Visiting Bali for a Wellness and Yoga Retreat
Although my journey weblog has typically been in comparison with Eat, Pray, Love, since 2009 when it was launched, I by no means visited Bali till November 2023 once I went for about 16 days. My plan was to go to Bali for a wellness and Yoga retreat. I didn’t be part of an organized Bali wellness retreat or a Bali Yoga retreat, I created my very own by staying in two locations: first, a personal pool villa in Penestanan, close to Ubud, after which the superb Lodge Tugu Bali in Canggu.
As I used to be going to Bali for the primary time, I stored all my notes and created a quick Bali for Novices Information, under, on the finish of this publish.
Ubud: A wellness and Yoga retreat hub
The identify Ubud comes from the Balinese phrase Ubad, which accurately means medication. The area has lengthy been referred to as a centre for medication and therapeutic, partially due to the abundance of medicinal vegetation and herbs that develop there.
Even immediately, with tourism in Bali booming, Ubud remains to be quieter and extra peaceable than different areas, and attracts people who find themselves drawn to the peaceable, therapeutic, vibes and the wellness, Yoga, wholesome consuming, and spa alternatives.
In Udud, there’s a Yoga Studio, spa, well being meals cafe or restaurant, and wellness resort on nearly each nook. The place is actually teeming with them, each on the town and within the surrounding villages and countryside. Udub is unquestionably the place to go in order for you a wellness trip. There are countless prospects.
Domestically owned, Ubud Yoga Centre is a heat and alluring centre that can be architecturally beautiful and has nice forest ravine views. The expansive centre features a retailer stuffed with hand-made and spiritually themed merchandise, an open-air cafe that includes a incredible menu of wholesome and scrumptious meals, and several other spacious, ethereal yoga studios.
I took most of my courses at Ubud Yoga Centre, by no means lacking Kundalini Yoga with GuruMaa Savitri Devi. I knew her in Toronto a few years in the past earlier than she educated as a Yoga instructor and returned to her roots in Bali. GuruMaa Savitri Devi is a really inspiring instructor who fantastically bridges east and west. She understands the spirituality of the east (India, Bali) and may communicate to western college students in a language they perceive.
I additionally tried out a number of spas resembling Botanica Spa – the place I had a therapeutic massage, scrub and flower tub – Starchild Spa, and the spa at Jungle Fish, Chapung Sebali.
As I used to be solely in Ubud for 2 weeks, I had an opportunity to check out just some locations in every class (spa, restaurant, Yoga studio), however relaxation assured there are various different worthwhile and beneficial locations to go.
You may as well partake in native and conventional therapeutic ceremonies, as I did at Pura Tirta Empul. Right here you possibly can partake in a water purification ceremony on the temple, which dates from 926. The temple has a number of holy springs that are mentioned to have been created by the god Indra and believed to be blessed water that might purify those that bathe there. Read more here about what you need to know earlier than endeavor the ceremony.
Extra studying on Breathedreamgo about Bali and Indonesia
Non-public pool villa in Ubud
I needed to remain in Penestanan, a village on the sting of Ubud, largely as a result of my pal and Yoga instructor GuruMaa Savitiri Devi lives there. I additionally knew I needed to deal with myself to a personal pool villa, in order that centered my search. I settled on Villa Nirvana and was extraordinarily proud of my alternative! It was completely situated on a lane in Penestanan and all the things was strolling distance – I might even stroll into Ubud in about 20 minutes. Whereas it’s true that automobiles can not use the lane, I used to be picked up by Villa Nirvana in a golf cart, and was in a position to name Gojek or Seize bikes (scooters) proper to the resort reception.
I liked Villa Nirvana for a lot of causes. Villa Nirvana is principally a resort made up of personal pool villas, every fully separate from the opposite so that you’re principally virtually unaware of your neighbours.
There’s a reception, a backyard, a spa and a small restaurant. Breakfast is included and they’re going to ship proper to your pool villa. I ate an enormous plate of fruit and contemporary juice each morning by my pool!
I discovered that having a pool villa supported my wellness journey as I had room for Yoga, a small kitchen, and naturally a pool to sink into a number of occasions per day! I began each morning with a swim – and as my villa was non-public, there was no want for a washing swimsuit so I swam bare. Heavenly!
Penestanan
Destiny introduced me on to Penestanan and I’m so glad it did! I liked this neighbourhood, which has an outdated village feeling. A lot of it’s criss-crossed with charming slender lanes, and you’ll stroll a good distance utilizing these shady lanes. The lanes are dotted with small resorts, villas, Yoga studios, pretty cafes and naturally homes, native companies, temples, and shrines.
Though there are various facilities for vacationers, it doesn’t really feel touristy. It has not misplaced its genuine flavour and I noticed many examples of the tradition of Bali resembling rituals and processions.
