Stepping onto a platform high above the leafy jungle canopy, I feel my soul exhale a quiet sigh of relief. “Burnt out and emotionally fragile, but ready to feel physically stronger and make positive change”.
That’s a one-sentence summation of my responses on the detailed health questionnaire I had submitted days prior to my arrival at COMO’s Shambhala Estate in Bali, Indonesia, luxury hotel group COMO’s flagship wellness retreat.
The sentiments are similar to those I have just shared with Dr Prasanth Vayanakathu. The estate’s Ayurvedic consultant and just one of a number of top wellness practitioners here, Dr Prasanth is quietly supportive as he walks me through my arrival consultation, explaining the customised itinerary of experiences and treatments he has recommended for my stay.
After a challenging couple of years navigating a busy life and career while simultaneously caring for a critically ill family member, my visit to the estate is a timely reset.
Dr Prasanth assures me he is very familiar with the sentiments I share.
Time to wind down and reinvigorate
The wide range of motivations of guests at COMO Shambhala includes moving on after surviving cancer, resetting a sluggish digestive system, disconnecting from digital overload, establishing better sleep, and seeking more meaningful human connection.
“The largest category of guests coming here however, are mainly aiming to de-stress and reset from a very hectic lifestyle,” he says.
Some people have “varying levels of commitment” (sometimes couples come with differing ideas about what makes a holiday), and a luxury getaway is certainly on offer if that’s what you seek. “In general, guests normally feel
very much refreshed, energised and much more calm at the end of their stay. We’ve had many guests that have totally transformed their life.”
luxury.
Captivating treehouse in the mist
They are hopes I an turning over in my mind as I arrive at the elevated, open-air living room of the Wanakasa villa where I am to stay. ‘Wanakasa’ translates to ‘Forest in the Mist’ and is a luxury treehouse of interconnecting suites around an enormous banyan tree, with a stunning private infinity pool cantilevered over the rainforest.
The 22-acre estate has around 30 rooms, with five main residences and villas of different configurations dotted over the hillside. I am not initially aware of any other guests, such is the privacy of its design.
Taking in distant birdsong, the rushing of the Ayung River far below and the fragrant welcome garland of jasmine blooms placed around my neck on arrival, I register the moment my nervous system finally calms.
tranquility near the Ojas spa at COMO Shambhala.
It’s for exactly this reason guests have been coming to COMO’s Shambhala multi-award-winning luxury health and wellness retreat for 20 years now. The list of Hollywood stars, global business leaders and other recognisable names seeking sanctuary and reinvigoration here is apparently long, although you’ll never know exactly who, such is the discretion of its warm and welcoming staff.
In fact, over the five days I spend on site, I begin to believe I am the only important person who has ever set foot here (though that is laughable). Such is the dedication of the entire staff, in particular Purna, the jovial personal assistant assigned to me, to make every moment feel tailored to my desires, and desired health outcomes.
Centre offers has a full spa treatment menu.
Health and vitality focus
COMO’s hotels around the world are each designed to support better health and wellbeing and the Shambhala estate is the pinnacle of that offering. While once similar retreats would be solely focused on weight loss or natural healing practices, COMO Shambhala throws the net much wider. A far more modern approach to wellness takes into account each guest’s health and goals, aiming to help with sustainable change while simultaneously balancing the mind, body and spirit.
Bringing together advanced diagnostics, state-of-the-art treatment, fitness classes, holistic wellness approaches and spiritual development, the offering is guided by COMO Shambhala Wellness Director Kimberly Rose Kneier and Ayurveda expert Dr Prasanth Vayanakathu. Dr Prasanth explains that COMO Shambhala’s approach to wellness provides options like Ayurveda, Chinese and Balinese therapies while also embracing modern health technology, providing the best of both worlds.
“The advantages of having these two things available is that most of the modern technology is designed to give you an instant result. You can feel the benefit soon after a session, whereas something like a meditation session, you will need to practise for a while.”
He says it is amazing to experience the advanced approaches during your stay but with these things likely not available back home, “the traditional pranayama [yogic breathwork] we teach, offers a take-home tool for you to continue.”
A refresh of the COMO Shambhala approach has recently been undertaken to ensure the estate’s offering is world class and though each itinerary is personalised, guests can be guided by choosing one of five ‘wellness paths’ treating everything from stress to digestive imbalance.
These include ‘Fit,’ ‘Detox’, ‘Nourish,’ ‘Connect’ and ‘Ayurveda.’
I am far from the physical attributes of the action star who apparently recently strengthened his body here (I’m guessing he was on the ‘Fit’ path – the gym is impressive). As such, I have selected the ‘Nourish to Glow’ path for those seeking balanced and nutritious eating, a healthy lifestyle change, or a spa and beauty reset.
“Yes, all of those please!” I think as I filled that initial form out, but in reality, the scope of enjoyment and enrichment I take home with me is broader than I could imagine.
