Wellness, yoga & healing

Ubud

The island's biggest schedule — vinyasa, yin, kundalini, sound healing, ecstatic dance on Sunday and Friday, plus a café and healing centre. Drop-in around IDR 150–180k, multi-class passes cheaper. Book popular classes online; they sell out.

Ubud

Strong alignment-focused vinyasa and yin, well-regarded 200hr and 300hr trainings, smaller and calmer than the Yoga Barn. Drop-in around IDR 150k.

Ubud (Singakerta)

Big airy shala looking over the football field, aerial yoga, pilates and a good beginners' track. Popular with long-stay residents; monthly memberships are good value.

Ubud

Jungle-set studio with a spa, healing rooms and one of the better vegetarian kitchens in Ubud. Quieter energy than the big schools.

Canggu (Pererenan)

Ashtanga-led Mysore practice, vinyasa and yin in a garden shala, with the well-loved Sunday organic market. The Canggu equivalent of the Yoga Barn but smaller.

Canggu (Batu Bolong)

Breath-led vinyasa and pranayama with a devoted following. Class sizes are capped — arrive 15 minutes early or reserve.

Canggu

Antique wooden houses, a salt-water pool and one of the oldest daily yoga schedules in Bali. Peaceful, family-friendly, good for beginners.

Canggu (Berawa)

Rooftop and garden classes, aerial, and reasonably priced ten-class passes. Convenient for the Berawa strip.

Bukit — Bingin, Uluwatu, Padang Padang

Cliff-edge shalas built for surfers: mobility, yin and restorative classes timed around the tide. Many combine a surf lesson and a class in one package.

Sanur (Mertasari beach)

Bamboo shala on the sand with sunrise classes, breathwork and meditation. Sanur's calmest option and popular with older practitioners and families.

Canggu (Echo Beach)

Cheap daily classes (often IDR 100k or free for guests), vegan kitchen and a young backpacker crowd.

Ubud & Seminyak

Club-style venues combining gym, pool, pilates reformer and yoga on one membership — the practical choice if you want fitness and yoga in the same place.

Ubud, Keliki, Sukawati and villages islandwide

Balinese healers work with massage, herbs, prayer and sometimes deep bodywork that can be painful. Go with a Balinese guide or a trusted recommendation rather than a taxi driver's cousin, dress in temple clothing (sarong and sash), bring an offering and a respectful donation of IDR 100–500k, and expect to wait your turn behind local families.

Tirta Empul, Sebatu, Mengening, Tegenungan

A Hindu purification ritual under spring fountains. Wear the provided kamen and a sash, follow the fountain order, don't skip fountains reserved for the dead, and never photograph people mid-prayer. Best at 7am before the crowds.

Ubud (Kumbuh)

Twin sound pyramids running gong baths, cacao ceremonies and breathwork sessions. Very popular; book ahead. Sessions run about 90 minutes.

Ubud

Smaller crystal-bowl, gong and voice sessions in intimate settings, from IDR 150k. Better if large group experiences aren't your thing.

Mambal, near Ubud

Riverside bamboo eco-retreat combining Balinese healing rituals, plant-based cuisine, water purification and bodywork. Day packages available if you're not staying.

Begawan Giri, Ubud

Serious residential wellness — nutritionists, physios, Ayurveda, hydrotherapy pools and personalised programmes, at international clinic prices.

Ketewel, Gianyar

Structured panchakarma and Ayurvedic cleanse programmes with doctor consultations. Multi-day only.

Ubud outskirts

Mid-range wellness resorts running detox, yoga and spa programmes in jungle settings — a middle ground between a spa day and a full retreat.

Uluwatu / Ubud

Cliff-top yoga and fitness retreats on the Bukit, and Ubud's long-standing raw-food café with juice cleanses and colon-hydrotherapy add-ons.

Canggu, Ubud, Uluwatu

Wim Hof-style ice baths, transformational breathwork and cacao ceremonies run weekly at Samadi, Pyramids of Chi, Bulan Baru and dozens of villas. Prices IDR 200–600k. Not advisable if you're pregnant, have heart or blood-pressure conditions, or epilepsy.

Neighbourhood spas in Ubud, Sanur and Kuta doing Balinese massage, reflexology and creambath hair treatments. Excellent value; check the place looks clean and the therapist washes their hands.

Karsa, Sang Spa, Bali Botanica, Prana in Seminyak, Therapy in Canggu. Packages of massage plus scrub plus flower bath for two to three hours, often with transport included.

Five-star resort spas, hydrotherapy circuits and signature rituals. Worth it for a special occasion; the massage itself is not necessarily better than a good local place.

Massage is usually with oil, on a covered table, disposable underwear provided. Balinese massage is firm; say 'pelan pelan' for softer. Tipping IDR 30–100k is normal and appreciated.

• Normal practice wear is fine — leggings, shorts, a top that stays put in downward dog
• Shoes off at the shala door, always; phones off, not silent
• Mats are provided or rented for IDR 10–20k; bring a towel, the humidity is serious
• Arrive 10 minutes early — walking into a started class is poor form and often refused
• Cover up walking to and from class through a village; a sarong or shorts over leggings is enough

• Sarong and sash for all genders, shoulders covered, knees covered
• Bring a canang sari offering — any market stall sells them for a few thousand rupiah
• Sit lower than the healer, never point feet at them or at a shrine
• No photos unless you're clearly invited to take them
• Women are asked not to attend while menstruating
• A donation, not a fee — IDR 100–500k depending on the session, in an envelope or under the offering

• Arrive 15 minutes early for the consultation form — mention pregnancy, injuries, blood pressure and medication
• Disposable underwear is provided; say if you'd rather keep your own on
• Speak up about pressure early, not at the end
• Retreats often ban alcohol, meat and phones in shared spaces — read the house rules before booking

Ayahuasca, kambo, psilocybin and 'magic mushroom' shakes are illegal in Indonesia and penalties for drug offences are severe. Unregulated ceremonies also carry real medical risk, particularly with antidepressants or heart conditions. This is not a grey area worth testing.