If there were one word to describe our retreat in Bali it would be magical. PURE MAGIC. From the activities, to the participants to the resort, this retreat was one of our all-time favorite experiences. Imagine 8 days of great conversation, amazing food and new adventures. The best part was that we got to focus on self care, too. We hosted a different nutrition workshop almost everyday of the retreat. We talked about everything from eating for a healthy gut to how to use intuitive eating to make peace with food. And of course we wanted participants to make healthy lifestyle changes beyond the retreat, so we had two sessions dedicated to creating healthy habits that last.
We want to give a special thanks to our amazing hosts, the dynamic duo known as Jeff and Kalisa from The Runaway Experience. They were the backbone of this whole retreat and we highly recommend being a part of one of their curated travel experiences if you ever get the chance. If you want to learn more about this power couple and their cooking entrepreneurship, check out our interview with them here.
One of the highlights of our trip was getting to participate in a traditional ceremony, where we were blessed by a local priest. Many of our participants said this was their favorite retreat experience.
We also got to participate in a cooking demo, where we had a hand in preparing a delicious local dish that had all kinds of aromatic flavors (from lemongrass to coconut).
And here’s where we participated in a local dance ceremony. Let’s just say the girls were a LOT better than us at this.
Here are some shots from the nutrition workshops. This was probably our FAVORITE part of the retreat, partly because we love talking about nutrition but also because the participants were so open and willing to share. Engaged the participants help to make a workshop more impactful. There is so much that we can learn from each other.
But first, coffee!
And of course, as foodies, we HAD to tour a local market. Look at all of this amazingness below.
Did I mention that we all meditated in a traditional buddhist temple? Pure magic. Here are some snaps from our temple tour:
Yoga time! This was great for stretching and relaxation. We love the simplicity of Balinese yoga.
Here we are chasing waterfalls. Being engulfed by this waterfall was so amazing that we all just stood there splashing around and screaming. One of the best experiences of our lives.
On this day, we did a 2 hour hike through the village and made several stops. Here we got to take a sneak peek at the process of harvesting coffee beans. Amazing. We also got to check out how cloves are dried and made.
Don’t you love our bamboo hiking sticks?
The whole crew. We rolled deep.
And last but not least, we shopped. It was so fun to go to the local market in Ubud and buy beautiful gifts for our friends and family. We only had an hour in the market before we had to head back to the airport, so we literally shopped until we just about dropped. We felt like we were on a reality show and had to run around scouting the best goodies before it was too late.
This retreat was 8 days of pure joy, magic, rest, and adventure. We hope to have another one just like it next year. If you want to get in on the next one, make sure to sign up here to be notified!
A special thanks to:
- Jeff and Kalisa, the hostesses with the mosteses from The Runaway Jamaica
- The amazing participants, who took a chance on our retreat and made our experience so rich. We loved having each and every one of you there, and we can’t wait for our reunion.
- Sanak Retreat, the stunning space where we stayed at during most of our retreat. The staff was so kind, sweet, and accommodating.
- Our retreat photographer, Alex, who took gorgeous photos of the retreat from start to finish.
wow
Amazing!! Will you all host another retreat at this location?
We may! Sign up here to get notified first when we announce the next one! https://goo.gl/forms/VDz10zTOON2N8SUw2
Wow, these photos are amazing! I almost feel like I am there in Bali too. Actually, going to a health retreat in Bali has been one of my dreams for years. I am so thrilled for you. Thanks for sharing your experiences with us.
Hopefully you can come next time! It was such an incredible experience