FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
What is Damara?
Damara Bali is a non-profit foundation support a beer life for the children from poor farming families in
Bali. Damara Bali Foundation was established in 2015 and registered as a non-profit Indonesia Foundation
(Yayasan) with the Indonesia Ministry of Law and Human Rights Indonesia No AHU – 0006690.AH 2015.
Who runs Damara?
Damara was founded by I Nengah Swikrama, who grew up in an orphanage and received education thanks to
the support of other people’s generosity. He has worked for over 30 years to assist children living in
orphanages. For the last 8 years before starting Damara he was the Director of Widhya Asih, managing an
organisation that provides homes and education to over 500 children and helps with many community
projects.
How does Damara help?
Our main aims are:
- Direct sponsorship of children who have dropped out/or are at risk of dropping out of school because
their parents are too poor to provide the cost of books, basic school supplies and uniforms.
- Help poor farmers to have sustainable capability for generating income to provide for their children
and send them to school.
How is Villa Bugis associated with Damara?
Villa Bugis proudly supports Damara as its primary charity. Damara started with generous contribution from
Villa Bugis, a villa management company in Seminyak, Bali (www.villabugis.com). Villa Bugis have committed to
continue with annual donations and also with coverage of the cost of all administration of the charity to
ensure 100% of donations go directly to those that benefit most.
How many children are currently supported
Damara supports nearly 100 children for the school year 2019-2020, all living in extremely poor villages in
north and east Bali. All these children had already dropped out of school.
How much does it cost to sponsor a child?
The cost is quite small – IDR1,500,000 per year per child – or about AUD$150 per year
How is the donation money managed
Damara works with trusted school administrators who identify the children in need of help. No money is given
directly to the families, but is used for paying for direct expenses for the children to send school. Damara
representative visits regularly to monitor how the children are doing and receive school reports.
How are we matched with the children we sponsor?
Sponsorship is made to those most vulnerable, and in most need, as identified by their school, who’s staff
work very closely with Damara and the community. If you have children, we often try and match those with
similar gender and age group, for reliability.
Are we able to visit the children that we will be sponsoring?
Yes, this is possible after sponsorship has been made – it is a full day trip to and from the rural areas that the
children are living.
What do we receive after sponsorship?
You will receive photos and bio’s of the child you sponsor, it is also possible to communicate via written (and
translated) leers if you wish – as well as 6 monthly school reports and a quarterly newsletter
How do we make a payment?
Please visit www.damara-bali.org/donate-here – all Damara Overheads Finance and Admin services are provided by Villa Bugis. Direct payments can be made into the Damara account, but this is usually costly with fees from overseas, from both ends, not making it worthwhile.
How do we renew each year?
Each year we will contact you to renew your assistance and commitment, and you can then choose to renew the same way as initial payment was made.
DAMARA is a non-profit foundation supporting a better life for the children from poor farming families in Bali.
Damara Bali Foundation was established in 2015 and registered as a non profit Indonesia Foundation (Yayasan) with the Indonesia Ministry of Law and Human Rights No …AHU – 0006690.AH 2015
May 3, 2023 – Google Business
Excellent place to stay in Seminyak! The villa is spacious and offers privacy as well as luxury. Rooms are well maintained and the swimming pool is fantastic. Great place for kids! Strongly recommend!
March 18, 2023 at 10:52 am – Google Business
4 couples stayed in Mahkota Villa for 8 nights. We had the most amazing time. Villa is stunning. Location perfect. Staff beyond helpful, breakfast daily was delicious. We couldn’t have asked for more. Highly recommend and reasonably priced between 4 couples.
Our family of adults stayed here for a week. Staff were fantastic, villa was in a good location and we absolutely loved the pool
Oct 29, 2019 at 07:18 am – TripAdvisor
We stayed at Villa Mahkota with 10 of my friends. The booking process was very smooth and the representative was very responsive to all our concerns. The villa was stunning. My friends absolutely loved it. Breakfast was good. Rooms are spacious. The entire experience was fantastic. Thank you Villa Mahkota. We would love to come back soon
Oct 06, 2019 at 08:22 am – Flipkey
Our family have just returned from Villa Mahkota. All the good reviews are definitely deserved. Grounds & accommodations are gorgeous. Staff are unobtrusive & always available to help in anyway. Chef came in every day to cook the breakfast of choice & always looked after the kids.. A short walk to Bintang supermarket & beach. All staff were available & nothing was too much trouble for them. Thanks to them all. You won’t be disappointed if you stay here. A truly wonderful holiday.
