Wellness Escapes: I went to Bali in search of winter sun, I came home with a new lease of life

Maybe it’s the Eat, Pray, Love effect, or perhaps it’s because Bali has enraptured me for 15 years, but as soon as my long-awaited trip to the Indonesian island was booked, an idea overcame me: Bali will change my life. That’s quite something for any holiday to live up to, let alone a press trip. I’m a realist, and so I was all too aware of the danger of setting such grand expectations as friends told me I was building myself up for disappointment. Was the trip how I’d envisioned it for all those years? Of course not.

But almost six months since I first stepped off the plane into that sweltering heat, hoping for my problems to melt along with it, I can say that Bali—and more specifically, my first-ever wellness retreat (at COMO Shambhala Estate)—truly was transformational.

“Shambhala”, as the ayurvedic doctor who greets me explains, means “place of peace” in Sanskrit. That much is already clear: the sprawling health retreat is set in 23 acres of paradisiacal jungle that unfolds in undulating tiers towards the Ayung River. Since opening in 2005, this five-star tropical bolthole has built a reputation for soul-soothing and a loyal following. As I sip my welcome elixir—a traditional blend of fresh turmeric, ginger, lemon, lime water, and honey—I overhear a Californian couple telling the linen-clad staff this is their third time returning. I wondered why someone with the finances to explore all the world’s luxury wellness havens would return to the same one. With the benefit of hindsight, it seems so clear I feel foolish for ever thinking overwise.

COMO Shambhala is immersed in natural beauty: terraced rice fields, tropical forests, and cascading waterfalls. It’s this raw and powerful beauty, as well as the estate’s seclusion and focus on ancient healing practices that helps COMO Shambhala deliver on its promise of a complete escape from the stresses of daily life.

Who is COMO Shambhala for?

If all the 30 private residences, villas and suites scattered across the estate were occupied while I stayed, I couldn’t tell. Occasionally, I’d see guests wrapped in pristine white robes and bamboo sliders padding up to the spa or getting shuttled around by their PA (we all had our own 24-hour on-call personal assistant—Hi, Zara!) in golf carts, but this isn’t a holiday where you’re going to have to worry about bumping into the same family every day by the pool—not least because many properties have their own.

COMO Shambhala is designed for discretion, so I’m surprised when I strike up a conversation with one of the retreat’s most esteemed massage therapists who reels off a long list of seriously A-list COMO Shambhala devotees. John Legend and Chrissy Teigen are fans, as is Julia Roberts, which thrills me. I rewatched Eat, Pray, Love on the plane and am permanently on the lookout for any signs that I’m about to enter my own enlightenment.

The guests searching for health, healing, and perhaps some spiritual development in this rainforest-hugged haven are high-net-worth. That makes for some fun White Lotus-style guessing games on the rare occasions you spot fellow patrons.

The setting

COMO Shambhala is cradled by the quiet Begawan Village in bustling Ubud, the spiritual centre of Bali. Ubud derives from the word ‘ubad’, which means “medicine” (again, I learned this from Dr Prasanth Vayanakathu, a specialist in ayurvedic healing and the estate’s wellness manager).

The exclusive retreat rests above a sacred valley—a site of healing and traditional water purification ceremonies (more on that later). The holy springs power the water in the hydrotherapy pool, where restorative classes take place, as well as the rainforest shower and stone-carved tub in my suite. The divine water is part of daily life at COMO Shambhala, Hindu priests bless the healing pool and all around is the sound of water, whether it’s meditative trickling near the palm-thronged yoga pavilion or the Ayung River’s roiling waves where groups of rafters thunder down winding ravines as I sun myself by the spring water pool.

The Rooms

I arrived at COMO Shambhala on October 13th, my 34th birthday. After being shuttled from reception—a sun-bleached overlook that frames a lush tropical panorama—I’m led past an infinity pool that hangs over a dense jungle canopy towards a sprawling villa I’m sure must be a mistake. So thrown by this display of luxury am I that I ask Zara if this is really where I’ll be staying. The answer is a gentle nod towards a vibrant display of flowers arranged to spell out ‘Happy Birthday’. I am ecstatic.

Inside is a typical East meets West aesthetic inspired by the four elements. To my left: a giant springy bed, to my right: sliding doors open to a low-lit bathroom. A giant stone-carved tub takes centre stage, framed by a separate shower room and a rather technical toilet with sensors to lift the lid and a heated seat. Outside, there’s a jacuzzi, dining area, and a wrap-around veranda stretching to a shared infinity pool. Organic textures like wood, stone, and gauzy linens make up the interiors, adding to the natural serenity of the space.

The programme and spa

Ahead of my wellness consultation and body composition analysis, I filled out an exhaustive questionnaire about my various concerns—health, mental and otherwise, as well as what I wanted to get out of my experience. A chronic oversharer, I detailed it all, as well as my insomnia, which I was in the throes of. Dr Pransanth suggested the Connect to Rebalance pathway, which is for “those in need of self-reflection, struggling with digital overload, improved mental health or seeking renewed purpose.” I nodded in agreement and was handed a personalised itinerary as well as a diet plan—pleasingly, both were encouraged rather than enforced. There are four wellness pathways at COMO Shambhala as well as an integrated pathway that is even more meticulously bespoke and includes additional expert diagnostics.

