Bali Wellness Travel Guide

Alison and I took a short getaway to Bali recently, and we had an absolutely splendid time there! It was my first time in Bali, and I loved it so much that we booked another trip to Bali in December seconds after we touched down in Singapore. Okay, this is exaggerating a little,  but we probably booked our next flights to Bali at the next airfare promotion.

Bali is one of the top destinations in Asia for travelers seeking a wellness retreat or a respite from the hustle and bustle of city life. The island, larger than the size of Singapore, is known for its beautiful forested mountains, stretches of rice paddy fields, and white sandy beaches lined with clear blue waters. It is also increasingly popular as a yoga and meditation retreat destination in recent years due to the movie Eat, Pray, Love. I fell in love with Bali as it is a really beautiful place full of rich Balinese culture, great food, stunning nature, and most importantly, everything seems to run at its own pace in isolation to the rest of the world.

Without further ado, here is our Bali Wellness Travel Guide 2015!

BALI FOOD AND DRINKS

EARTH CAFÉ (SEMINYAK)

Earth Café is located along one of the streets leading to the popular Seminyak Square. The restaurant serves up organic vegetarian food in different cuisines and has a health food market on site, which was a really fun browse. The place was packed when Alison and I dropped by for lunch, and we shared a Dragon Bowl as we had a really late breakfast prior. The Dragon Bowl was awesome! The portion was huge, and filled with many different ingredients, which meant that each bite was perfectly textured with crisp leafy greens, smooth avocado, chewy tempeh, and some crunch from the cashews.

Jalan Laksamana
No. 99, Seminyak, Kuta
Bali 80361, Indonesia
+62 361 736645

REVOLVER ESPRESSO (SEMINYAK)

Revolver Espresso has two branches in Seminyak – a full service café along Jalan Kayu Aya and a smaller outfit (‘Baby Revolver’) along Jalan Petitenget. We visited the one at Jalan Petitenget as we were staying around the vicinity and Alison got up early every morning just to walk over and get their coffee because it was that good.

The company uses organic fruits and vegetables wherever possible and serves up a mainly Western-style menu, with gluten-free breads and healthy home bakes. We had a chocolate tart with coconut crust and a frozen mixed berry bowl on two separate dinings, and I have to say that the smoothies and the avocado on toast look incredibly delish. I would recommend that you visit the full-service café at Jalan Kayu Aya!

Jalan Kayu Aya / Gang 51
Seminyak – Oberoi
Bali, Indonesia
+62 851 0088 4968

Jalan Petitenget
No.110, Kuta Utara,
Bali 80361, Indonesia
+62 851 0244 4468

SARI ORGANIK (UBUD)

Sari Organik serves up organic and eco-conscious food in their restaurant set among rice paddy fields. According to their website, the family-run establishment grows their own organic produce such as vegetables, rice and soya, and their menu offers a range of Middle Eastern and Indonesian food. I had a fresh garden salad with pesto dressing, while Alison had stir-fried vegetables with brown rice, in which his verdict was, “I could eat this every day!”

This place is a long walk in from the main road. We got off the car on the main road and followed the signs bearing  ‘Sari Organik’, which soon disappeared. We felt like we might have walked past the place already after 10 to 15 minutes of walking along the meandering path, but the friendly locals kept waving us on when we asked for directions. My advice is, keep walking and enjoy the sights! You will see a big rock and red flag bearing ‘Sari Organik’ when you reach the place.

Jl. Raya Tjampuhan,
Ubud, Gianyar, Bali, Indonesia
+62 361 972087

CUCA (JIMBARAN)

Cuca was a great find in Jimbaran, and one of the best dining experiences we had in Bali. The restaurant uses 100% local ingredients – sustainably grown fruits and vegetables from mountain farms in Bedugul, line-caught wild seafood from the coasts of Java and Bali, and local pasture-raised meat and poultry. Eating locally and seasonally is one of the nutrition philosophies at Sofia Nutrition as this ensures that the produce is at its most nutritious, reduces environmental impact, and supports local communities.

