Heston Blumenthal waxes eloquently on the magic at the Como Shambhala Estate and I am lucky that I get to experience it first hand. Imagine waking up in Bali’s hinterland to the gurgles of the Ayung river, scent of the women wearing frangipani, the aroma of Bali coffee and the lush, verdant landscape as far as your eyes can see. I’ve spent only two nights here and my face looks more radiant, my nerves a lot less frayed and I have not a worry in the world. Cellphone reception is spotty in some places, which is a blessing in disguise because a digital detox is exactly what I need, at the moment.

Each guest is entitled to comprehensive consultation followed by a personalised wellness regimen for the duration of their stay. Your villas are large and boast the best views of the valley – each named after the elements of the earth. Time slows down at Como Shambhala Estate and I now understand why people travel from all over the world to experience this wellness escape.

The COMO Shambhala Estate in Ubud, Bali, is a residential health retreat that focuses on holistic wellness through its state-of-the-art facilities. The location is unique, slightly north of Ubud, which ensures that while someone staying here is never far away from the tourist attractions, when needed they can escape to the spiritual enclave of jungle, river and sun-rich clearings that is the COMO Shambhala. The philosophy of the hotel is to help guests make informed life changes that will last well beyond their stay, and this can be seen with the amount of emphasis they have given to wellness in the form of Asian therapies and healthful cuisine as part of the packages created for the personal wellness requirements of anyone staying at this resort.

When it comes to a wellness experience, there isn’t any resort in Bali that does it as well as the COMO Shambhala. The property boasts of wellness programmes aimed at detox cleansing, activating a fitness regime, stress management and rejuvenation, oriental medicine `and Ayurveda consultations. The resort has over 15 different massage and body care programmes, which include pre-natal, reflexology and acupuncture sessions, along with the highly popular Balinese and Thai massage.

My days at the Como would start with a walk down to the banks of the Ayung river followed by a session of sun salutations and meditation and end with a delicious strawberry and passionfruit cheesecake with a delicious hot chocolate. Como taught me how to be kinder to my body and to appreciate life for all the little gifts it has bestowed upon me.

Verdict: I would highly recommend the Como Shambhala experience for the wellness enthusiast and couples looking for some seclusion in the heart of Bali’s hinterland. The resort has en-suite pools, priests to help with the water purification rituals, natural rock cut pools to bathe in and unparalleled tranquillity to boot. The food here is the best food I’ve ever eaten on the island and with dessert for lunch and dinner – you will leave Como with a happy belly.

This post was originally published for NDTV. You can view it  here.

Reference image- Como Hotels