There are too many nice locations in Penestanan to say so I’ll single out a couple of favourites:
Yellow Flower Cafe is on a slender lane and has a captivating decor, all product of bamboo and wooden, with a thatch roof, half fairy story and half hobbit home. The meals is wholesome and scrumptious, a fusion of Indonesian and western dishes and flavours, and the ambiance is relaxed.
Alchemy is a restaurant, retailer, and (throughout the road) a Yoga shala. The cafe can be a co-working area, and has a vibrant, spacious inside with a really tantalizing show of desserts, sweets, and ice lotions – with a great deal of gluten-free decisions.
Zest is a bit like a film set, dramatic and spectacular, with forest cover views and a really in depth menu that focuses on the wholesome and scrumptious.
Cafe Vespa is an off-the-cuff assembly place within the centre of Penestanan. They serve gluten-free pizza, which makes it one among my favourites. Although fact be informed, I feel Ubud is the gluten-free centre of the universe.
Lala Lily. My first meal in Bali was at this small cafe in a lily pond! Household run, it serves tasty native specialties like Nasi Goreng and Gado Gado.
Intuitive Stream Yoga. A beautiful Yoga shala with a heat and ethereal feeling, sweeping views and a neighborhood vibe.
Luxurious wellness retreat in Ubud
Ubud has greater than its justifiable share of luxurious wellness retreats. 5 Components, Maya Ubud, Amandari, and Como Shambala are simply a number of the top-quality choices you’ll find within the serene rural areas surrounding Ubud. Right here amongst peaceable rice fields, flowing rivers, and luxurious forests, lots of the finer spas and resorts are situated.
I selected to spend a day on the 4 Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan, a spectacular property on the sting of city. As all the time, the 4 Seasons hits the candy spot between elegant, tasteful, tremendous luxurious, and in addition culturally related. The resort resort sits on an expansive and meticulously well-groomed property, with a river flowing by means of it, surrounded by forest – so that you all the time really feel you’re within the lap of nature.
Although 25 years outdated, the 4 Seasons Sayan nonetheless feels contemporary, particularly due to the impressed structure and design – the usage of heat woods and rounded shapes give it a pure, natural fashion that flows naturally with the environment. Every thing is beautiful – the pool, the spa, the soaking swimming pools, the villas, the open-air eating room. All of it invitations you to get pleasure from and chill out.
I had a Muladhara Chakra ceremony / therapeutic massage and it was a fantastic expertise, deeper and extra significant and stress-free than your common therapeutic massage. It combines a cleaning Balinese smoke ceremony and deep sluggish therapeutic massage utilizing domestically grown ginger and cinnamon, blended with vetivert, patchouli and jatamansi oils.
I additionally tried a really distinctive expertise referred to as Sacred Nap. A Buddhist nun, Fera Wati, helped us chill out in an aerial silk hammock suspended from the ceiling of the bamboo Dharma Shanti Bale. Whereas she quietly narrated tales from the lifetime of Buddha, I fell asleep listening to the sounds of nature, feeling cocooned, and gently rocking.
At lunch time, I attempted the Sattvic Menu, which although restricted, consists of meals which might be mild, wholesome, tasty and gluten free. It’s not all the time simple to seek out gluten free meals in Asia, so I used to be very relieved. However 4 Seasons Sayan additionally excels at cultural authenticity. Within the night, I loved a conventional dance efficiency with a gamelan orchestra, adopted by a powerful buffet of Indonesian meals.
Lodge Tugu Bali
After I left Ubud, I spent a few days on the unbelievable Lodge Tugu Bali in Canggu. No matter you consider Canggu you possibly can toss out as a result of none of it applies to the Lodge Tugu Bali. This 5-star resort was constructed lengthy earlier than Canggu turned a vacationer vacation spot, when it was surrounded by jungle and there was nothing between it and the seaside.
As you enter alongside a protracted, lined wood walkway overtop a pool of water, you allow trendy life behind and enter one other world. The cavernous foyer is a treasure trove of Indonesian tradition. In actual fact, your complete resort preserves the artwork and tradition of Indonesia and Bali. It’s actually a residing artwork museum, whereas additionally being a really snug and splendid resort. I’ve by no means been wherever remotely just like the Lodge Tugu Bali. There may be completely nothing predictable or commonplace right here.
To explain Lodge Tugu Bali, and provide you with a way of what it’s like, it’s very arduous to know the place to start out! The huge wood foyer is inbuilt a conventional Balinese fashion, and the varied villas, suites, and bungalows are unfold out across the property, related by stone walkways, lush with vegetation and bushes, giving it the sensation of a conventional (however very posh) village.
Every villa, suite, or bungalow may be very distinctive, and a few them are actually astounding in measurement, design, and facilities. I used to be fortunate to have the ability to tour most of them. The Puri Le Mayeur Villa and the Walter Spies Pavilion are artistic endeavors. They’ve non-public swimming pools, eating areas, and romantic vistas … when you actually want a spectacular keep in the future for a really special day, both of those will match the invoice.
