Bali High
Escape to the Island of the Gods for sun, sea, sand, and a little touch of Om... By Kenneth Goh
The once sleepy, hippy enclave that is Canggu has transformed over the past two years into a neighbourhood filled with chic coffee joints, spas and boutique hotels. A more relaxed alternative to buzzy Seminyak, the unending line-up of beachside cafes in Canggu serving avocado shakes and glutenfree bread may be an import from Australia (ditto the bronzed, toned bodies bopping along the coastline), but the vibe stays the same: With all and sundry heading down to the water, grabbing bottles of Bintang beer and chilling to cool club tunes as the sun sets against a pink-gold sky.
Smack in the middle of this bohemia, on Bali’s Southern coast, lies COMO Uma Canggu. If budget permits, stay in one of the 12 stunning penthouses, each of which have their own rooftop infinity pool.When you finally feel like leaving your duplex, enjoy the sounds of visiting DJs and acoustic musicians while lying on generous sun loungers and swinging benches at COMO Beach Club, where you can sip on healthy juices and nibble on nutritious, delicious dishes focusing on locally-sourced ingredients. Action seekers will love the fact that COMO Uma Canggu is the perfect place to try surfing. Hour-long or week-long courses are available— for children, families and even experienced surfers. For those who prefer land to sea, there are walking routes through the rice fields in Ubud, as well as excursions to Tanah Lot at sunset. You can also try your hand at traditional Balinese dancing, and let your children get in on the action with their own dedicated yoga classes.
If something high in the mountains is more your cuppa tea, escape to COMO Shambhala Estate—a residential health retreat set in a haven of jungle, river and sun-rich clearings just north of Ubud. This “retreat for change” has seen its share of celebrity couples, including John Legend and Chrissy Teigen. The Legends have visited for the past two years in a row, staying for over three weeks each time, rigorously practising holistic wellness with Asian therapies, healthy cuisine and daily fitness assessments.You too can get the “Legend” treatment, with yoga, Pilates and qigong specialists on hand, and guides for everything from mountain biking to hiking, white water rafting and outdoor circuit training, for a 360-degree approach to wellness.
Guests staying for three nights or longer are encouraged to partake in one of its targeted Wellness Programmes. In fact, the Estate discourages shorter stays so that you can achieve a complete system overhaul in a week. Try the Ayurvedic programme, where the Ayurvedic doctor can customise a treatment plan (which can include body treatments, private yoga and meditation) based off a one-on-one consultation; the Cleanse programme, featuring a combination of prescriptive blends and healthy fare for those seeking wellness from the inside out; or Be Active, a programme for those wanting to jump start a new fitness regime, or simply enhance their current active lifestyle, via personal training sessions, guided adventure challenges and COMO Shambhala treatments. All of the programmes include customised fare from COMO Shambhala Cuisine, which go beyond the familiar luxury hotel offerings.
At the centre of all of this is the COMO philosophy of transformation through travel. So if you want to end 2018 on the ultimate high, pick a penthouse overlooking the dramatic Canggu surf, or high on a mountain in the heart of Ubud.You could do a lot worse. Let’s “om” to that. ■