The meals are served tapas-style and meant for sharing among family and friends. We had the fire baked seafood rice (lunch special), baked scallop and marinated pulled pork and I have to say that each dish was absolutely on point in terms of taste and texture. The winner was the seafood rice, packed full of fresh seafood and finished with an onsen egg yolk.

Jalan Yoga Perkanthi,
Jimbaran 80364
Bali, Indonesia
+62 361 708066
http://www.cucaflavor.com/

BALI SPA AND WELLNESS

OLOP’S YOGA STUDIO (SEMINYAK)

According to various sources on the Internet, Olop Arpipi is one of the most famous yogis in Bali and very highly spoken about. His yoga studio is set in his garden behind his own house, and is fully furnished with yoga mats, belts, blocks, blankets and a rope wall.

This was my first time practicing iyengar yoga, which is a form of Hatha yoga with emphasis given on posture alignment and breath control. We opted for a Beginner Level class on a Friday evening, and I found the session to be comfortably challenging. His assistants would walk quietly behind to help us get into the correct position if needed, and I really appreciated the help as I was somewhat new to yoga. It was a very interesting, authentic practice made one-of-a-kind with the surrounding lush greenery and wandering chickens and dogs. To ask for class timings or to book classes, email Olop.

Jalan Drupadi 1, No. 7,
Banjar Basangkasa, Seminyak,
Bali 80361, Indonesia
+62 812 3811507
oloparpipi@gmail.com

BODYWORKS (SEMINYAK)

Alison and I had a spa session on the first day we arrived in Bali, and the first experience was nothing much to shout about. But this one … would definitely return for a visit when I come to Bali again in December! We had the 60 minutes full body massage, which was the only treatment left available as everything else was booked full. The rooms are rather simple and no-frills, but comfortable. It could be rattan mats in the middle of the desert for all it matters, but the therapist was … good. Very very very good.

Jalan Kayu Jati
No 2, Petitenget,
Bali 80361, Indonesia.
+62 (0)361 733317, 735058

THE YOGA BARN (UBUD)

One of the most highly reviewed yoga studios in Bali, set amongst terraced rice paddies, idyllic gardens and Ganesha statues. The Yoga Barn has an extensive class schedule packed from 7.00 a.m. to 8.30 p.m, which means that there is always a class for you any time of the day.

The place also hosts residential and non-residential detox retreats, workshops, as well as a vegetarian vegan café.

1 Yoga Barn,
Jalan Raya Pengosekan,
Ubud,  Bali 80571, Indonesia
+62 361 971236 / +62 361 971407

BALI SPORTS AND ACTIVITIES

DAILY GYM (SEMINYAK)

Daily Gym is an open-air gym located near W Hotel along Jalan Petitenget, where we stayed. It spans the second and third floor of the building and is adequately furnished with everything you need for an effective workout at 50,000 IRP for a daily pass (unlimited hours). The gym also has a boxing ring and holds Muay Thai classes every morning from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Alison and I were flying off that afternoon, and couldn’t fit in a two-hour long class, so we had a quick workout session at the gym instead.

Nonetheless, Daily Gym is one of the best places in Bali for MMA, Muay Thai and Boxing, and a good option if your hotel or resort does not have an in-house exercise facility.

Jalan Petitenget,
No.72, Kuta Utara,
Bali 80361, Indonesia
+62 361 4739659

CAMPUHAN RIDGE WALK (UBUD)

The Campuhan Ridge Walk was a really enjoyable walk for us. The trail starts off next to an old temple and the first few kilometers had great views as it parallels two different views of Bali – luxury resorts on the left and forested greenery on the right. It takes about 30 minutes to reach the top and we stopped at Karsa Café for coconut water and great views.

Look out for Ibah Hotel on the main road and go down the path on the left towards the school. The trail starts further down next to the temple.

Starts near Ibah hotel,
Jalan Raya Campuhan,
Ubud, Bali 80571, Indonesia

Here’s the end of the first edition of our Bali Wellness Travel Guide! In the next edition, I hope to bring you more organic and eco-conscious eats, sports activities, as well as local beauty skincare and wellness brands. Do drop a comment below if you have any recommendations on where we should visit on our trip to Bali in December!