2017 Bali Retreat Review

A few very inspiring and kind words sent to us from the wonderful Alicia about her experience at our 2017 Bali Yoga Retreat…

In our busy lives it’s hard to take some time away from the everyday and focus just on yourself, so when you do you want it to be for something worthwhile. Aloha Active’s Yoga retreat is exactly what I needed to escape the chaos of everyday life.

It is not only relaxing and nourishing for your mind, body and soul, it is fun, it’s pampering, it’s challenging and it is rewarding!

You will step outside your comfort zone. You will experience new food, new culture, new challenges in your yoga and you will meet new people. But best of all you will return home feeling a better version of you, in more ways than you will expect.

The 2017 Aloha Bali Retreat at Jeda Villa was not my first retreat, it was actually my third and it won’t be my last. Each retreat is different, and each experience is unique. You will get out of it what you put in. I joined this time with the knowledge of the location and the trust in Manyia to bring together something special for us all. Manyia always delivers on creating the environment of fun, love, laughter and a unique way in helping you bring out your best version of you.

I am a Bikram girl. I have been practising consistently now for over 3.5 years because I love how it makes me feel inside and out. On our last retreat I tried Yin Yoga for the first time and now I practise this as well at any opportunity because I love the way it balances me.

This time I tried Vinyasa flow, Yoga Nidra and Hot core + pilates for the first time (as well as Bikram & Yin) and I loved the challenge and learning more about my mind & body as I tried new Asana’s and some things I never thought I would be able to do.

Being able to practise Yoga twice daily is not something I can do every day, but this is what is so rewarding about doing a retreat like this. Everyone has different strengths, different needs, different tastes and everyone has their own favourite classes, so given the opportunity to connect with others over our common passion for our practice can open your mind to why it’s worth giving it all a go, as you never know how good it can be for your body until you try it.

It’s not all just Yoga though. The morning walks to the beach for a swim and stretch are really spectacular as the scenery changes daily. The daily massages by the pool are just heaven and the food that was created for us was an incredibly delicious, healthy feast! I learnt new ways to create healthy meals and ideas for cooking with better ingredients which I have brought home and implemented into our weekly meals. I now love being able to try new foods and new recipes with my family and friends, and my body is so much better for it.

I have learnt so much through my Yoga journey over the past few years, and it has given me the tools I need to implement in daily life to be the person I want to be and to feel so good inside. Having a week away to focus on just getting myself to a better place is the best gift I could ask for. At the same time I get to experience life in another country, meet new people and try new things. It’s a rewarding holiday.

Bali was never a place high on my destination list, but having visited twice now to Jeda Villa, I have found the experience to be unique, fascinating and not at all what I had been expecting from the mixed reports we see here at home. I love Bali, it has so much more to offer and really is a place that draws you back for more. I was very nervous travelling to Bali alone for the first time, but I had faith that Manyia would have arranged something special in a perfect location and again she delivered a retreat that was everything I hoped for and more.

If you have ever considered trying out a yoga retreat, I can highly recommend taking a trip away with Manyia, it will always be an adventure you will treasure and you will be amazed at how good you feel by the end of the retreat. It is a feeling that is hard to replicate without going again… I guess that’s why I keep going back!

Kind regards,
Alicia Symes