Yoga and life in Bali
This year me and my husband decided to skip the holidays and escape to Bali for our “the real honeymoon” honeymoon trip (we did a practice round in Dubai last spring). Bali is a very popular destination not just for honeymooners but also for Yogis and I can totally understand why. In Bali, one can find amazing nature, exotic wildlife, culture, beautiful Yoga studios, great Yoga shops and the most colourful smoothie bowls. In this post you can find my recommendations for places to eat, stay, visit and of course, practice Yoga!
We divided our stay to three places: the laid back surf spot Canggu, Nusa Penida which is an island near the mainland and finished the trip at the Yoga town, Ubud.
4 days in Canggu
To get to the hotel from the airport we hired a Gojek which is like a local Uber (there is also another app that does the same thing called Grab). Using these apps is cheaper than the regular taxis but many of the touristic areas don’t allow them so it is not that convenient to use them in Canggu or Ubud. You can also use these apps for ordering food or for booking a scooter taxi instead of a car.
In Canggu we stayed at Kalapa Resort and Yoga retreat and let me tell you this place was amazing! The hotel is located a bit outside the centre so we felt like we were in the middle of the jungle, the staff was so helpful and since we went there in mid-December which is considered off-season we had the whole place almost only for ourselves.
We spent the first few days relaxing, recovering from the long flights and our jet lag. I did my own Yoga practice at the hotel and Marios found a Crossfit gym. We got great deep tissue massages at the hotel, tested a bunch of restaurants and cafes, walked around the centre and took a really good 2h surfing lesson with the Bali Green Surf School, which I would highly recommend to any beginner surfers. Canggu, in general, has a really nice, relaxed vibe and the best restaurants!
Good restaurants and cafes:
The Shady Shack (My favourite)
Crate (Marios’ favourite)
Yoga studios:
(I actually didn’t have the time to check these Yoga studios out but I heard from a very reliable source that these are definitely worth it)
2 days in Nusa Penida
To get to the island of Nusa Penida we took a 25min speed boat ride from the mainland (Sanur Beach). When we reached our destination our local guide was waiting for us at the port. Our first activity was a snorkelling trip during which we saw a bunch of colourful fish, coral reefs and even dolphins! The area is famous for its manta rays but they weren’t around this time. After snorkelling, we grabbed some nasi goreng (fried rice) and went for a sightseeing tour of the west side of the island. We checked out the famous (and quite touristic) viewpoints Kelingking, Angle’s Billabong and the Broken Beach and finished the day under the palm trees of the amazing Crystal Bay beach.
The second day we had planned a sightseeing trip/beach day on the east side of the island. However, since it was a really hot day and we were a bit tired of sitting in the car and gazing at pretty views with a herd of other tourists around us, we just decided to skip the sightseeing and instead headed straight to Diamond Beach. To access the beach we had to take a 25min walk / climb down the cliff. I am not gonna front it was pretty scary since there is only a little rail on the side and at some points, you are just hanging by a rope! But it is all worth it because once you get down to the beach you are in paradise! At Diamond Beach the sand is fine and the water is blue. The waves and the currents are strong so it’s not the best place for swimming but definitely 100% worth a visit if you are ok with a little climbing!
At Nusa Penida, we stayed at the Penida Bambu Green Villas which again was a successful choice. Almost everything at this hotel was made out of bamboo so it’s a nice choice for the environmentally conscious. One of the bungalows is actually a treehouse so if you are planning on going and want something extra special I would recommend booking that one.
8 days in Ubud
Our third successful choice of accommodation was Adiwana Arya Villas which is located a bit outside of the centre of Ubud. This meant that we had to use taxis or the free hotel shuttle to get to the centre where the monkey forest, Ubud market, Yoga studios and shops are located. Commuting back and front wasn’t too bad except right around Christmas eve (when we sat in traffic for over an hour) but if you want to be able to walk to your Yoga class I would recommend booking your accommodation from the centre.
In Ubud, whenever we took day trips to the temples, waterfalls, mountains etc. we always called our driver/guide Wayan who met the first day of our arrival. It was really easy to organise everything this way and it was great to get to know him throughout the week. The best part was that I had someone to answer all of my various questions about the local culture, customs and life in the island.
Because of the burning heat, we liked to wake up early, do activities in the morning, chill during the hottest hours and then again go explore or eat during the afternoon/evening. Also, we got to experience the infamous Bali Belly so there was no choice but to take it easy for a couple of days after arriving to Ubud. Our activities in and around Ubud included:
A gamelan performance at the Ubud Water Palace
A quick visit to the Ubud market
Monkey forest
Tegallalang rice terraces
Campuhan rice walk
Waterfalls: Kanto Lampo, Tukad Cepung, Tibuman
Besakih temple
Tirta Empul temple
Mount Batur Morning hike
60km bike ride through the little villages around Ubud (Only for semi pro cyclist like Marios, not for me)
Shopping for Yoga clothes
Many, many Yoga classes
Yoga shops: I found the best stuff from the shop at Radiantly Alive. Their store carries a good variety of sustainable Yoga wear labels such as Indigo Luna, Inhala and Isabelle Moon. A swedish/balinese Studio-K has a cute little shop for a more minimal scandi style and Bali Yoga Shop as well as it’s neighbour We-Ar are also worth a visit. In addition to these, there are a ton of other boutiques to bring new life to your closet such as Ahimsa from where I was able to find a really nice Yoga jumpsuit.
Good restaurants and cafes:
Yoga studios:
Radiantly Alive - My favourite! The studio is beautiful, there is also a cute cafe and a shop, the vibe at RA is really nice and all the teachers were really good. My favourite class was on Christmas eve with Audrey Sarquilla.
The Yoga Barn - this is a must-see place for any Yogi. It’s like a Yoga theme park or a village. The place is beautiful and the cafe is really good. The studios are massive and there are many of them to facilitate the huge crowd this place attracts. If you want to join a class prepare to arrive 30min before to register since all the classes get sold out.
What to pack:
-a high SPF (50) sunscreen, at least if you go surfing…
-mosquito repellent (this one you are going to need)
-a cream for bug bites
-a hat
-sunglasses
-flipflops
-sport shoes
-swimsuits
-Yoga clothes
-easy breathable clothing
-small bag to carry your stuff
Moving around in Bali:
You can use apps like Grab and Gojek, they both work like Uber. In general taxis are very, very cheap and I would say that taking a taxi is the easiest way to move between areas (such as the airport to Canggu/Ubud or Ubud to Canggu). Many tourists also rent scooters which is a good idea if you are an experienced driver but since there is lots of traffic it is definitely dangerous if you don’t know what you are doing.
For a reliable and very friendly taxi/guide in Ubud area: Wayan +62 819-9979-7493 (WhatsApp)