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TRAVEL
236
July14
M
y much-anticipated trip to
Java nearly didn’t happen
at all. On 14 February,
active volcanoMount Kelud
erupted violently, spewing out volcanic
ash across 500 kilometres of the island.
Happily for me, the Central Java Tourism
board decided to reschedule the visit
to the end of the month instead of
cancelling it altogether.
After a pleasant 90-minute flight from
Singapore, I stepped off the plane into
sunny Semarang’s humble little airport.
Soon after collecting my bag, I found
myself in the car that within an hour
would get me to to MesaStila retreat,
where I’d be spending the next two
nights. Landed and out of the airport
in 15 minutes? Changi, you’ve got
competition.
In sore need of a break, SUSANNAH JAFFER retreats to a wellness
paradise in Central Java – a mere hop, skip and jump away from
Singapore’s shores.
The Grounds
MesaStila is tucked away in Losari
village, Magelang, 628 metres above
the plains of Central Java. The site
encompasses an impressive 22 hectares
of land, with lush tropical gardens giving
way to untamed jungle, and, in the
distance, eight volcanoes. After passing
through the hotel’s little reception area, I
was greeted by immaculate manicured
lawns and beautiful sprawling grounds
as far as the eye could see. The views
were, quite simply, majestic.
A glance to the left revealed the
resort’s Java Red restaurant, an open-
Java Red
Restaurant
and view