Our two months living in Canggu Bali was a real dream come true filled with wonderful experiences and beautiful memories shared together with my boyfriend.
From the comfort of our gorgeous villa Casa Cherish and lapping up all the delicious food at Canggu’s top foodie spots, to weekly surf sessions on Echo Beach and exploring the most breathtaking landscapes the island has to offer, every second of Bali was like a scene from a movie.
So here is the highlight reel of our eight weeks in paradise, a concise mashup of cinematic clips to summarise our truly awesome time living there – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YchfgNSISB8
Like the moon, let each phase of life teach you the beauty of change ❤
And so we find ourselves commencing the final week of our time here in Canggu. I knew the few months we are here would fly by and it definitely has, but it also feels like we’ve been here forever and its become a place we call home.
We’ve certainly made the most of this adventure and experienced the very best that Bali has to offer.
From exciting day trips to see the most breathtaking natural beauty at Leke Leke Waterfall,
and trekking around the luscious green jungle at Teglalang Rice Terrace in Ubud,
to working from the many gorgeously aesthetic cafes,
serving the most delicious healthy vegan food,
and scooting down to watch sunset on the iconic Echo Beach.
I have an extensive list of our favourite cafes, restaurants, bars and beach clubs, so I’ll have to do a future blog post on my personal recommendations for if you’re visiting Canggu too.
But for now we have a whole week ahead of us to enjoy and soak up every moment of the blissful Bali life before we return to the UK via Singapore.
26.01.25; celebrating my 30th year around the sun on the wonderful Island of Gods, Bali.
I might be entering my thirties but I really do feel like a twenty year old at heart still.
We kicked off celebrations on Friday evening with a stunning sunset at the iconic La Brisa on Echo Beach.
For dinner we went to another awesomely aesthetic spot in Canggu Penny Lane.
It was the Ubud health bowl for me and a hearty buttermilk chicken burger for my boyfriend.
On Saturday I treated myself to a blow dry at The Rustic Sun Canggu as it’s less than £15 pounds here in Bali!
That afternoon we went to a new beach club Luna and soaked up the scorching sunshine, whilst dipping in and out of pools and lounging in our private pod sipping cocktails.
For dinner I changed into my new Flook The Label beach dress, a birthday gift from my boyfriend which I chose last week in their boutique in Pererenan.
Luna beach club comes alive at night too with spectacular lights and even a fire show.
Sunday 26th January, my actual birthday, I awoke to the cutest surprise from my boyfriend.
He organised with the villa manager to decorate the pool with a happy birthday message, balloons and even a floating breakfast.
This was truly the best way to welcome in my 30th birthday.
After a very chilled day relaxing at the villa my the pool, we headed down to Batu Bolong Beach to catch sundown.
Our third magnificent sunset in a row and the perfect way to see out my big birthday weekend.
We enjoyed a nice dinner at The Lawn where I had my favourite classic Caesar salad with prawns.
The night finished at Deus Ex Machina Sunday sessions live music and 241 cocktails of course.
Mood for my thirties; Happy. Content. Staying in my own lane. Healing. Freeing. Flourishing. Growing. Glowing ❤
Coming at you this week with another vlog as I dive into the summer season with lots of entertaining, time outside soaking up the sunshine and making memories with the family.
I’m in my element when hostessing and entertaining, so I was thrilled to welcome lots of visitors into our home these past few weeks.
To wrap up a busy week, it was a treat to be wined and dined with my boyfriend at the stunning Ivy Asia complete with a gorgeous sunset over Guildford.
Watch the full vlog here for all the summer vibes! ❤
Happy Sunday! We’ve made it into February and I’m so excited to be jetting off to Bali with my boyfriend at the end of this month. Having been before and fallen in love with this palm-fringed island, there are many places I want to go back to as well as lots of new areas I’d like to explore. We’ll be staying in the bustling beachside town of Canguu, Bali’s rapidly developing hedonistic paradise with it’s world-class waves, eclectic boutiques and markets, beautifully aesthetic beach bars and flourishing foodie scene.
Our hotel Zin in Canguu, is a stunning boutique hotel resort situated right by the beach and in the heart of Berawa with the best shops, restaurants and bars right on our doorstep.
We’ll have to visit my favourite beach club La Brisa on Echo Beach for sundowners, and not forgetting The Lawn and Finns which are both nearby too.
My inner foodie can’t wait to go back to Shady Shack for the incredible salad nourish bowls and also Crate Cafe for their stunning smoothie bowls.
Penny Lane is also a must for the wonderfully aesthetic interiors and extensive menu of vegan delights to enjoy whilst taking in those gorgeous surroundings.
