Villas like this one in Bali are popular

The Indonesian resort island has steadily and successfully rebuilt its reputation as a luxury weekend getaway for Asians, as painful memories of a 2002 bombing of a nightclub in the main tourist area, Kuta, fade away.

The drop in tourism from that tragedy and the 2003 SARS outbreak prompted tour operators and travel businesses to innovate in order to draw back holiday-makers.

These days, it is not uncommon to find visitors making their way to Bali to enroll in Indonesian cooking classes or to experience village life in Ubud.

Ubud--which is an hour's drive from the main tourist strip of Bali--is where many visitors are tending to their souls these days.

In addition to being the art centre, it has also become the focal point for those wanting to learn more about Indonesian cuisine.

The Casa Luna cooking school is popular with non-Asian tourists who want a taste of Bali ... literally.

The cooking classes include an early morning visit to the local market where you're involved in the purchase of ingredients of the dish you will be cooking.

At Casa Luna, there are lessons on how to prepare a range of sambal, rice dishes and Indonesian desserts.

On your day off from cooking, make time for a visit to one of Bali's spas. The Kirana in Ubud and the Four Seasons Sayan are both excellent.

Then, take a stroll along the main street in Ubud and drift in and out of various little shops selling art and Balinese carvings and souvenirs. Make sure you don't miss the Lotus Cafe, which is extremely popular with artists.

Inside, eating pavilions surround a large lotus pond divided in the middle by a walkway that leads to an old temple. On Sundays, you can have lunch and watch a Balinese dance class across the lotus pond, against the backdrop of the looming temple.

Villa living is now the preferred choice of many visitors. That's because paying for a stay at a private residence saves you the 21-percent tax you'd pay at resorts.

Hence, villas like Bunga Wangi in Canggu, managed by private companies, offer an option for the financially-savvy traveller. The villas have private pools, outdoor showers and romantic four-poster beds.