Jun 04, 2019 at 10:52 am – Flipkey
Beautiful and Peaceful
This villa was outstandingly beautiful and comfortable. The gardens and pool were stunning. The staff were so friendly and helpful. Special thanks to Ariante, Eddie and Gede, as well as all the staff who took care of us, cleaned, cooked and lit the mosquito coils each night! The beds were so comfortable and the whole experience was better than we could have expected. The villa is really close to heaps of shops and restaurants, and walking distance ot the beach. A definite luxury!
We could not fault Villa Mahkota! It was even more beautiful than the photos! It was a perfect place for two families of 4 with room to spare. The pool was devine and the rooms and bathrooms were beautiful. Incredibly comfortable beds and pillows too! The staff were incredibly helpful arranging massages, washing services, food deliveries and an in house banquet all at short notice. Our daily breakfast was delicious and we were so lucky to have Arta assigned to cook and care for us for our entire stay. We highly recommend Villa Mahkota for its privacy and peace and it’s close proximity to being in the middle of all of Seminyaks action. Can’t wait to come back!! Special thanks also to Rai and Arianta for their help during our stay. Elissa Rick Indi and Kai Stillman. Stacey Fred Brooke and Mia Erickson.
Mar 19, 2019 at 10:31 am – TripAdvisor
This is a 4-bedroom villa and the facilities are exceptional. Our Chef arrived each morning to prepare our selected breakfasts and the staff cleaned all villas daily to a very high standard. The pool was beautiful and we made the most of it. Beds were very comfortable; bathrooms very spacious; and airconditioning was fantastic.
We loved the short walkways to the main road, where shops and restaurants were plentiful.
The villa was also reasonably close to the beach in our opinion.
All the staff were very friendly and we will certainly make this our favourite place to stay, when our family returns to Bali.
Jan 16, 2019 at 10:22 am – TripAdvisor
We had an extremely large group of 62 people which consisted of families and friends and we took over 6 of the many Villas being Olive, Mahkota, Santi, Alore 1 and Alore 2 and a few stayed elsewhere. We could not fault any of the villas as they were all luxurious and extremely well laid out.
We had chefs, gardeners, maintenance, security, cleaners, assistants and supervisors daily who tended to your every need. Nothing was too hard or a chore and the staff all went out of their way to assist and were all beautiful people. They can organize shopping, laundry, bike rental, doctors, SIM cards, drivers, taxis, day trips etc.
All Villas we chose were next door to each other and villa Alore 1 & 2 can connect to each other. Location is perfect down a quiet lane way so away from any noise and traffic and with the Main Street of Seminyak one end with Bintang Supermarket the first shop to reach and the other end coming out directly opposite a mini hospital/medical center on the same street as Frankenstein’s. A gate down the lane way lead a third direction and you pop out directly at the beach and among bars and restaurants.
I would most definitely recommend these villas, location and staff and will most definitely be returning.
Thank you for making our trip a safe, enjoyable and relaxed one and a special thank you to Rei, Wyann, Gede Merta and Gede Arianta for everything!
Dec 24, 2018 at 08:12 am – TripAdvisor
We had an excellent stay st villa Mahkota. Two families with 5 bedrooms. Facilities and staff were excellent and catered for every need quickly efficiently and courteously. What a great experience. We asked the villa staff to arrange a birthday dinner celebration which they did a fantastic job.
Nov 15, 2018 at 09:40 am – Facebook
Great.set up for couples very well set out great staff
Oct 16, 2018 at 11:35 am – TripAdvisor
I recently stayed at Villa Mahkota with a group of 10 family and friends and could not have been happier with the Villa and the service provided by the wonderful staff. The Villa is exactly as the photos show on the website and is in a great location only a very short walk to Bintang supermarket as well as many great shops and restaurants. The pool and grounds are stunning and we totally enjoyed relaxing here with the kids. Thanks for a great Holiday, we look forward to returning to Villa Mahkota
July 02, 2018 at 08:23 pm – TripAdvisor
We had an amazing week in Seminyak staying in Villa Makhota. The villa exceeded our expectations and was exceptionally beautiful. A highlight of the trip was the staff and how attentive they were. One phone call and we had assistance within minutes. We cannot fault our stay and are already planning our return. Highly recommend this company to anyone planning a visit to Bali.
Villa Mahkota is just a few minutes walk from the main shopping and eating area of Seminyak. It’s truly an oasis from the hustle and bustle of the outside world, but very conveniently located. The staff were very helpful and made sure our stay was very comfortable. We would love to go back again and spend some more time experiencing the wonders of Bali from this terrific accommodation.
