Unwind

Naturally enveloped in the serene environs of Mengwi, around 30 minutes drive from Denpasar, is the Sukhavati Ayurvedic Retreat & Spa. This is a boutique retreat offering a comprehensive wellness program employing traditional Ayurveda treatments. The property is surrounded by verdant tropical gardens and comprised of 8 beautiful villas. The One Day Taste of Ayurveda was my choice for an indulging treatment program. The introduction to this treatment was a consultation with the Resident Ayurvedic Doctor. After this I was escorted to one of the villas that was to be my resting place for the day. My first treatment was the Abhyanga, performed in the semi open-air treatment room located close to the villa and overlooking the river. This particular treatment involved long strokes and ...

There is an abundance of excellent plush spa venues on Bali and COMO Shambala Retreat at Uma Ubud is amongst the most impressive of these. Uma provides an array of holistic and Asian-inspired treatments. Tucked conveniently on the outskirts of Ubud, the spa takes peace and quiet seriously by utilizing its serene environment while letting white dominate the building’s colour scheme so allowing for a clean and relaxed atmosphere. I was welcomed by the receptionist at the spa lobby and was soon guided to a spacious treatment room complete with small garden. The Como Shambhala Massage was my choice of pampering and this began with a warm towel foot cleaning. This 60-minute massage uses Uma’s signature blended massage oil that produces a calming of the mind and a bodily rejuvenation. A comb...

Nestled subtlety underneath a water feature at the heart of the resort, The Spa at Fairmont Sanur Beach Bali is sanctuary for both houseguests as well as those who come to Bali looking for indulging spa treatments in the calm tranquillity of a stylish environment. Stepping into the spa lobby, I was warmly welcomed by the reception staff that asked a range of essential questions while explaining the products that would be used for treatments. I decided on the Bali Sea minerals detox treatment. This 2-hour treatment started with a foot ritual involving a cleaning process where peppermint and lime crystal salts worked as an initial antiseptic. Following this an invigorating sea salt scrub with added ginger and jasmine liquid gel for cleansing was applied. Before going on to the exfoliat...

Purposely designed to reflect aspects of Bali’s natural beauty, Amandari Spa presents as a luxurious sanctuary of quiet serenity. A feature of the Amandari Resort in Ubud, this spa offers a full range of wellness and beauty treatments that can be performed in the privacy of guests’ suites, in a bale overlooking the Ayung valley or in an open-air pavilion surrounded by alang-alang plants. It was a lovely day when I arrived at Amandari and a friendly member of hotel’s staff accompanied me along a winding path to the open-air pavilion. I chose the Amandari Massage, one of the recommended treatments here and this began with a honey and ginger foot scrub. A Swedish massage combination of acupressure and stretching came next. With this my therapist applied her skilled hands with the magic...

Fancy a little R&R and seeking a dedicated spa to achieve your objective? Spa Uluwatu at InterContinental Bali Resort should be your destination. Spa Uluwatu provides three types of treatment rooms: a private treatment room, a tented pavilion overlooking Jimbaran Bay and the seclusion of the Villa Retreats. An array of treatments from head to toe is available to cater for all needs and provide rejuvenation and relaxation therapies. The InterContinental Signature Massage was my choice as it combines a comforting combination of several massage styles from around the world. As soon as I entered the private treatment room it was as though I had walked through a portal to a new environment. The room had an elegantly classic style aided with an effective use of marble delivering a magi...

The name DaLa comes from ancient Sanskrit and means leaf. The leaf symbolises Gaia’s or if you like nature’s bountiful gifts to all that live with it; providing shelter, food and vitality to its charges. Here at DaLa Spa treatments are drawn from traditional Asian healing and beauty practices. Despite the bustle of its surrounds, DaLa Spa welcomes its guests into a veritable haven of serene peace with the artful décor and lighting through the lobby and its 7 florally named treatment rooms. The spa menu is especially directed towards beauty and relaxation treatments and I was drawn to The Palace Ritual, a 2.5 – hour treatment inspired by gracious traditions of the Sriwijaya Kingdom of South Sumatra. My treatment room was designed in Moroccan classic style of maroon colours overlay...