COMO Shambhala Estate is one of the most soothing and rejuvenating wellness properties to choose. Recharge in nature and let the bespoke wellness retreat program address all your needs for a revitalizing and much-needed reboot
Just 15 minutes from Ubud perched high above the Ayung River in the Balinese Jungle, COMO Shambhala Estate is a natural paradise, that is waiting to be discovered. Spanning 23 acres of lush tropical forest, the vast flora and fauna take centre stage at this hideaway, and a distinct silence permeates the Estate with the soundtrack of cicadas and the roaring river as its background music.
There is something truly enchanting and ethereal about this place. With dragonflies, monkeys, squirrels and local birds enriching the view, and sunbeams streaming through the vegetation, you find yourself literally bathing in this mesmerizing mystical fairy tale-like forest.
COMO Shambhala Estate is the resort brand’s flagship. It is also known for its Natural Water Spring, a source praised for its healing properties. If you make it down to the river, past private treatment areas, a climbing wall and a jungle gym, by following a footpath with 500 steps, you’ll end up at the resort’s natural rock pools and waterfalls, hidden away amid lush foliage. The water is freezing (think Wim Hof cold), but absolutely refreshing after the hike down. Furthermore, the hotel staff immediately appear to offer you a cool towel and water to add the signature COMO deluxe touches to your little jungle safari.
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COMO Shambhala Estate has long been a pioneer in the wellness field, offering retreats with a holistic approach and promoting a healthy lifestyle. Having tried and tested numerous programs, the property has now reduced its offering to three key wellness programs, such as the “Ayurveda”, “Cleanse” and “Be Active” programs, with an additional “Bespoke” package designed with your specific needs in mind.
The “Ayurveda” program focuses on balancing the three doshas (elements), such as vata, pitta and kapha, to achieve and maintain good health. After a one-on-one private consultation with the resident Ayurvedic doctor, your program will include yoga, Ayurvedic treatments such as shirodhara and abhyanga, and a diet from the COMO Shambhala Cuisine menu, aligned with your doshas, to treat specific conditions. You can expect to leave with a deeply rooted sense of balance, equipped with tools to manage your health on a daily basis.
The “Cleanse” program promotes wellness from the inside out. This program will increase energy levels, improve digestion, and balance hormones. It can include a bespoke menu of healthy COMO Shambhala cuisine at Glow, as well as a combination of juices, broths, teas and tonics, complemented by daily activities, such as yoga and Pilates classes, hikes in nature, and a range of treatments, including colonics. You will leave the resort feeling renewed with more vitality, as well as the motivation to keep up the good habits you picked up during the retreat.
The “Be Active” program is THE retreat to kick-start or maintain a fitness routine, lose weight or rehabilitate an injury. Your tailored activity schedule will include a number of fitness sessions and massages to help you achieve your fitness goals. There will also be group classes, including HIIT, Circuit Training, Foam Roller Fitness, Pilates or yoga, as well as fun and light activities such as bike rides, hikes up volcanos, and rice-field walks. Furthermore, you’ll enjoy the dishes from the healthful COMO Shambhala Cuisine, and leave The Estate feeling energized, fitter, stronger and inspired to continue your fitness routine back home.
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The “Bespoke” program is for anyone who is looking for a wellness retreat designed with their specific needs in mind. This can cover anything from diet change, or stress management, to copying with a life transition. With the help of COMO Shambhala’s wellness experts, a unique experience will be created for you. Classes and activities can range from meditations, rice-paddy treks, lectures, massages, and hydrotherapy sessions in the pool, coupled with healthy meals from the brand’s signature COMO Shambhala Cuisine at Glow, which makes use of local produce. You will leave the property, inspired and rejuvenated, with new tools and advice to continue your new wellness journey in your daily life back home.
A 360-degree experience for the mind, body and spirit, COMO Shambhala Estate is the crème de la crème of wellness escapism in a luxurious setting. Wellness retreats can last from three to an unlimited amount of days and can be taken by anyone who is 16 years old and above.
I opted for a three-night “Bespoke” retreat, which started with a thorough and eye-opening wellness consultation with their resident Ayurvedic doctor who explained my doshas in great detail and highlighted what I can do to balance them. As I’ve been dealing with some asthma issues recently, my three treatments at the Ojas spa focused on opening the lungs (Abhyangha Massage), as well as releasing tension from the body (Indonesian Massage) and detoxifying with volcanic mud (Deep Cleanse Clay Treatment). The doctor recommended removing dairy and gluten from my diet, which I very much welcomed. The award-winning COMO Shambhala Cuisine at Glow offers such a vast array of delicious dishes, I wasn’t worried about not being able to meet my cravings. My program also included a pranayama meditation in the outdoor pavilion, Pilates and hydrotherapy in the alkaline Vitality Pool (filled with healing water from the Natural Water Spring), and I made use of the daily activities such as the morning walk through the property’s jungle with a visit to the natural rock pools, a rice-paddy trek, and a foam rolling class with the resident Pilates teacher.
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Fueled with wholesome and hearty cuisine, and enveloped and nurtured by Mother Nature’s embrace, I felt relaxed and rejuvenated at the end of my retreat.
And even though Bali still attracts a good amount of Eat Pray Love seekers, COMO Shambhala Estate has grown to also appeal to meditation first-timers, as well as couples and families who have decided to make wellness not only a part of their vacation but also their lifestyle.
The Estate boasts 30 rooms and suites, including five residences, four private villas and five retreat villas, all located in a way that one rarely encounters their neighbours.
I stayed in the Wanakasa residence, which means ‘forest in the mist’. It is comprised of a COMO Shambhala Suite, two terrace suites and two garden rooms (my abode during the stay), as well as a study area, which can be transformed into an additional bedroom or treatment room.
My suite featured an outdoor shower and bathtub, surrounded by green foliage. Inside it was tastefully decorated with hand carvings and antiques. The welcoming infinity pool, which is wrapped around the residence, offered stunning vistas of the tropical forest.
A home away from home, COMO Shambhala Estate is the ultimate luxury wellness retreat that will keep you coming back for more, be it the scrumptious healthy dishes, the grass-covered hills and the tropical rainforest buzzing with insect and bird life, or the healing energy of the property. One thing is for sure, you will leave balanced and aligned, nurtured by nature.
COMO Shambhala Estate
Banjar Begawan, Desa Melinggih Kelod, Ubud 80571, Bali. Tel: +62 361 978888
comoshambhala.com
comohotels.com
