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Want to know where Hollywood’s elite head to reboot? COMO Shambhala is an under-the-radar gem deep in the Ubud jungle, where nature’s embrace, together with a world-leading wellness program, promises a transformative experience worthy of Eat, Pray, Love.
Even if you’ve never been acquainted with a yoga mat, you don’t have to be a wellness aficionado to enjoy COMO Shambhala: the experience is fully customisable, so you can pick up as much or as little as you please.
Read on to discover what makes COMO Shambhala one of the world’s best wellness resorts (or check out its sister resort, COMO Uma Canggu).
The estate
A world away from the roaring mopeds and constant bustle of Ubud’s centre, the ravine surrounding COMO Shambhala Estate is like a glittering green geode. A thick carpet of swaying palms, emerald treetops and lilypad-dotted ponds swathes the hillsides to the base of the valley, where the Ayung River, natural pools and a sacred spring trickle amid the jungle. On the air is nothing but birdsong and the chittering of cicadas: it’s a breathtakingly peaceful pause from an otherwise frenetic world.
The resort’s residences, villas and pavilions are scattered across 23 acres, with plentiful quiet pools and spots for contemplation at sunset. From the dark wood, intricate carvings and four-poster beds of the traditional suites to epic villas with private infinity pools and Japanese water gardens, privacy amid the jungle is guaranteed (with a January 2025 refresh set to make the accommodation more luxe than ever).
The dining
With field-to-table ingredients and raw dishes that preserve the nutritional value of every element, eating well is as natural as breathing at COMO Shambhala. Highlights include the rich flourless chocolate cake with coconut sorbet, which tastes positively indecent (while actually being very decent indeed).
An intricately carved, 150-year-old Javanese residence is where Kudus House serves a wholesome breakfast and Indonesian-inspired flavours. Wok-fried red rice is dished up with tempeh, vegetables, sambal and julienned egg crepe, while ‘medicinal shots’ like golden jamu, turmeric, tamarind and organic palm sugar are an injection of zest for the day – as are the glorious green jungle views for as far as the eye can see.
The galley kitchen of Glow provides a warm welcome on arrival for dinner, where plates showcase a rainbow of organic ingredients. Noodles are made from zucchini, pizza crust of pumpkin and cashew: nourishing swaps that’ll ensure you leave feeling at your peak.
The spa treatments
The international COMO Hotels and Resorts group is primarily known for two things: its unique brand of understated luxury, and a world-leading wellness offering. Shambhala is its flagship, and it is here, in Bali’s spiritual heartland, that the global spa and wellbeing program is determined.
In her pursuit of the perfect massage, COMO’s founder, Christina Ong, enlisted the help of practitioners from aromatherapists to ayurvedic specialists to develop COMO’s signature Shambhala treatment, which has been perfected over more than 20 years. Every detail is considered, from the cadence of long, smooth strokes and firm pressure, to the custom-blended oils and hot towel compress to the neck and feet.
At COMO Shambhala’s spa, expect the full gamut, from SUNDÃRI facials to hydrotherapy, acupuncture and high-tech health therapies like a hyperbaric oxygen treatment, whereby pure oxygen is administered to kick-start the body’s natural healing process. And it doesn’t end there in the pursuit of your best self: traditional Chinese medicine, ayurvedic and chakra healing consultants are on hand to offer life-changing advice that will stay with you long after you leave.
The wellness program & experiences
Each day brings a schedule of new activities and experiences, from the gentle and nurturing (qigong, yoga nidra and meditative breathing) to the more intensive (core work, circuit training and pilates). Therapeutic hydrotherapy takes place in a custom-heated pool on a shelf overlooking the jungle, where a series of jetted seats await to soothe and invigorate.
Explore with a guided walk around the estate, or head further afield on a biking tour to a local village and rice field. There’s also the opportunity to immerse yourself in Ubud’s undeniable spirituality: book in for a traditional gratitude ritual, or head down to the estate’s 10th-century temple and ancient spring to experience an authentic water purification ceremony.
The writer was a guest of COMO Shambhala.
