ABOUT -

This resort is all about wellness with state of the art facilities and experts on hand. You can come here and just relax by the pool, de-stress in the beauty of your surroundings, pamper yourself with massages and beauty treatments and enjoy stunningly delicious and healthy food. But that's not really the point of the place and you're sort of paying for the other stuff anyway. Learn a few things and go home felling a lot better than when you came.

WHEN -

June to September is best / July - August is peak season

STAY -

COMO Shambhala Estate *****

in Payangan, near Ubud - 45 kms north of the airport and around a 90 minute drive. The resort is set in the jungle by a river with white water rafting and one of Bali's eight sacred healing springs. Many of the packages will include meals and a massage or treatment or two thrown in.

ADD ONS -

Spend a week on the beach to unwind from all that exercise. Or if you enjoyed the Ayurvedic treatments you could fly to Sri Lanka for a Ayurvedic holiday.

ROMANCE -

4 poster bed / Semi - outdoor  bathroom  / Picnic lunch in the water garden / Romantic dinner for two on your private terrace / Children not encouraged and can't stay in most room types

SUNRISES & SUNSETS -

glow restaurant has views of the sunset

BUDGET -

High end. This is one of the more expensive trips to Bali that you could do. This is a world class wellness facility with prices to match. If this was in a western country you would be getting a lot less for a similar price. If you have to think about whether you'll get your money's worth it's probably not for you.

HIGHLIGHTS -

There are 4 different wellness programs if you are interested. They include programs for diet (Whole food cuisine designed by expert nutritionalists), activities, treatments, professional consultations, massage, acupuncture, a personal assistant, Ayurveda therapy, bodycare / facial treatments and more. Programs run from 3 to 21 days.

PAMPER -

Butler / Numerous massage and beauty treatments / 24 hour room service/ Steam room, sauna and hammam / Your own waterfall and jacuzzi / 3 natural rock spring pools

RELAXING -

Private pool and lounge area / Nightly fire pit

VIEWS -

The jungle - tropical gardens or misty rice fields - the rainforest scenery in the 23 acres of hotel grounds is breathtaking

FOOD -

Kudus House (In a 19th century Javanese Villa) - Indonesian - Breakfast and Dinner

glow (Open sides and open kitchen) - COMO Shambhala Cuisine - contemporary all day dining venue - nutritionalists and Ayurvedic - Sunday Brunch is a gastronomic treat with traditional dancing and gamelan orchestra

DRINKS -

Young Coconut water

Juices / Smoothies

Detox beverages and health tonics

Medicinal Shots - like turmeric, tamarind and coconut nectar

Wide selection of teas

French press coffee

Alcoholic drinks are available

SIGHTS -

Mt Batur and Lake Batur

Ceking and Tegalalang rice terraces

Tegenungan Waterfall

Ubud Palace

ACTIVITIES -

Multiple Yoga types / Pilates / Tai Chi / Qigong / Acupuncture / Cupping / Colonic Hydrotherapy / Pranayama meditation / Healthy lifestyle lectures / Guided Mountain Biking through villages and rice fields and hill climb challenge / Cooking classes / Raw food classes / White water rafting / Walking tours / Cultural experiences / Trekking / Canyoning / Jungle Gym / Tennis / Rock climbing wall

TIPS -

• For a private pool and lounge you will need to get a stand-alone villa

CHEAPER OPTIONS -

There are a lot of cheaper options but the point of this one is it is a wellness resort. For something still quite stunning but much cheaper try the Padma Resort Ubud *****. Two night minimum and they do weddings too.

VISAS -

No visa required for citizens of 160 countries as long as your stay is shorter than 30 days. Citizens from 80 countries can get a visa at the airport.

Click here for information

TRANSPORT -

Denpassar Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS) - 

has direct flights to Asia and Australasia. If you are coming from outside that area the main airports to connect with would be Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Doha and Dubai.

Check here for flights.

Airport shuttle for a fee and one free drop off or pick up per day in Ubud

EXTRA -

See Bali in Honeymoons.