Spa selection to soothe and rejuvenate
Dr Prasanth has advised not only a schedule of classes such as Pilates, Qi gong, meditation and breathwork designed to strengthen and invigorate as well as soothe my overtaxed nervous system, but also invited me to join a
number of activities designed to give insight into local spiritual practices and traditions.
As a beauty director it would be remiss of me not to embrace the potential of a skin and body boost, and I am just in time to experience the stunning expansion of the estate’s Ojas spa and wellness centre.
Ojas is set in a jungle clearing above the Ayung River, where it meets a second river, the Tibakauh. This convergence is considered a symbol of cleansing, purification and renewal in Balinese culture. The location is aligned with four key temples, making it part of the island’s sacred energetic grid.
The hydrotherapy facilities at Ojas are even fed by The Source, a healing spring revered for centuries by local villagers. This indigenous spiritual heritage is just one part of the mix at the gleaming white marble spa.
Opportunities range from acupuncture and colonics to hyperbaric oxygen therapy that aims to promote cellular regeneration and improve cognitive function, quality of sleep and faster recovery.
The latest facilities include contrast therapy suites, where you can cycle between an infrared sauna, cold plunge and ice bath. Luxurious spa treatments and Ayurveda therapies round out the extensive menu.
I enjoy daily massages designed to assist with different goals like relaxation and lymphatic drainage. The signature COMO Shambhala massage is among the best I’ve ever experienced, and the microbiome-balanced facial leaves my now-dewy skin glowing.
in local Hindu spiritual practice.
Private water purification ceremony a transformative experience
While these indulgent experiences are undoubtedly a highlight, for me it is the opportunity to take part in the spiritual customs that guide daily life for Bali’s predominantly Hindu population, that provide the most meaningful moments of my stay.
Many travellers to Bali come to experience the island’s famous sacred water ceremony, aimed to achieve rejuvenation and purification of both the body and spirit.
At COMO Shambhala we are invited to experience the ritual privately at the estate’s aforementioned natural spring.
We are guided to dress in traditional Balinese attire and then wash in holy water pouring from three spouts in the cliffside beside a statue of the god Ganesha, before placing offerings and receiving blessings from a local priest.
As I kneel and splash the crisp water to my face and over my head as is custom, I give my wishes and worries to the gods, and rise feeling lighter.
At every moment Yu Dian, our knowledgeable guide, shares her reverence to tradition while equally encouraging our embrace of the moment (including snapping artful pics on each person’s phone) as we undertake each step.
Throughout this special moment and my entire stay, I am buoyed by the warm-hearted and generous nature of the locals that make up the majority of COMO’s staff.
Nutritious and delicious five-star eating
Far from an afterthought, food is a core part of the wellness approach and its two on-site restaurants are drawcards in their own right. Kudus House is an Indonesian restaurant where you dine inside a 150-year-old Javanese pavilion overlooking the Ayung River valley. Its Sop Ikan Laut Asam Pedas (Hot and Sour Seafood Soup) can’t be missed, and I went back for its Nasi Goreng twice. All-day restaurant Glow delivers nutrient-balanced and flavoursome salads, juices and mains.
Eating outdoors in the humid climate is a joy and following the water blessing, our small group continued down the many mossy steps set into the cliff to enjoy a fabulous picnic lunch overlooking the river.
As with every bite I experience during my stay, the selection of local dishes are fresh, nutritious and delicious. I am delighted to find my new favourite treat, Dadar Gulung, a sweet pandan pancake stuffed with coconut and palm sugar among the selection.
All dietary requirements are catered to in 5-star fashion, including calorie-restricted dining if desired, but I wholeheartedly embraced the huge range of local fare as well as delectable pastries along with my green juice at breakfast! At the end of my stay and the conclusion of my many classes, treatments and experiences I leave this mystical place feeling more grounded and stronger in many ways. From my thighs, worked well by the many stairs navigating the hillside resort, to the sense of peace and positivity for the future I take with me.
A beach-side alternative, embracing the Canggu Buzz
A tranquil escape in a destination also known for its exciting nightlife and vibrant, busy communities, COMO Shambala Estate is one of three COMO properties on the island, offering visitors the opportunity to experience different facets of a Bali stay.
While the estate offers peace and reflection, nearby COMO Uma Ubud is a chic jungle hotel set in the vibrant cultural and spiritual heart of Bali.
In the sought-after coastal hotspot of Echo Beach, COMO Uma Canngu offers the luxury hotel group’s signature sleek style, serene lagoon pool and healthy and delicious dining.
A handful of nights at the latter is a great way to step into a Bali holiday, embracing the wow-worthy surf break on the doorstep, Bali’s famous spectacular seaside sunsets with cocktail in hand at the hotel’s popular beach club, or experiencing some of the many boutiques and attractions in the area.
I loved a perfume-oil making experience at Seven Senses in the picturesque nearby village of Pererenan and a yoga class in the extensively-equipped hotel gym.
Wellness treatments are plentiful and COMO’s signature Shambala massage in the on-site spa is an ideal taste of what’s on offer at the Estate, if your Bali holiday is more about adventure and enjoyment this time around.
For more on these COMO locations visit comohotels.com.
