Ubud Yoga, Breathwork & Sound Healing Retreat in the Rice Fields of Bali

The teaching pair behind this retreat are Ni Kadek and Marcus — Kadek grew up in Ubud and trained in Hatha and Vinyasa in Rishikesh, Marcus is an American breathwork facilitator who spent eight years running sessions in Maui before moving to Bali. Between them they run most sessions themselves, which is why the group stays at 16. Classes are in English.

The daily structure doesn't change much: 7am pranayama and a 75-minute Vinyasa flow in the shala, breakfast at 8.30, then free time until a 5pm Yin or restorative class and dinner at 6.30. Two of the mornings swap Vinyasa for Hatha, one evening is a full 90-minute sound healing session with singing bowls and gongs, and there's one evening breathwork workshop that runs about two hours. One day is given over to a rice terrace walk and a water temple visit, another to a Balinese cooking class in the afternoon. Thursday afternoon is left entirely open, which most people use for a spa treatment in Ubud or a trip to the Monkey Forest.

The main difference between this and the dozens of other Ubud yoga weeks is who's teaching and how small it is. Kadek and Marcus live on site, eat with the group and adjust in class — it isn't a rotation of visiting teachers filling a schedule. The sound healing evening is run by Kadek's cousin, a local practitioner who works with the temple community, and the cooking class is at a family compound in Nyuh Kuning rather than a commercial cooking school.

The property itself is a walled garden compound of about a dozen rooms, a saltwater pool, and the shala at the back overlooking the paddies. It's a 15-minute walk into central Ubud — close enough to go in for dinner or a coffee, far enough that you hear frogs at night instead of scooters. Airport transfers from Ngurah Rai International are included on the first and last day; the drive takes about 90 minutes depending on traffic.

Food is mostly vegetarian, cooked on site, with fish two or three nights a week. Breakfast is fruit, eggs, and rice or noodles; dinner is a set Balinese menu — think urap (steamed vegetables with coconut), tempeh manis, grilled fish in banana leaf, and black rice pudding. They'll work around dietary requirements if you tell them at booking, and there's a filtered water station so you're not buying plastic bottles all week.

What's included

- 7 nights accommodation at the retreat compound in Nyuh Kuning, Ubud - Two daily yoga classes (morning and late afternoon, six days a week) - Daily pranayama and guided meditation sessions - One two-hour breathwork workshop led by Marcus - One 90-minute sound healing session with singing bowls and gongs - Daily breakfast and dinner, mostly vegetarian with fish two to three nights a week - Rice terrace walk at Tegallalang and visit to Tirta Empul water temple - Balinese cooking class at a family compound in Nyuh Kuning - Airport transfers from and to Ngurah Rai International Airport on arrival and departure days - Use of the on-site saltwater pool, yoga shala and equipment (mats, blocks, straps, bolsters) - Filtered drinking water station - Daily room cleaning and fresh towels

What's not included

- International flights to and from Denpasar (DPS) - Travel insurance (mandatory) - Lunches on all days - Spa treatments, massages and other wellness services - Optional excursions not listed in the itinerary (Monkey Forest, Tegenungan waterfall, etc.) - Scooter hire, taxis and other local transport outside the included transfers - Alcoholic drinks and other beverages outside meal service - Personal expenses, laundry and shopping - Indonesia visa on arrival fee, if applicable - Tips for staff and guides