Island of indulgence Managing stress levels will be uppermost in the minds of many this year. Michele Cempaka visits three spas in Bali that may provide the answer. With the global economic downturn dominating the headlines this year and for much of next, many will now be looking for ways to escape the stresses of everyday life. Bali can offer the ideal solution: A wide variety of premier spas on the holiday island are tucked away in five-star resorts or exist as free-standing establishments. They offer you the chance to experience a plethora of treatments that will de-stress your mind, rejuvenate you and relax your entire body. The trick is to choose a spa whose treatments and whole approach are undeniably worth the price. The Peak has made three top picks where you can pamper yourself from head-to-toe: Karma Spa at Karma Kundara in the extreme south of the island will rejuvenate your skin, while Thermes Marins at Ayana Resort, Jimbaran, offers the last word in water-based treatment.  Uma Ubud spa takes a highly individualised approach to customers’ mind, body and spirit.

Selling lifestyle via furniture Almost oblivious to the current economic downturn, Da Vinci CEO Dr Doris Phua is expanding her furniture giant with the addition of more high-quality brands. She spoke with Aulia Rachmat during a recent trip to Jakarta. Dressed in cocktail attire with a subtle sparkle, Doris Phua has a highly individual form of self-expression. In the old saying, “beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” beauty, for her, is where elegance meets style. Impressed by classic European furniture, she has managed to expand her furniture business into something of an uber-lifestyle giant. Doris recalls, though, that one of her most challenging decisions was to embark on the expansion of her premium furniture business in China at a time when Asia was hit hard by the severe economic crisis in 1998. Remaining optimistic despite encountering obstacles in penetrating China’s upscale market, Doris eventually opened a total of seven mega-stores in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen within the first three years of operation. More have since been added in prime locations in Chongqing and Chengdu, including another in Shanghai. Asia’s largest upscale furniture retailer is still on the prowl. The opening of its recent 48,000-square-metre flagship store in Shanghai last December demonstrates how China’s economic boom has opened the floodgates for the entry of high-end products into the country.

Horsing around town There is currently an alternative pursuit for those who are bored with run-of-the-mill leisure activities. Antonius Martono looks at how horse riding is growing in popularity in the capital. How did you spend your leisure time last weekend? Did you drive up to Puncak and get stuck for hours in Ciawi due to endless traffic jams? Or did you wait impatiently in front of a fancy roast duck restaurant to dine, desperate to leapfrog others in the queue? In reality, enjoying your leisure time in a big city like Jakarta may not be as easy as it should be. Not many people know that there is a slow, but sure awakening of interest in horse riding, where sport, lifestyle, education and healthy living all come together. Riding is an alternative activity that can produce advantages beyond your expectations. “Previously I went horse-riding for sport and as a hobby. Now I want to make horse-riding part of my routine, because when I have problem and stress, it can make me feel better,” says Miya Saito, a student at Arthayasa Stables. The American Hippotherapy Association Inc. (founded 1987) has stated that riding helps to empower people and enables them to connect on a personal level. Human interaction with horses can reduce stress, and build confidence and assertiveness, it says.