I stayed within the Dedari Suite. Getting into the suite by means of an vintage door, I discovered a small tropical backyard bordering a sunken bathtub behind wood shutters. My massive suite featured a cover mattress and a personal pool, however I liked that dreamy bathtub and my open-air rest room.
There are a number of distinctive and galvanizing eating experiences at Lodge Tugu Bali. IWA Restaurant is a culinary journey by means of Indonesia, and Ji options conventional Japanese meals. My first meal at Lodge Tugu Bali was on the rooftop restaurant watching the sundown over the ocean and consuming contemporary sushi.
Bale Sutra is housed in a 300-year-old Chinese language temple. The temple, introduced by Chinese language immigrants to Bali a very long time in the past, was saved from near-demolition by the Tugu Inns & Eating places proprietor, and was transported and reconstructed in its entirety at Lodge Tugu Bali.
However my favorite Lodge Tugu Bali expertise was to have excessive tea in a constructing referred to as Bale Puputan, a sort of museum full of historic artefacts and vintage treasures. Bale Puputan is a tribute to the Puputan Struggle and the Balinese heroes who stood in opposition to Dutch colonialist invaders in 1906 and 1908. I ate at a large marble desk that was utilized by the Dutch common in Bali to host royal visitors. This expertise helped me study concerning the tradition of Bali – and I used to be glad to see that the resort affords excursions to visitors that give them cultural context, and never only a five-star luxurious expertise.
Although it’s a magnificent place, I discovered Lodge Tugu Bali to have a sort of enveloping ambiance which I discovered to be stress-free and therapeutic. The spa is beautiful and I had an exquisite therapeutic massage, however even my very own bathtub was simply as therapeutic – as I luxuriated in each day flower baths. I watched the sundown over the ocean from the highest ground restaurant, and briefly walked on the seaside, however in any other case left Canggu – with its loud bars, and Australian surfers, and memento retailers – exterior the property and virtually fully ignored it.
A quick keep at Lodge Tugu Bali was an ideal strategy to recognize the native tradition and finish an ideal first journey to Bali. Thanks a lot to the great employees, who all the time remembered my identify and favorite drink. I by no means needed to depart. Lodge Tugu Bali is a member of Secret Retreats, a group of very particular, distinctive hospitality experiences in Asia together with resorts, accommodations, eating places, yachts, and far more.
Bali Novices Information
As I used to be going to Bali for the primary time, I did some analysis and stored observe of the steps I took to arrange for my journey. Apparently I did a great job as a result of my driver, ready for me on the airport in Bali, mentioned nobody he had waited for had ever handed by means of the airport quicker than me. I hope my temporary Bali Novices Information helps you, too.
- Analysis locations and your itinerary. Bali may be very totally different from place to position and you have to resolve in order for you an expertise that’s characterised by quiet, busy, wellness, celebration, meals, and so on. There are areas (largely within the north) which might be nonetheless very genuine and areas (largely within the south) which might be extraordinarily crowded, industrial, developed and touristy. If you’re on the lookout for a wellness and Yoga retreat, Ubud – or the world surrounding Ubud – is your greatest guess.
- Purchase Indonesia Visa on-line. You may get your Visa upfront, which helps you get by means of the airport extra rapidly. This is the official link.
- 4 days earlier than your journey, you are able to do your Indonesia Customized Declaration on-line, additionally serving to you to breeze by means of the airport. Use this link.
- There are a number of ATM scams in Bali, so watch out. Use solely ATMs on the airport and in banks. Advisable: BMC banks or Central Kuta Cash Change. I exchanged US {dollars} on the airport and in addition withdrew money on the ATM on the airport.
- Arrange Sensible with an Indonesia account and order a debit card. I transferred cash from my Canadian account into my Sensible Indonesia account and used my Sensible debit card to withdraw Indonesia rupiah – saving myself some huge cash in financial institution charges and foreign money conversion costs. Use my Wise affiliate link here and get your first switch free.
- Obtain Seize and Gojek apps for arranging transportation. You possibly can join these apps to your WIse account so you possibly can pay in Indonesia rupiah.
- Purchase an Airalo e-sim for Indonesia You should utilize my code MARIEL3816 to get $3 off.
Language and meals
Be taught concerning the language. Bahasa Indonesia is the official language of Indonesia, and Balinese is the language of Bali.
- Good morning – selamat pagi
- How are you – apa kabar
- Please – tolong
- Thanks – suksma (Balinese) or terimah kasi (Bahasa Indonesia)
Be taught concerning the meals and a number of the commonest conventional dishes.
- Fish – ikan
- Rice – nasi
- Duck – bebek
- Seafood – sari laut
- Ikan goreng – fried fish
- Lawar kuwir – slow-cooked duck
- Rujak – conventional fruit salad
- Nasi lalapan – rice, tofu, sambal, veggies
- Burbur injin – black rice pudding
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