Even before Elizabeth Gilbert wrote about studying with a Balinese medicine man and a female Balinese traditional healer in her bestselling 2006 memoir Eat, Pray, Love, the Indonesian island was already earning a reputation as a wellness destination. Back then, yoga and meditation, powerful and intuitive massage, herbal treatments inspired by centuries-old rituals of Balinese royalty and, of course, the mysterious local energy healers known as balian drew intrepid pre–smartphone era travelers.
Twenty years after the book, however, Bali is no longer a wellness destination but the definitive global destination for wellbeing—in virtually every form, woo-woo to cutting edge. The evolution was slow, until it wasn’t: In 2014, fresh off a breakup and recently laid off—embarrassingly cliché, right?—I chose Bali for my first-ever solo trip and within days was practicing chaturanga dandasana at The Yoga Barn, whispering wishes before intricately carved water spouts at Tirta Empul water temple, and getting deliciously deep massages (pijat) from sweet Balinese women for about $6.
On every subsequent stay—because, yes, I was addicted to it all—I noticed an uptick in retreats, Ayurvedic to silent. Hotel spas meaningfully upped their games and dreamed up elaborate rituals cementing sense of place. When I moved to Uluwatu full-time once Bali’s COVID lockdown ended in 2022, the wellness explosion was unmissable. Injectables, lasers and reformer Pilates are now easier to find than a balian; the vibe is no longer backpacker-boho, but chic.
These days, the wellness world is your oyster on Bali. During my second pregnancy, I treated myself to myofascial bodywork, weekly Balinese massage at home, acupuncture, gua sha facials, Pilates, and yin yoga stretch classes, plus the odd Balinese Hindu melukat ceremony for purification and balance and regular resort staycations for next-level TLC. It was heaven.
This island calls to people, young and old; seeking emotional clarity, self improvement, stress relief, detox, physical renewal, and soulful, mystical spiritual healing. There’s nowhere else like it. And thanks in part to the sophisticated and creative offerings of luxury resorts, the wellness landscape continues to evolve. Here, are what I believe to be Bali’s nine best wellness destinations at the moment.
