 hour long brunch affair at The Mulia Resort & Villas, we got our private day driver to bring us to Ayana Resort and Spa so that we could get to the famous Rock Bar by 4pm when they open! This was the view from the lobby at Ayana!

Towards the right is to the check in area for guest! The property from our small walk around was huge and we were specifically there for the Rock Bar!

Richly colored fat koi fishes in the ponds all over the lobby and around the property!

After walking down past the initial pool, the walk way is grand and the ocean just draws you further down to their amazing 2 storey pool!

Full hedges blooming with rich pink flowers! The lawns are perfectly full and mowed and there are so many natural thatch covers over the abundant tables and reclining chairs around the pool area!

After walking further we reach the main pool which over looks the bottom level which is where the secondary pool is located, the outdoor buffet space, the entrance to the Rock Bar and pathways to the various restaurants and shops on the property!

A full shot of my just chilling! I just loved how lush and green the lawns and landscape was!

Below the main pool which cascades down to the pool below! Not pictured is a pool staircase which people in the pool above can take down to the pool I was facing! We were there about 45 minutes before 4pm so we took a rest on the comfy soft woven chairs!

The front of the line for those who wanted to get a seat at the Rock Bar below which over looks the ocean on a cliff! Even though there was NO ONE in line when we arrived, after waiting for a while, I had walked over and noticed a short line forming and got my boyfriend to join me quickly!

Behold, the Rock Bar located at the Ayana Resort & Spa! The public are welcomed but if you want a seat of choice do arrive before 4 as once all seats are taken, all those both hotel guest and members of the public must wait above usually for quite a while!

A shot of my boyfriend's gorgeous profile! The funicular which all guest will take down to the bar beneath only carried less than 15 people at the time. It was also incredibly slow but made you feel super excited about reaching the bar below!

Seats on the bar area in the photo earlier were strictly for hotel guests, so we were shown seats at various tables around but then were shown a more quiet intimate wing with these large seats. The only catch was we needed to spend $60 SGD for these seats but for the amazing view, comfort and knowing that we were going to have multiple drinks and snacks we took it!

At the Rock Bar, a shot of the ocean meters below crashing into the large boulders and very tiny strip of sand bar! The color as due to a filter my boyfriend picked out in my Cannon powershot G16. I usually never use filters ever or edit my color/contrast etc but the filter in my camera just made the tones of blue just POP!

 The beautiful large grilled lobster springrolls served on a pretty glass plate at the Rock Bar!

Cheers at the Rock Bar with our first round of drinks! I had a gorgeous lychee martini and my boyfriend had a rich tasty cocktail which had bailey's, kahlua, creme de cacao, frangelico and cream! Damn, his cocktail was perfect and like a liquid chocolate alcoholic dessert!

Another of my camera filtered shots of the very narrow sand bar directly meters beneath our seating area! Although there were stone stair cases on various points  of the bar leading down to the ocean, no one is suppose to go down as its not safe or a beach space for people to access.

I had asked my boyfriend to take some shots for me but of course he took them all WITH THE FILTER ON and MY SKIN LOOKED LIKE A ROASTED SUCKLING PIG!

The bar and the bartenders busy at work making fabulous cocktails and tipples! I told my boyfriend that these guys seriously worked in the most gorgeous environment. Open air, breezy with the most breath taking ocean views!

From the side of the bar area, as you can see there are levels to the seating at the Rock Bar, our seats are all the way in the back in the middle of the photo!

Heading back to our seats! The lay out of the bar, made all sections rather private and not too crowded and everyone had the most perfect view of the ocean no matter where you were!

Second round of drinks and snacks despite being NOT HUNGRY AT ALL because of brunch earlier! My boyfriend claimed he had the best pinacolada ever and I had a refreshing easy to drink 'rock ice tea', a fusion of various fruit teas! Also we shared the most juicy, delicious calamari rings!

A gorgeous shot of the ocean from the Rock Bar at Ayana Resort & Spa! We spent about 3 hours at the bar, waiting for the sunset which unfortunately was not very spectacular that day due to heavy clouds!

The scene at the Rock Bar as the sun set, rich peaceful blue tones just making everything look so serene!

We took the long way back up which included a long walk and we passed this magnificent infinity pool that hotel guest get to use! There were only enough lawn chairs for 4 people behind this small pool!

Taking a pause halfway up the long stone stair case back up! The ocean just seemed to stretch on forever and looked so perfect as the sun set!

Back up from the long staircase and walk back up, the lawn space was set up for a gorgeous buffet dinner!

Here are some photos I took with my phone camera whilst chilling out at the Rock Bar! We totally have no regrets visiting this amazing place! I don't think it'd be a while since I visit a bar that over looks an ocean!

One of my favorite shots I took with my phone at the Rock Bar! My boyfriend was being a super cutie!

One of my favorite photos of myself from the day, taken by the bf of course! Sunday Brunch at The Mulia!

Finally one of the best shots of the two of us as we waited for the Rock Bar to open up! Hell yeah for fantastic natural lighting!

Hope you made it to the end of this very photo heavy post! Day 6 in Bali was basically full of amazing food, five star luxury resorts and spending lots of time in a car! I totally do not regret the decision to make it for Sunday Brunch at The Mulia despite it being a long drive away from our quite inland accommodations. Also taking up the recommendation of visiting the Rock Bar was amazing. Nothing beats having amazing cocktails, chilling in comfy seats whilst facing the open ocean and skies breathing in the salty clean air and enjoying the cool breeze.

For those who have plans of visiting Bali, if you do spend a sunday on the Island, do book yourself a Sunday Brunch at any of their five star hotels or resorts as it's so worth it! Also do spend an evening at one of their many impressive bars by the beaches or those that face the ocean!

Check out my (day one and two) where we visited Kuta beach, (day 3 and 4 here) we snorkeled and had seafood on Jimbaran beach and (day 5 here) when we moved to a villa compound in Ubud and ate Babi Guling!

Have you been been to Bali or plan to visit?

Would you like to visit the Rock Bar?

Let me know!

Feel free to comment!

Thank you!