Bali – Island of Gods and Spirits
That’s Bali. White haze shrouds the mountains and valleys like a veil. The air is velvety, the temperature 25 degrees Celsius. Welcome to Bali, the island of gods, spirits, and mystical temples.
Worship of Bali’s gods and spirits are not to be overlooked on the grounds of the wellness hideaway Como Shambhala Estate. A mighty stone temple stands in the entrance area, protected by a black and white parasol. Every full and new moon, a religious Hindu ritual is celebrated on this hill, prayers are said in honor of the ancestors or Nyepi, the day of silence, is observed.
“Black and white represent good and evil,” Mika explains. He too is a follower of the Hindu religion, which over 90 per cent of Balinese follow. “Almost everything in Bali is faith,” he adds. “Two dragons hold the island, the spirits live on the beaches, the gods live on the mountains.
Unspoilt landscape
Mika is one of 60 butlers at the Estate. They make sure you get to yoga class on time. They organize canoe trips over the rapids of the Ayung or a tour by bike through rice fields. 30 residences and detached villas are available for overnight stays. They are spread over almost six hectares of natural landscape, which is tended by over 300 gardeners all year round. The architecture is Balinese, with lots of bamboo and tropical wood. Or contemporary with clean lines and panoramic windows. And each accommodation has its own pool, some also have a Jacuzzi fed by the waters of the nearby Ayung River.
Service is a priority at Como Shambhala Estate. Not only does every guest have his or her own personal butler, the resort also employs its own dietician. Eve Persak is responsible for the most important feature of the Como Group’s hotels and resorts: wellness holidays with customized meals for every need – from detox to diet and high-protein diets for extreme athletes to juice cures for people with gluten intolerance. “These personalized meals make the Como Shambhala Estate very different from conventional wellness resorts,” says Eve.
Good karma for all
We travel to the legendary artists’ village of Ubud, nestled on the volcanic slopes in the heart of Bali. The former royal town is famous for the film adaptation of the bestseller by Elizabeth George “Eat, Pray, Love” starring Julia Roberts. Many come to get good karma from one of the many healers, to have their picture taken with the monkeys in the Monkey Jungle, to browse for art in one of the many galleries.… weiterlesen
My curriculum vitae is as colorful as the world. I was editor at ELLE, tested cars and participated at off-road tours. I lived on a small island in Florida for twelve years and from there I travelled the Caribbean and almost all states of the USA for various magazines, conducted interviews with interesting people, reported on beautiful homes and exotic travel destinations. After my return to Germany I worked for InStyle magazine for 14 years in various positions. And it was there that I first came into contact with the topic of beauty. To this day I still enjoy immersing myself in the fine cosmos of creams, perfumes and lipsticks. (photo: Thomas Dilge)