In addition to group activities such as yoga, pilates, hydrotherapy and qi gong in the Ojas (Sanskrit for ‘Essence of Life’) area, there is also guided estate walks and, most pleasing of all, daily treatments. Prasanth suggested a mix of massages, which was fine by me. There was a traditional Taksu massage aimed at tapping into the body’s natural energy centres, a deep tissue massage, and an Indonesian massage, which involved a combination of firm pressure, long strokes, kneading, and stretching to improve circulation, relieve muscle tension, reduce stress, and restore balance. All took place in the warmly-lit, Javan hardwood-panelled spa. One led to me nodding off on the table and all left me feeling positively elastic. I was also advised to follow the 3-2-1 method (no food three hours before bed, no liquids two hours before, and no screens one hour before) to improve my sleep hygiene.

The food

The menus at both the jungle-fringed Kudus House and Glow are bursting with fresh, nourishing Southeast Asian flavours and organic ingredients that don't skimp on taste despite all being largely low-fat, low-sugar, and dairy- and gluten-free. I’m unsure what to attribute it to (probably the sudden surge of vitamins, enzymes, and minerals) but my IBS-induced bloat is the most manageable it’s ever been.

Mornings begin with a golden Jamu shot (a ritual I have kept up) on an empty stomach before loading up on tropical fruit and flax seed crêpes dolloped with young coconut cream. I stick largely to my designated wellness menu mainly because I don’t want or need anything else, so delicious are the healthy options of veggie pad thais, aromatic broths, and zingy wok-fried dishes.

Don't miss

Our last experience at COMO Shambhala Estate was the water purification ceremony. This, I was told in hushed tones, was to be a deeply spiritual and transformative experience. Rooted in Balinese tradition and held in a sacred Hindu water temple near the thundering Ayung River, the ceremony is designed to cleanse the body, mind, and spirit. We were led by a guide through the verdant jungle towards the holy site where a local priest and a trio of spiritual leaders tinkling on bamboo xylophones awaited us.

We crossed the palm-fringed threshold leaving a fellow guest behind (tradition dictates that menstruating women are prohibited from taking part in the ceremony). After donning sarongs fastened with white sashes (symbolising purity and a clean start), we began the purification process, immersing ourselves one by one in the sacred waters as a symbol of renewal and spiritual cleansing.

The ritual is meant to wash away negative energy, stress, and emotional blockages making space for a deep sense of peace and inner balance. I wistfully hoped that this physical cleansing would result in an immediate emotional and spiritual reset and I’d float away with a sudden connection to my higher self and the natural world that surrounded me.

That didn’t happen, instead, as I de-robed and re-dressed in a Kebaya with a batik sarong and sash I found myself irritatedly waiting for a sense of serenity to wash over me. Had I done it wrong, I wondered. It was hard to hear the guide over all that darn divine water.

Things ended with a prayer and an offering; a practice of mindfulness and reflection. It was here that things started to click. There was no great epiphany, no ecstatic revelation, just a quiet settling. I’d expected some jolt to the system like a defibrillator that’d jumpstart my soul. I wanted a sudden surge of energy; what I got was a softening sense of ease.

Is this...inner calm, I dared to wonder. I’m not sure, to be honest, but since leaving COMO Shambhala I’ve felt better, not in some superhuman or deeply spiritual way, but there’s an ease there that didn’t exist before. I might now be somewhere in the region of 7,750 miles from Bali, but if I need to, I can tap into an inner quiet and pull some of the learnings from my time there. My life hasn’t changed, but something in me has shifted for the better.

Sustainability efforts

COMO Shambhala focuses on sustainable luxury, blending wellness with environmental responsibility. The estate is built into jungle clearings above the pulsing Ayung River—a visual reminder of the estate’s dedication to conservation and sustainable living. Its architecture integrates local materials—the Wanakasa suite which I called home for three blissful days is structured from the wide trunks of Bingkirai trees as well as local stone, wood, and traditional alang-alang roofing—minimising environmental impact. The resort also champions organic, locally sourced food, supporting local farmers and reducing its carbon footprint, and the estate shares its safe drinking water with 500 nearby villagers daily.

The cost

Rates at COMO Shambhala Estate start from £500 per night on a bed & breakfast basis

For the Connect to Rebalance Wellness Path, prices start from £2,279 (single occupancy) for a three-night package with accommodation.

Inclusions: Daily full-board meals, wellness lifestyle consultation, Inbody scan, group wellness classes, body treatments, guided meditation sessions, personal training, Balinese water purification ceremony, guided hike of Mount Batur, and a wellness journal.

How to get there

Flights from London Heathrow to Bali Denpassar on Qatar Airways start from £810 for a round-trip on Expedia.

What to pack