Having read more recent blogs and watching YouTube vlogs from influencers in Canguu, I’ve got a whole bunch of new spots to try out in the area too. I particularly like the look of Mason restaurant for a date night and SKOOL Kitchen for some fine dining with a view.
Beyond Canguu, there are two other areas of the island I would like to visit during our time in Bali. A day trip to the central jungle terrine of Ubud is an absolute must. Here you will find the lush green rice paddies and ethereal waterfalls which will undoubtedly be picture perfect moments for the ‘gram.
Another day trip I have mapped out is to Uluwatu on the south coast, where the white sand beaches and cliff faced coastlines are breathtaking.
This is where the infamous beach club Savaya is located with its seemingly floating balcony dance floor and DJ deck. Sundowners with that magnificent view and live music will be the dream pinch me moment.
As always, I’m doing my research using Instagram, YouTube and blogs to save the very best places for us to visit and make the most of our time in Bali. A Pinterest board is another great way to get inspired and discover hidden gems – https://www.pinterest.co.uk/danielleaneka/bali/
Using Google maps I have also put together my own map for Bali, pinning the places to go in each region of the island we plan on visiting. I do this anytime I am travelling abroad as its a quick and easy way to save everything in one place and visually see where they are on the map. Checkout my Bali map here – https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1IAltwIQuNtqsH3oXXDRz0DVF2pi3w1s&usp=sharing
So the countdown to Bali ’24 is on and I’m absolutely thrilled to be going back to magical beach bum days in island paradise ❤
Last week I squeezed in my third holiday of the summer to Cyprus with my boyfriend. September is always a great time to get away as the kids have gone back to school so everywhere is much quieter.
We stayed at Mercure Beach Resort Larnaca as part of a collaboration project with All Accor Hotels.
We were treated to a deluxe double room with a lovely big bathroom and large balcony overlooking that dreamy deep blue ocean.
For this trip I decided to plan my outfits for each day and evening which made packing super easy and seamless. It was so satisfying to see my capsule wardrobe hung up in the spacious closet.
Friday morning we woke fresh and ready for a day of shooting around the hotel, and by midday it was time for a cocktail in my cabana.
I bought this big floppy hat in Mallorca last month and I’m obsessed, it’s so chic!
That afternoon we were given access by the General Manager of the hotel to film in one of the impressive villas they have on site.
Don’t mind me just living my private villa dream as I lounged in the hanging egg chair on the villa terrace.
Sundown drinks on the balcony were a picture perfect moment every evening on repeat.
Friday evening we went to a lovely seafood restaurant just a short walk from our hotel and right on the water called Mer Bleue.
We had classic Greek tatziki and pitta to start, followed by grilled octopus and fries for me and the fillet steak for my boyfriend.
On Saturday morning we explored the old town of Larnaca where we visited the Greek Orthodox Church of St Lazarus.
Later that day we captured some underwater shots poolside and enjoyed an iced coffee afternoon pick me up.
We’d certainly worked up an appetite for lunch, so we ordered a much needed pizza at the Mercure hotel where they have an authentic stone bake pizza oven.
Another evening rolled around and it was yet another stunning sunset complete with orange and pink hues on the horizon.
Before dinner we went to the smart hotel Lobby Bar for an aperativo and I was channeling my inner Flamingo in this cute colourful mini dress from Stradivarius.
Larnanca is known for the Flamingos which flock to the salt lake during Autumn, hence the Flamingo theme throughout the hotel.
A local taxi driver recommended a great Greek restaurant near our hotel called Vlachos Tavern, so we headed there for some dinner and of course I had my favourite Greek feta salad.
Sunday morning we were up bright and early for the breakfast buffet which I setup to shoot for aesthetic hotel content.
Following shooting we enjoyed a wonderful breakfast spread of sweet and savoury plates; the pancakes were the winning dish!
Fuelled and ready for the day, we headed to Ayia Napa for a beach day and day on the water.
I’ve wanted to do paddle boarding for so long and this was the ideal place to give it a go it for the first time.
Calm crystal clear waters and a gloriously sunny day, our first experience paddle boarding was perfect and a lot of fun.
Nissa Beach was buzzing on a Sunday arvo and it was time to hit the beach clubs.
I had a pretty pink Paloma followed by the Tropical State of Mind house special cocktail.
It was giving cool Bali vibes at Isola Beach Bar; I was in my element with these beach style interiors complete with delicious cocktails and salty sea air.
Back in Larnaca, we took a sundown stroll at golden hour along the seafront.
Soon enough it was dusk and the crescent moon was glowing against the deep blue sky.
Those short few moments between night and day are so beautiful and unique, the way the colours of the sky change so swiftly yet fluidly is nature’s art.
For our final night we ate back at the Kyma Restaurant within our hotel where the food was always top quality and delicious.