Great location 5min walk to the Bintang supermarket and lots of great shopping & restaurants nearby. The Staff and Management at Villa Mahkota were excellent very friendly nothing was of any trouble for them, we arrived and had thought we would go out for tea the first night but the moment those Balinese doors were opened to our villa’s private yard we knew we had found paradise we really didn’t want to leave, so asked if we could arrange someone to come and cook for us this was no problem at all. The next day reading though the book about what villa has to offer there was a part about in Villa dinning was no troubled just give staff 24 hours notice (we gave them 4) felt so bad so apologised to staff the next day and they were like no worries at all saying it was no trouble for them. Staff arranged a tour for us to the rice fields and temple which was one of many highlights of our trip. Had in villa massage organised for 8 people within 2 hours of request. There is so much more I could write about Villa Mahkota and Staff but really all you need to do is book a stay for yourself and you will never want to stay anywhere else. Currently trying to work out when we can book our next trip back. Villa Mahkota will not disappoint.
We have visited Bali many times over the previous 10 years and stayed in a variety of accomodation types and styles – this was our first experience staying in a Bugis Villa.
Stayed for a week with 4 adults and 4 teenagers – could easily have stayed longer.
Loved the sense of space that you get from this villa – you can easily all be together or just as easily be in small groups without bothering others – numerous places to lounge around and sit. More a traditional style villa than the newer more modern villas – we loved the gardens and “old bali” feeling.
An easy 5 minute walk to Bintang supermarket or 10 minute walk to Jl Camplung Tanduk. Anytime we needed a cab we just walked up to the main road at Bintang – mostly got dropped off there as well on the way home as it was easier than trying to explain to cab driver how to get to villa.
We would definately stay at this particular villa again or any of the other Bugis Villas if this experience is anything to go by.
The villa was very spacious with private pool to ourselves. Service was excellent and Kadek had been of very great help through out the stay. Ideal for big group and comfortable to stay. However, we do find the location of villa to be quite secluded and taxi could not find its way into the villa. Special thanks to Anie and Dewi who helped with my bookings of the 2 villas for this visit. Very prompt in clarifying any queries that I had. Overall, a great experience with Villa Bugis.
A 7 night stay at this amazing villa, we didn’t want to leave! The villa is enormous with plenty of space – we were a large group of 13 and didn’t feel cramped at all. The location was fantastic, a 5 min stroll to the Bintang Supermarket, shopping and great restaurants.
It’s also the staff that really make this place incredible – nothing was ever too much trouble. The breakfast team came in everyday and cooked up a storm, took care of all the cleaning up and barely made a sound! All the staff were so lovely, always smiling and so friendly! The rooms, pool, gardens and living areas are kept to such a high standard – everything was immaculate.
We arranged massages, pedi and mani treatments through our villa manager – he had experienced people there within the hour! An hour long full body massage without having to leave the villa for $13! Highly recommended!
I would recommend this villa to any larger groups of family and friends who love having extra space. This is our second stay through Villa Bugis and they are a dream to deal with. The villa is also excellent value for money, you get so much for your hard earned dollars and total privacy – an average of $80 per person per night – amazing value!!
Thankyou Villa Bugis – we will be back in 2016!!
Stayed July 2015, traveled with family
A fantastic villa, very large rooms and beds, large grounds with plenty of living spaces and grassed areas. Perfect for a large group of friends or families and children.
Staff are amazing, rooms and kept clean and the daily breakfast is good.
The only negative would be the noise from the lane way as this kept us awake and woke us most nights. Location is average as its a long walk to the beach but nice and close to Bintang supermarket.
Expensive villa but enjoyed our stay.
Stayed June 2015, traveled with family
The management staff were fantastic in replying to many emails regarding our stay. They were always happy to meet our requirements. We holidayed in a large group, of 8 adults and 7 young children, and found Villa Mahkota to fullfill a great family holiday. Location was perfect, with a short walk to many restaurants and shops/markets. The housekeeping and grounds staff were extremely friendly and accommodating, and went out of their way to ensure we enjoyed our time there. The BBQ menu options were fantastic and a must if you stay.
This was our 4th booking with Villa Bugis and first stay at Villa Mahkota with two families, 4 adults and 4 kids.
As Mahkota is a large compound around 1000m2 it enabled us to spread out and have our own space when needed. The villa has great areas to eat, drink and rest, all surrounding a large central pool. It is a great place to relax and have space but also be in reach of family and friends.
The bedrooms are all generous and as they are individual allows for privacy and peace and quite. The TV room was great for the kids to go and chill out after a big day down the beach. The main living area is terrific, though we found ourselves living outside for most of the stay. The kitchen is handy though needs a bit of a tidy up. Our favorite spaces were the outdoor eating area where meals were prepared for us, the bar (with super cold bar fridge) and pool side lounge areas.
