villa gaia retreats

By: Nikki Hearn
Edited date: November 15, 2022Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

After a relentlessly busy 6 months, where eating Granola for dinner had become the norm, I was craving a reset experience. Living in Bali and working in the Spa & Wellness industry here I have had the pleasure of quite a few detox and wellness treatments and experiences, varying from basic to high-end luxury. With only a few days grace between a deadline and the start of a new project, the 3-Day Personalized Detox Program at the Quintessential Villa Gaia in the Ricefields of Ubud was the most satisfying scratch to my itch.

I know this is the cliché, but in the case of Villa Gaia, it’s so true…something about this place gives you the feeling of “coming home” whether that be physically due to the homey environment and the nurturing staff or perhaps it’s metaphorically, as after a couple of days here you can almost remember your true essence.

From the outset of my enquiry I felt at ease with my choice, the quality of the information supplied and the ease at which any of my questions were answered was refreshingly professional and personalized.

Within 1 week I was walking through the doors of Villa Gaia to the most expansive, breathtaking views within seconds I felt my shoulders literally drop. Energetically this place is really something special, interestingly not because anyone or anything has tried to make it that way, Villa Gaia is special because it’s not been tampered with. It is like a canvas to the surrounding, breathtaking natural beauty. It’s not trying to stand out or override its environment energetically or aesthetically, instead, it blends synergistically with the natural beauty and immense transformational energy if the Island of the Gods. If you are coming from the trendy, contrived venues of Seminyak or Canggu this place is a reminder of why tourists have been coming for Bali in their throves well before anywhere had an Instagram wall.

The staff at Villa Gaia are archetypal Balinese, no rough edges from years of serving tourists who complain that the bintang isn’t cold enough, just pure and sublime Balinese hospitality in all its glory.

There is nothing more annoying that the person on the juice fast that says they aren’t even hungry when you are doodling burgers on scrap paper but honestly this was my first detox experience where I became that person. My personalised juice treatment and activity schedule was carefully put together by the Villa Gaia detox team and meant I was so busy being pampered I didn’t have time to be hungry! The deep rest, herbs and tasty juices definitely helped also.

All the treatments I received were to a very high standard, I have experienced an excess of 500 messages in my time living in Bali (poor me) and both the massages I had whilst at Villa Gaia as part of my Detox program were up there as being some of the best. The colonic hydrotherapy was administered at Gaia Holistic, the sister clinic of Villa Gaia in Ubud town centre. I was shuttled there and back by a friendly and caring driver. The Indonesian national registered nurses are trained to an international standard in the specialist area of colonics, the combination of their Balinese abdominal massage techniques and their caring, gentle manner made this an (almost) pleasant experience!

The comfort, facilities and amenities of Villa Gaia make it the ideal location for a Detox or any transformational wellness program. My room was very clean, comfortable and spacious. All the creature comforts of AC and hot water with beautiful touches such as a flower-filled bath on my arrival. The Villa has a gorgeous swimming pool, hot tubs and an infra red sauna with expansive views over the rice fields. The serenity is only interrupted by the voices of local kids playing and the chirping of bird’s…total bliss.

For more info on Bali’s best spots for the modern yogi STAY | SPA | PLAY | EAT | SHOP | YOGA – Download our ULTIMATE BALI GUIDE for free.

For enquiries and booking please see gaiaretreatcenter.com

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