Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Boot Camp Series: Bespoke Bali - A Yoga Retreat

COMO Shambhala Estate, Bali

It’s not that I don’t like working out and living a free-radical life, it’s just this... I don’t like thinking about all the effort it's going to take before I actually do.

That’s why I like yoga. I can take it at my own pace. There's no judgment, it’s not too loud, not too long, and not too stressful. More importantly, I don’t have to listen to bad techno or watch sweaty people pushing weights or huffing and puffing around me. A peaceful exotic setting doesn’t hurt either.

Welcome to Wellness.
Bali-style.

And practice yoga on the base of the River Ayung.

Do you (and everyone else who depends upon your wellness) a favor.
Check out COMO Shambhala Estate at Begawan Giri, Bali.

The Hotel’s flagship wellness resort recently launched five (yes, FIVE) new Wellness Programs.

We decided to focus on COMO Shambhala Estate because it was established as one of the world’s leading residential health retreats. Opened only two years ago, it's owned by the award-winning holistic health company, COMO Shambhala; providing the best possible environment to start a new lifestyle. When extreme luxury is married with an extremely beautiful natural setting, you really can't go wrong. The Estate's motto: 'to deliver a deeper experience than the typical fly-and-flop resort while fostering a more nurturing approach than the current spread of high-end destination spas.'

To give you an idea of their amenities: Private spa suites with attached therapy rooms, state-of-the-art health facilities, private butler service, organic food, private sun deck and fresh pools, indoor and 'jungle' gyms, a climbing wall (wuuhhu!!), a Pilates studio, an infinity-edged lap pool with views of the forest beyond and a Hydrotherapy Pool where chlorine-free water is funneled using bio-energy water treatment systems from the local spring, known as The Source.

We likey.
No, we loveyyyyyy.


As the story goes, The Estate’s location is predicated upon the existence of The Source, a natural spring on site that has long been revered by locals for its healing properties. Water from The Source fills Kedara (Sanskrit for ‘Water Garden’). Sounds almost surreal, doesn't it? Then you remember... this is Bali, not Baltimore. Anything is possible.

Engage with the local Balinese landscape during your pursuit of better health, artistry and culture abound. Mountain bike, climb, raft, do pilates, yoga, or a little outdoor circuit training, it will undoubtedly change your perspective on life for at least a week and the months following.

All packages include accommodation (prices based on double occupancy), meals (cuisine is organic and nutritionally rich), return airport transfers, The Estate’s daily schedule of activities, services of a Personal Assistant (!!), and the use of the steam, sauna and 25m lap pool.

Here are the Programs:

CLEANSING PROGRAM
This powerful, but safe program allows you to cleanse your body of toxins accumulated through bad diet and polluted environments. Angelenos and New Yorkers, take note.

GET FIT PROGRAM
Designed to get you back on track and back in shape, motivating you to enjoy a new sense of fitness and good health. The program includes a wellness consultation, fitness assessment, 60-minute massage, 60-minute personal training, and guided biking and trekking.

Costs from $2,103 per person for a 5-night program.

REJUVENATION PROGRAM
This program combines the beneficial effects of beauty and spa treatments with healthy eating and positive thinking.

STRESS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
Designed for those who feel the need to make positive lifestyle changes to combat the pressures of the busy modern world.

AYURVEDIC PROGRAM
Ayurveda addresses the root cause by enhancing toxin catabolism and by balancing the five elements of body and mind to bring about wellness.

Here's a sample itinerary of the AYURVEDIC PROGRAM:

· Accommodation
· Breakfast, lunch and dinner (including standard beverages)
· Wellness consultation
· Ayurvedic treatments*
· 60-minute therapeutic Yoga
· Complimentary return airport transfers
· Participation in The Estate’s daily schedule of activities
· Complimentary use of the steam, sauna, and 25metre lap pool
· Services of a Personal Assistant

More specific inclusions depend on whether you choose a three, five or seven, night program. Rates vary anywhere from around $1,400 for three nights in a spectacular Garden Room to around $15,000 for an Estate Residence for a week. Programs are designed to deliver simple, well-priced combinations of meals, treatments, and activities.

What we like best?

You can follow workouts with a massage at the base of The Source.
You can chill out on this Garden Villa sundeck:


Norma Gray, Activities Manager, also serves as an instructor for private training during the Get Fit Program and she’ll check in with you to make sure you’re feeling perfectly relaxed and fit. She even emails guests on the program an exercise routine they can continue at home.

Too bad she can't email Bali.
Need we say more?

See you on the banks of the River Ayung.

www.comoshambhala.bz