We found one of the best ways to enjoy the villa was to get the boys to race off to one of their favorite Warungs and bring us back a meal of Nasi/Mi Goreng etc. and then get back into the pool.
The villa is in a good location and a short walk to the Bintang Market and Jalan Raya Seminyak. We find it best to have scooters on hand in order to get to the beach as it is quite a walk and certainly not direct with the little narrow lane ways. The lanes make it difficult for larger transport vehicles and taxis to navigate, a walk out to Jl. Raya seems to be the way to go. The narrow lanes are not such a bad thing as it reduces traffic and are seemingly quiet.
All in all Mahkota is a great villa in a good location, the staff go out of there way to help you and are always smiling and friendly.
We had a fantastic stay. Everything was great. The staff were fantastic they couldn’t do enough for you. We hope to come back next year.
The only comment is the kitchen needs a clean after every meal. Cupboard doors need cleaning as well
2nd time using Villa Bugis properties, this time with a family group. Stayed in Villa Mango (3 bedrooms) and was fantastic. Property offered room to move, great pool/spa, all appointments one would want from this style of property. Close to Seminyak road, supermarket and any number of restaurants. Cannot speak highly enough of Staff, nothing was too much trouble ofr them to organize be it, transport, massages, restaurant bookings or making sure there was a fridge full of chilled bintangs on arrival. Whilst there are now thousands of these types of properties available, this group of villas will be my choice
All the staff for Villa Bugis’s properties was really first rate. Kind and helpful and they really want to make sure you have a great stay. The property pictures and description don’t do it justice, it’s really so beautiful and serene – but less than a 5 minute walk to a major grocery store and all the action on the main street in Seminyak. Our booking came with daily breakfast (delicious) and the villa was cleaned daily – they even arranged for massage and pedicures on site – we felt so pampered. 4 Master Suites with air conditioning, a TV room, plenty of outdoor lounge space, the pool was very large and the grounds and sculptures were beautiful. If you’re headed to Bali, with a group or large family, this is an excellent choice.
The villa and staff were all absolutely wonderful. From the extremely serene and peaceful gardens to the massive and beautifully lit pool, the outside king size sunbed to enjoy lovely massages on or a nice afternoon nap. The staff went to all lengths to keep us happy and provided us with anything we required. Breakfast everyday was beautiful and plentiful and we also had the staff cook dinner for us one night. To call it a smorgasbord just wouldn’t do it justice. Nothing I can really fault about the villa at all. The rooms were all beautiful and wonderfully furnished and overall we had a wonderful holiday staying here. Thank you to all the wonderful staff that made our trip memorable.
Villa Mahkota is an exceptional place to stay. Kadek and his trusty team are extremely helpful and accommodating and I found the facilities to be up to date and all in perfect working order. After staying in Bali several times in different locations, I will never stay anywhere else now! Absolutely loved it! Thank you!
We stayed in the Villa in mid January and loved it. The staff were very accomodating and nothing was too much trouble.
Having our own villas within the complex and sharing a common pool and eating area was great. Being able to swim in the pool late at night was also a bonus. The villas are well equiped and they even supplied the mosiquto spray. The mosquitoes were probably the only downside. Perhaps a regular spray by ground staff would be a good idea.
We were very close to restuarants and the shops.
Well worth looking at staying in these villas if you are travelling to Bali.
The air conditioners have all been replaced over the last 12 months and the mosquito nets have just been replaced.
Villa mahkota. Very good,love staying here will write good review for trip advisor
Kadek and his staff were very accommodating, cooking yummy breakfast and providing great service. Mahkota villa was generally clean a few of the mosquito nets needed replacing.
The water in one bathroom was smelly but thankfully Kadek and his team addressed it straight away.
Overall the staff were friendly, helpful made our stay pleasant , carefree, and most enjoyable’ Thanks
PS. we were disappointed with the pool fence, the cost was way too much, and it wasnt secure enough.
Amazing stay..staff looked after us so well.pictures do not do the villa justice — unbelievable! Love our stay
The place is beautiful,facilities are satisfactory..
Improvement required for newer appliances suchas A.C. and TV overall experience is great..
We had a great time while staying at our gorgeous villa . Would recommend it to all our friends in australia..all the staff and komang our head man was lovely and very helpful..
nice villa to stay in….. wish it could be a little better. Main room should have air conditioner since it’s very hot nowadays, and some rooms the air condition aren’t very cold. other than that, good villa to stay in.