After dinner, we couldn’t resist a final night cap at the hotel Lobby Bar with their enticing spirit wall glowing as it lit up at night.
And just like that, it was our final day in Cyprus and I soaked up very last minute of sunshine on our balcony with that magnificent view.
Our time in Cyprus was short but superbly sweet, I can’t wait to visit again and explore more of everything it has to offer.
Whilst Balmy Beach Resort is a tropical paradise by day, it also comes alive at night with live music every evening and cocktails served until the early hours.
I love getting dressed up for evening dinners on holiday and having fun with cute outfits I wouldn’t get a chance to wear out at home.
With our first proper evening at the resort being a Friday night, weekend vibes were in the air from noon and by dusk the live DJ was getting the atmosphere buzzing at the beach bar.
I wore this Stradivarius skort paired with my favourite floral wrap frill blouse, these ASOS woven sliders and my new Dune white crochet handbag with gold chain which I brought in duty free at the airport.
When we were at the airport on our journey over to Turkey, I also decided to really splash out and treat myself to these magnificent MuiMui sunglasses.
I wanted to debut them for our special romantic dinner for two on Saturday evening at the Balmy a la carte restaurant.
First up though, it was sundowners at the beach bar where I enjoyed a glass of bubbly in this beautiful champagne flute looking so elegant next to by cute new bag.
Having got a golden glow from the first few days of sun, I decided to wear this white body con middy dress I got in Australia years ago paired with my pear detail sliders, a pair of oversized white shell earrings and my By Alona gold chain pearl necklace which I wore almost every night, the perfect holiday jewellery piece.
I was feeling very St Tropez in all white complete with those killer sunnies and sipping my champagne at that beautiful boho beach bar.
There’s nothing like dining al fresco on holiday with that salty sea air and mellow pink and blue sky as the sunsets and dusk draws in.
We had a wonderful evening together enjoying delicious food and being looked after so well by our lovely waiter; can you tell he was making me laugh here 😉
Sunday night I wore this tropical print maxi dress which is completely backless and features a flattering thigh split. Very little accessories needed with this number, the dress does all the talking.
That evening the live music was over at the garden bar, where we sat in the charming surroundings of the courtyard and could gaze up at the stars in the night sky.
Monday night I went a little more casual with these black crochet Zara shorts, my boho print bardot style croptop, those timeless ASOS plaited sliders and my usual gold jewellery to complete the look.
And once again we found ourselves down at the buzzing beach bar for post dinner drinks and another live band session.
For the final night we got dressed up and ready for dinner in time for golden hour down by the pool and beach bar.
I had to get out my favourite summer minidress from Abercrombie & Fitch, paired with this pastel pink shell detail ASOS clutch for a pop of colour, and of course my new MuiMui babies.
That golden hour glow was giving me all the fuzzy feels and I just wanted to bottle that magical moment forever.
Once the sun hid behind the mountains and the pastel pink sky set in, we went for pre-dinner cocktails at the beach bar.
We couldn’t have wished for a more exquisite setting for our final dinner at Balmy Beach.
Later in the evening the crescent moon came out to sit just above the mountains at dusk; how peaceful and spiritual this moment felt.
And so that marked the end of our stay at Balmy Beach Resort and we couldn’t be more grateful to the staff who were so kind and friendly in making our time there an absolute joy and pleasure.
Sunset views and moonlit hues; goodnight Balmy Beach ❤
English summer is well and truly here and I couldn’t be happier for my favourite season of the year ahead. There’s already lots of social events in the calendar for July and we’re kicking off our summer with a holiday to Kemar in Turkey at the end of this month, I can’t wait!
Friday evenings recently often look like this; we head to our local pub The Mutton where they have a stunning newly renovated garden overlooking the gorgeous Hampshire countryside. It really is the ideal setting for sundown drinks and the food is amazing too.
This week we celebrated my boyfriend’s mum’s birthday and so we invited his parents and grandma over to try our favourite vegan Mexican chilli bowls for a midweek dinner.
Our Mexican night went down a treat and we enjoyed a wonderful evening together as the sunset showered our dining room during golden hour.
I’ve also treated myself to some new pieces in my wardrobe this month which always gets me excited to try new outfits and looks. I’m loving my new velvet square toe mules perfect for wearing with flares, and this new taupe coloured top which is completely backless. Elevated basics are my go-to currently.
And of course next month my sister is due her baby and I’m thrilled to be an Auntie very soon. On Friday I invited her and her partner over for drinks in the garden to catchup and enjoy the evening sunshine. She’s looking radiant even now almost full term in pregnancy, I’m a very proud sister.
Today we went over to Farnham to see a car show which was a lovely weekend activity to get us up and out on a Sunday morning. It wasn’t as big as we’d anticipated, but the line up of red Ferraris basking in the sunshine was incredible.
