Stay at Arya Wellness Retreat in Ubud, Bali. If you’re looking for some rest and recuperation, I have just the place for you. Arya Wellness Retreat is a female-only resort right in the centre of Ubud, near Monkey Forest. The streets outside may be busy, but as soon as you step inside the complex, all the hustle and bustle of the outside world will feel a million miles away. The smiling staff will make you feel right at home, and you can connect with like-minded female travelers over delicious breakfasts (included) and evening wellness activities (also included). So, if you’re looking for somewhere to unwind and get away from it all, definitely stay at Arya Wellness Retreat! Read on for what you can do there.
Read: How to spend 3 days in Ubud, Bali
Morning Meditation and Yoga
You have the option to join in a sunrise meditation and yoga session each morning to start the day off with some zen. Relax on your mat by the pool and breathe in the fresh morning air as the sky slowly changes from dawn to morning sunlight.
Breakfast at Arya Wellness Retreat
Breakfast is included and you can choose between 4 set dishes each morning. My favourites were the omelette with grilled veggies and also the pancakes with fresh fruit and syrup. Tea and coffee is also included and you can purchase additional drinks such as juice or iced matcha. The atmosphere is very sociable and some mornings I spent hours chatting with the other girlies staying at Arya Wellness Retreat!
Daytime at Arya Wellness Retreat
Ubud itself is full of amazing things to see and do, so you will not struggle to fill your days. Read my post How to spend 3 days in Ubud, Bali. Arya Wellness Retreat also organise a lot of activities that you can sign up and pay for at reception. Examples include a sunrise hike to Mount Batur or a day trip exploring the rice terraces.
Relax at Arya Wellness Retreat
Arya Wellness Resort has a beautiful swimming pool that is actually lovely to swim in (- unlike some accommodations that just use clever photography to make a small puddle look appealing!). There is a shaded seating area where you can relax with a book and the bar is open all day for drinks, snacks and lunch. In the afternoons you can sign up for a free massage and a free manicure and pedicure. You read that right – these treatments are at no additional cost.
Evening Wellness Activities at Arya Wellness Retreat
Each evening there is a different optional wellness activity to choose from, included in the price of your stay. I joined a Tibetan singing bowl class, a cacao ceremony and a sound healing experience. A lovely way to end the day.
Evenings at Arya Wellness Retreat
You can order dinner at the bar, and on some evenings there will be a special dinner that you can sign up for. My first night we had a “family dinner” of Indonesian food, and my second night we had a pasta and wine night with a movie shown on a projector over the pool. There are also lots of nice restaurants within walking distance if you fancy going out.
Accommodation at Arya Wellness Retreat
You can choose between either a private room or a four-bed dorm. The entire resort is female only. The dorms have bunk beds with double-sized mattresses and privacy curtains. I had the best sleep! Everything was very well-designed and comfortable. Housekeeping come each day to clean the room and make your bed for you, so although it’s a dorm you get hotel-style service. Each dorm has its own shower and toilet and sink area. There’s lots of space by the sink for toiletries and makeup and there are hairdryers. Further detail and pictures can be found on the Arya Wellness Retreat website here.
Practical Guidance for Bali, Indonesia
Hopefully this post will have inspired you to book a stay at Arya Wellness Retreat in Ubud, Bali. I’ve also included some useful information for Bali and Indonesia in general below. If you plan all the boring stuff in advance you can relax and enjoy your trip more!
What is Ubud like?
Ubud is known for being the part of Bali you go to to relax and experience Balinese culture. There are lush green rice terraces, stunning intricate temples, and of course – monkey forest! Read more about Ubud here.
How do I get a visa for Indonesia?
Make sure to check the Indonesian visa requirements for your own country as the rules can vary depending on what passport you have. Many countries can get a 30-day visa on arrival (VOA). I purchased mine at Bali Denpasar airport and was able to pay with my WISE card. You must meet passport validity requirements and have a return or onward ticket. You can explore different visa options on the official Indonesian Immigration website. If you overstay your visa there is a fine of 1 million rupiah a day.
Transport from Bali Denpasar airport to Ubud
Arriving at Bali Denpasar airport can be pretty hectic. It can feel overwhelming especially if you’ve just come off a long haul flight. A lot of flights seem to be scheduled to arrive quite late at night too, so I recommend planning in advance so that you feel safe. There will be a lot of local taxi drivers waiting at arrivals, but you will need to haggle which can be exhausting.
Personally, I booked an airport pickup in advance with Welcome Pickups. You prepay when you book at a flat rate that matches the local standard fare. The advantage of Welcome Pickups over rideshare apps (see below) is that there is no surge pricing. I did check my Grab app out of curiosity when I arrived to compare, and Welcome Pickups was indeed cheaper. The Welcome Pickups app is also incredibly easy to use and I was able to chat to my driver via the app to coordinate a meeting spot. Welcome Pickups operate in lots of different countries worldwide. You can sign up here.
How to get around Bali and Ubud
The easiest way to get around Ubud (and Bali in general) is to use Grab. Grab is a Singaporean-headquartered rideshare app (like Uber) that operates in a number of countries in South East Asia. You can choose to book either a car or a scooter. Scooters are cheaper and much faster as they can weave through the traffic. It’s also safer to use Grab and have a local driver rather than hiring a scooter yourself. I recommend downloading the app in advance before your trip so that you can set up the payment card etc. The best card to link in order to avoid high FX exchange fees is a WISE card (see below).
Money in Indonesia: (IDR)
If you’re visiting Indonesia you’ll need Indonesian Rupiah (IDR). To get IDR at the best rates, I highly recommend getting a WISE card before you go. This allows you to convert money into Indonesian Rupiah (or any other currency!) at the best rates and then spend on your Wise card as though it were a local bank card or withdraw cash in Indonesia without hidden fees. Wise is a UK-based financial services company (available in most countries worldwide) and is highly regulated in the various regions it operates in (in the UK it is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority).
Get your WISE card here.
SIM Card and Data for Indonesia
There are two main options for getting a SIM card and data to use in Indonesia:
Option 1: eSIM with Airalo
The main advantages of purchasing an eSIM via Airalo (enter the referral code ROWAN1271 for a discount) are:
- you do not need to insert a physical SIM card, so you can keep your home country SIM in your phone
- you can get a multi-country eSIM rather than having to get a new one each time you go to a new country
- you can download the eSim before you leave your home country, meaning that you will have data immediately on arrival. This gives you peace of mind and is perfect for using Google Maps and rideshare apps etc.
- You can top up your data allowance via the app
Option 2: Buy a local physical SIM card
The main advantages of purchasing a local SIM card are:
- Local SIM cards generally offer better rates. You can often (depending on the country) get a lot more data for a lower price.
- You will get a local phone number which is better for making local calls / text messages
Personally I think Airalo is the best for short holidays or if you are only spending a short time in each country. If you’re staying for a longer time, or if like me you use a lot of data, a local physical SIM card may be better.
Get your Airalo eSIM here. Enter the referral code ROWAN1271 for a discount.
Travel Insurance
Make sure that you have travel insurance to cover you for your trip. I can highly recommend Heymondo. I use them to cover me for all my trips and their app is very easy to use.
Purchase Heymondo travel insurance here.
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