1 6 ESCAPE SUNDAY DECEMBER 2 . 2018 . ESCAPE.COM.AU

TELE01Z02ES - V2

D E S T I N A T I O N ® B A L I

STOP, REVIVE, THRIVE

C A T H E R I N E B E S T

Clean living comes easy in the lap of Balinese luxury

and cold plunge pools, steam room and infra-red sauna.

Villa 9 (my villa) is a short walk from the main resort, while Villa 4 requires a golf cart transfer (Aman still manages the other villas). Both of the smaller four-suite villas have a 25m lap pool and a large events and private dining pavilion and can be hired exclusively.

THE PROGRAMREVĪVŌ is guaranteed to attract a certain type of health set – think clean-living, activated almond-munching, Nirvana-seeking, vegan yogi. But it also caters for those at the opposite end of the health and wellness spectrum – from couples seeking a relaxing spa retreat, to city slickers needing a detox and fitness reboot, to solo travellers looking for a spiritual awakening.

THE RESORTThe property, formerly part of the high-end Aman group, is a 2ha oasis of sprawling lawns, tropical gardens and ponds, fringed by teak forest quietly sequestering 16 luxury suites. Each has a four-poster bed, dressing area with double vanities, sunken bathtub and indoor and outdoor showers. It’s marble-meets-mahogany luxury under the pitched thatch of a traditional alang alang roof.

My mid-level courtyard suite has aprivate terrace with a large daybed and is a few steps from the pool, which I consistently have to myself.

REVĪVŌ is confusingly divided into three “villas”. The main villa, 10, is the resort hub, featuring the reception, restaurant, bar, lounge, spa and eight suites. It also houses the fitness studios, yoga and meditation rooms, a 25m pool, two jacuzzis, hot

E arly morning shots are aninstitution for Australiantwenty-somethings on aclichéd Bali bender. But it’s7.30am and the shots arealtogether more wholesome:

lemon with a pinch of salt, kombucha and jamu – a spicy blend of ginger, turmeric and coconut oil.

What’s more, I’m a long way from Kuta’s throbbing party scene, the wrong side of 30, and the trio of shots comes courtesy of a butler impeccably attired in traditional dress.

Welcome to REVĪVŌ Wellness Resort, a new Balinese retreat swept high in the hills of Nusa Dua. Opened in March and owned by Hong Kong-based UK entrepreneur Gordon Oldham, REVĪVŌ, meaning “I’ll live again”, is the kind of place where weary souls come to work out, unwind and look inward.

It’s tempting to ditchexercise for pool lounging;

each luxury suite has a four-poster bed and dressing

area with double vanities;delicious organic dishes aremade with a Balinese twist.

P I C T U R E S : S U P P L I E D

P O O L S I D E R E L A X A T I O N

ESCAPE.COM.AU . SUNDAY DECEMBER 2 . 2018 ESCAPE 1 7

V2 - TELE01Z02ES

D E S T I N A T I O N ® B A L I D E S T I N A T I O N ® B A L I

Guests can opt for bed and breakfast only or participate in one of six all-inclusive, three-day wellness retreats: Emotional Balance & Mind Training; Destress & Relax; Sleep Well; Anti-Ageing & Longevity; Detox & Organic Weight Loss; or Mother-To-Be. Each retreat starts with a private consultation with wellness consultant Kathy Cook, who works with REVĪVŌ to tailor a fitness, health and diet program to their needs.

I’m a few months shy of a big milestone birthday (no need to name it here) and opt for the anti-ageing and longevity retreat. It starts with a weigh-in on a fandangle body composition analyser that spits out a report card on my body, including BMI, visceral fat and muscle and bone mass. They obviously pay Kathy well (or my sweaty suburban shoe shuffles have paid off), because I’m rated “very muscular” and bestowed a metabolic age that shaves off half my years. Winning.

Next there’s a facial assessment (blast those teenage sunbaking years) that involves vigorous sweeping and stretching of my skin and ears. The verdict: I’m dehydrated and pigmented. Drat.

Over three days I submit to an intensive daily program that incorporates three hours of group fitness sessions, tailored meals, snacks and nutrient-boosting juices, and (bliss) a one-hour spa treatment.

The day starts, post shots and pre-breakfast, with 8am yoga, which ranges from a gentle “restorative” class to challenging Hatha postures, to my personal favourite – Aqua Fitmat, performed in the pool on a floating board to music.

My program includes kickboxing,circuit cardio and pilates, but guests can also participate in TRX, HIIT cardio, primordial sound meditation, aerial yoga and even pole dancing. At the end of each day (suggested bedtime is 9pm), mindfulness exercises are left on the bedside table by the turndown service, with (sometimes obscure) suggestions for personal mindfulness practice.