I find summer is also a great opportunity to switch up my workout routine and get outside more. Moving my body everyday is a non-negotiable and with the warmer weather and longer days, I find myself more active with bike rides and walks as well as my daily home workouts.
So that pretty much sums up my life lately; lots of social occasions, family time, Fridays at the pub with friends, planning our summer holiday, getting outside and moving my body differently everyday, and enjoying those long summer evenings sipping a delicious drink in the garden at golden hour. You can’t go wrong with the Moth drinks for a good quality cocktail at home, perfection!
26.01.23 – My 28th Birthday. As I near the end of my twenties, I’ve learnt that growing older doesn’t have to mean life getting more serious, instead I find myself more carefree and not as worried about always having direction in life. After all, it’s about enjoying the journey and living in the present moment appreciating all those you have already in life.
In celebration of my birthday we went for a family meal to Seasons Kitchen in Surrey. Having experienced the street food vans they have in the summer, I’ve been wanting to try the restaurant here for a while now and it didn’t disappoint.
Arriving on Friday evening for our 7pm reservation, we chose the best table in the house by this gorgeous olive tree in the heart of the restaurant.
I started with a divine Daiquiri cocktail which was the perfect combination of sweet and sour complete with a strong kick from the rum.
I wore my C’est Normal two piece set simply accessorised with nude mules, a cream blazer and plenty of gold jewellery. I even treated myself to a blow dry that day and loved the subtle shape she gave to my hair.
We shared an assortment of starters including these flavoured butter boards which take your classic bread and butter to another level. I couldn’t get enough of the caramelised onion topped one, it was delightful.
I was thrilled to have my brother and his wife join us for the evening all the way from Bromley. I’m close with my family so it always means a lot to spend quality time together on special occasions.
For main course I had the Roast Romenesco Cauliflower dish which was a delicious combination of fresh flavours. I also had a taste of my mum’s Chicken Caesar Salad which was very tasty indeed, a classic favourite of mine.
The boys shared this incredible Korean BBQ Short Rib served on pak choi with steamed bao buns. Another highlight of the evening, this was a refreshing Asian twist on your regular bbq ribs.
I had this cute little birthday chocolate assortment after the inevitable Happy Birthday sing song from the staff and restaurant. I also couldn’t resist a cheeky Tia Maria tipple to finish my meal on a high.
What a truly wonderful evening celebrating my 28th Birthday at Seasons Surrey. I’m starting to appreciate everything in my life as it all falls into place and I can’t help but feel like one of the luckiest girls in the world; cheers to another year around the sun ❤
Ahead of our holiday to Mallorca, I did my usual research on the area and found the popular hotspots on the food and drink scene using Instagram. With a number of fabulous looking restaurants and bars with great reviews in the town and marina, we were spoilt for choice.
On our first trip into town to do a spot of shopping and explore the area, we stopped off at this super chic cafe/bar called Noir.
I had planned to order a coffee to pick me up after all the shopping, but with it being a Friday arvo I couldn’t resist a cheeky Espresso Martini… and when you’re on holiday cocktails are a given, right!?
With such stylish, tasteful interiors and old school tunes playing from the bar, Noir was the perfect little spot to sit out in the sunshine and soak up the Spanish town atmosphere.
The town of Cala D’Or was a different picture by night, as the quiet streets we’d walked by day came alive and the bars packed out with locals and tourists alike.
I had on my list to tryout this vibrant bar Lola. With its Bali inspired beach style interiors and live DJ playing every night until the early hours, this was just my vibe for a cocktail date with the boyfriend.
As the drinks kept flowing and even the shots lined up too, soon we found ourselves at Club Tiempo for a drunken dance before we called it a night.
On a more civilised evening out, we went for a scenic date night at the Marina.
We found a lovely restaurant overlooking the harbour where we enjoyed a delicious dinner for two.
I couldn’t come to Spain and not have a traditional seafood paella and this didn’t disappoint, it was absolutely divine and just the refuel I needed following a day out on the water swimming and cliff jumping.
My boyfriend had a gorgeous cut of fillet steak with dauphinoise potatoes and we shared a salad too. Simple food done well, delicious!
There were lots of other places in town which we didn’t get time to visit, but I’m sure we’ll be back again soon as we loved the beautiful town of Cala D’Or. What I came to realise was these trendy cafes, bars and restaurants including Noir, Lola and Restaurant Different were all linked via an Instagram account called Mallorca Projects. They are a collective of openminded people promoting their passion for that dreamy life in a small Spanish town on the golden coast.
Having now visited these places myself I can see the attraction and why they have such a big following. Mallorca Projects is an awesome, eclectic vibe of lifestyle art and I’m here for it ❤
Dani Aneka 