Labak River Hotel Ubud

09/09/2016

Finding the perfect place for a retreat is tricky.

Somewhere secluded but close to town. Somewhere with good clean facilities (especially air conditioning) but not at a crazy price. And somewhere that has enclaves for people to escape to and do some personal reflection and growth but it safe and contained. YES! It’s very tricky and until you hold your retreat, you are still not 100% it is right.

This retreat in Ubud, Bali, I chose the Labak River Hotel.

It’s located on the out skirts of Ubud but not a long way out like many others. You can walk to town in 15 minutes past the monkey forest, or jump on a scooter and be there in five minutes.

The hotel is spacious but has many intimate spots to hold small groups and for people to relax and recline.

All the bedrooms were beautiful and provided the guest with their own veranda and big chair to chill out in. I loved my bed!

A river runs behind the hotel and provides a lovely gurgling back ground sound. The hotel does face another hotel on the other side of the river, yet it is far enough away that no privacy is forfeited.

Beside the hotel is Ubud’s newest yoga facility, Ubud Yoga Centre, which is beautiful and offering great food with views.

The massages on offer are excellent and I had the Balinese Flower Bath 90 minute ritual. Absolutely therapeutic and relaxing. I highly recommend it.

The hotel has a few bar areas and the staff are friendly and helpful.

You can tell they want your stay to be special.

I will be holding my next retreat there in November 2016. Check out the retreat deets here.

Art Classes in Ubud

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Since a child I can recall art, drawing and painting. Maybe it had been due in part to having a grandma who is an artist, or maybe it’s because I find it nourishes me. Either way I love art and the knack it has of allowing one to relax and get totally lost in the moment.

It’s a chance for one’s inner child to play.

So recently when I held my Nourishment Retreat in Ubud, an art class was an obvious activity.

Ubud is a very ” arty” place and there’s no shortage of artist teaching classes.

There was no need to fret though, as I knew I would be guided to the best teacher, and so I was.

Nyoman is a local artist and has a great vision to one day have a cafe where people can go and pick up some paints and have a puddle on the canvas.

On this day I took a group for some fun on the canvas. Some were a little trepid and worried that they would be doing it wrong. But soon realised that there was no “wrong” and everything was fun.

Nyoman is a wonderful teacher and gently encourages your inner child to play. He picks you up from your hotel and drops you back. To contact him directly send him an email here.

When you arrive you can chose what style of painting you would like to do. He has batik drawing out the back and next time I will be doing batik for something different.

We all chose a different style and easily and effortless Nyoman helped us bring our tiny vision to reality.

All our art pieces could be hung on a wall and it’s not often when you do something so pleasurable and get to take a memory and souvenir with you.

Thanks Nyoman! If you are interested in coming to Ubud with me, check out here for my next retreat.

The Best 24 hours visiting Fishhouse, Rainbow Bay & Kiva Spa

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The last 24 hours have been superb. So relaxing, so decadent and wonderfully fun.

My friend came to stay with me last week and seeing as we have both been working a lot we decided to have a mini holiday.

We headed off for an amazing dinner at my GC fav: Fishhouse in Burleigh Heads. From the minute you enter the service and experience is everything you would hope for in a five star restaurant.

Bread made fresh, clean wines and an extensive list and the BEST seafood in town.

I settled on my favourite seafood, scallops, for entree and a fish I had never heard of for dinner. I will have to go back and write a full review as this doesn’t do it justice!

A lazy sleep in, then off to Rainbow Bay Surf Club for remarkable views and an excellent $10 lunch! I had sea trout, chips and salad and my friend has whiting, chips and salad. A great meal and worth it just for the views.

To finish off a magnificent short break, we head to the Kiva Spa in Mullumbimby.

Timid at first (neither of us had been there before) we pushed through our anxieties and were greeted by a romantic escape that felt like a week.

We both agreed our massages were the best – leaving us in a semi comatosed state, and then we drifted around the bath house, in and out of hot tubs, plunge pool, steam room and the magnificent fire sauna. I couldn’t take photos (cameras not allowed) but the memories you take from your trip are all that are needed.

We needed to “earth” ourselves before driving back to reality so headed to the Mullum pub. Or correctly the Middle Pub.

Middle Pub Mullum — Photos of early Mullumbimby

Established in 1904 the pub has a lot of character and interesting things to look at. Period photos of the last turn of the centre, beautiful stainless glass images and funky furniture. The wine went down even better.

Truly relaxing and a wonderful way to round of a min 24 hour holiday on the Gold Coast.