My Bali-based friend, Philly, is getting married to a handsome Cathay Pacific pilot. She has broken up with four previous fiances just before the wedding, so we wait nervously, our feet in the white sand, until finally she arrives. Angelina-style, Philly has adopted four Balinese babies in three years. And in order to celebrate this primordial decision, she has organised five days of the most glamorous and sumptuous parties.

As we witness this long-awaited ‘I do’ uttered on the pristine beach at Amanusa in Nusa Dua, Bali, I reflect on how I would love to say ‘yes’ 100 times over to my husband in this location tailor-made for love. The majestic hotel located on the seafront is a catalyst for romance. We feel like privileged divinities in the waters of the gigantic pool. When hunger creeps upon us, we climb to the heights of the tower to fill ourselves with the finest delicacies.

The magical vibes emanating from this island have no equal anywhere on earth. Having roamed the world, I have found my refuge in Bali. When there, I have the same itinerary. Why change; it is so perfect.

Day One

The incoming flight from Hong Kong lands in Denpasar at 2pm. The Amanusa representative in his impeccable uniform waits at the bottom of the airplane stairs, ready to help me bypass the long immigration queues. I arrive in Nusa Dua just in time for a dive between the hotel fountain gargoyles and a laze, frozen margarita in hand, underneath the orange bougainvillea tree.