A DAILY PROGRAM INCLUDES FITNESS

SESSIONS, TAILORED MEALS ... AND (BLISS)

A SPA TREATMENT

I have a “rejuvenate” facial using 100 per cent natural ingredients – grated cucumber, carrot, yoghurt, oatmeal and honey – which kind of feels like daubing your face with the mouilled contents of your fridge, but leaves my skin feeling radiant.

Also divine are the coffee bean firming body scrub and wrap and the aromatherapy massage, which both start with a singing bowl ritual.

THE TAKEAWAYSREVĪVŌ proves it is possible to visit Bali and not imbibe a single alcoholic drink. The setting is luxuriously private and tranquil, with all the resources at your fingertips to kickstart your wellness journey.

Some of the classes need refinement and the overall experience would benefit from some structured information sessions on mindfulness and other spiritual concepts (I also advocate ditching the in-room TVs and Wi-Fi). But the resort is new and evolving.

Thumbing through the take-homenotes in my “retreat journal”, I find helpful advice on how to continue my mindfulness journey at home. “As youwake up, instead of turning on your iPhone or your computer, be still and just listen. Listen for the soft sounds: a bird singing, leaves rustling …”

I’m not sure my kids’ shrill bedsidesquawks qualify, but I’ll do my best.

THE AUTHOR WAS A GUEST OF REVĪVŌ WELLNESS RESORTS

GETTING THEREREVĪVŌ is in Nusa Dua, about 20

minutes’ drive from Denpasar Airport on Bukit Peninsula. The resort provides private transfers. Two further REVĪVŌ

resorts are planned for France and Indonesia’s Komodo Islands (cruise).

STAYING THEREBed and breakfast rooms at REVĪVŌ

start from $US428 (about $590) for a garden suite. For an extra $US129 a person, per day, you can enjoy one

group class, a spa treatment and use of hydro facilities. Three-day all-inclusive wellness retreats start from $US2157

for singles, or $US3150 for two.

MORErevivoresorts.com

B A L I

E S C A P E R O U T E

THE FOOD All that exercise requires fuel, and REVĪVŌ has made eating a workout for the senses. At the open-air restaurant, Nū, colourful and inventive nutrient-laden dishes are served in tropical ambience, set amid teak, frangipani and banyan trees.

The menu reads like a tome from the shelf of a health-mad food scientist. There are lots of probiotic, prebiotic and macronutrient references, which in layperson’s terms translate to uber-nutritious tucker. And it’s seriously delicious too. The menu, designed by Spanish-born nutritionist chef Aliwalú Caparrós, focuses on high-protein, low-carbohydrate, gluten-free dishes made from organic local ingredients, with a Balinese twist. There are no additives, preservatives or processed ingredients and Aliwalú experiments

with raw food, fermentation, dehydration and cold-press cooking techniques to lock in nutrients.

For breakfast one morning I have achia bowl with apple, goji berries and all manner of nuts, seeds and spices. Lunch is a trio of “symbiotic” (bacterial) pâtés with raw veggies and flaxseed crackers, followed by a lentil and red rice dish. Dinner is miso soup, marinated veggies and a raw vegan cake, each sprinkled with intriguing ingredients I’ve never heard of.

Afternoon snacks include scrumptious cacao cookies with celery sticks (more cookies, less celery please) and a dragon fruit immuniser smoothie with a near-neon-pink hue that could light up a Balinese village. The drinks menu here is a War and Peace of health-conscious whistle wetters.

The dishes are a standout in taste,

concept and presentation and are a delightful medley of flavours, textures and colours. I do feel a little unsated sometimes though and, after lots of exercise and three days with only four small medallions of fish for meat, am craving something that more obviously resembles protein.

THE SPASave the best to last. It’s tempting to ditch the exercise for a poolside cabana and some serious spa hours, but a pampering session is so much more enjoyable when you’ve earnt it.

The REMISSIŌ spa features five double treatment rooms, two alfresco vichy showers, a salt pool and manicure and pedicure room. The immaculately groomed therapists may look petite but have powerful hands, adept at grinding out the most recalcitrant knots.

F O U R - P O S T E R B E D

F O R E S T E D O A S I S U B E R - N U T R I T I O U S T U C K E R

and cold plunge pools, steam room and infra-red sauna.

Villa 9 (my villa) is a short walk from the main resort, while Villa 4 requires a golf cart transfer (Aman still manages the other villas). Both of the smaller four-suite villas have a 25m lap pool and a large events and private dining pavilion and can be hired exclusively.

THE PROGRAMREVĪVŌ is guaranteed to attract a certain type of health set – think clean-living, activated almond-munching, Nirvana-seeking, vegan yogi. But it also caters for those at the opposite end of the health and wellness spectrum – from couples seeking a relaxing spa retreat, to city slickers needing a detox and fitness reboot, to solo travellers looking for a spiritual awakening.

It’s tempting to ditchexercise for pool lounging;

each luxury suite has a four-poster bed and dressing

area with double vanities;delicious organic dishes aremade with a Balinese twist.

P I C T U R E S : S U P P L I E D