Outside of India, Bali is probably one of the world’s most popular destinations for yoga and wellness retreats.
Most retreats in Bali are concentrated in Ubud and Canggu, but a fresh one has just popped up in East Bali: One of the newest options to consider if you’re looking for a yoga retreat experience on the Island of the Gods is Alila Manggis’ recently launched Signature Yoga Retreat, held with Indonesian yoga teacher Ami Effendy.
Known for having high standards of luxury design and service, Alila has hotels and resorts throughout Indonesia, China, Malaysia, Cambodia, India, and soon, in Sri Lanka. Bali locations include Seminyak, Ubud, Uluwatu, and of course, the site of the new yoga retreat program in Manggis.
What sets Manggis, a small village near Candidasa, apart from Alila’s other Bali locations is that it’s well off the trodden track with its more remote location up in Bali’s quiet East Coast.
Even though it’s outside of busy South Bali, one of the things we liked about Alila Manggis was just how easy it was to get in from the south. It’s pretty much a straight shot 60 kilometers up the By-Pass, so there’s no jarring journey on winding or broken roads to deal with.
The retreat includes a pick-up service from the island’s Ngurah Rai Airport, which takes about 75 minutes.
And while the hotel is far from all the stuff in the South, it’s relatively close by to a bunch of cool points of interest that would otherwise be a schlep to get to from tourist hubs Kuta or Seminyak.
Manggis makes a great base for exploring Mount Agung, Tirta Gangga, Pura Lempuyang, the Mother Temple Besakih, the traditional Tenganan Village, the diving town of Amed, and quiet east coast beaches.
You can even take a short fishing boat ride from the hotel over to a snorkeling spot or jump in a car to the famous Blue Lagoon Beach. These two outings are among the “crafted experiences” included in the yoga retreat package, amongst trekking, cycling, and a few more (take note that diving is excluded, so be prepared to pay if you want to play scuba).
Alila is known for each of its locations having its own unique design elements, integrating the design with the landscape.
Located on a small bay, Manggis is centered on a seaside coconut grove, forming a horse-shoe-like shape with a pool in between the grove and the rooms.
Breezy two-story building structures with thatched roofs and fish ponds wrap around the pool, with the bottom floor rooms having a patio and second-floor rooms a balcony for sitting out and enjoying the outdoors. The hotel’s on the smaller end of things with 53 rooms and two suites.
How about the actual yoga part of the retreat?
The yoga is led by Indonesian teacher Ami Effendy, who practices traditional Hatha-style yoga. Yoga programming is a mix of workshops and actual practice.
During this dry run of Alila’s yoga program, there was a lot of emphasis on the meaning of poses as well as different pranayamic breath exercises and what yoga itself is all about.
There are three yoga sessions offered each day, which include workshops. In between sessions is when you have time to eat your meals, hit the spa, or go on an outing.
Effendy’s teachings are very well-suited for yogis of all levels — even people who have never practiced before. She very readily adapted to the different experience levels of the three people in our group.
If you want to relax, practice yoga in a beautiful and tranquil space, and learn the history and meanings behind the poses and practice, then this retreat checks all the boxes.
If you’re looking for a more advanced yoga retreat and have very specific goals, however, it would be beneficial to get in touch with Alila to discuss the retreat’s course materials.
