Yoga Retreats in Indonesia: Why Most People Choose Ubud

Indonesia has over 17,000 islands and pretty much every one of them has someplace where you could lay out a yoga mat. There are surf camps in Lombok, quiet beaches in Sumba, views of a volcano in Java and dive resorts in Flores. So when you start looking for a yoga retreat in Indonesia the options seem to be absolutely endless. The reality though is that the vast majority of people who do go end up in the same place: Ubud, in the hills of central Bali.

That's not just down to Bali being famous. Ubud has long been a place for yoga, healing and Balinese art. It's an inland town, away from the beach clubs of the south. It's surrounded by rice terraces, rivers and villages where daily offerings are still made on every doorstep. Life is slower here and a yoga retreat just fits into that. It doesn't feel like something you've tacked on for the tourists.

Getting there is also pretty straightforward, which is more important than people realise. Bali's airport has direct flights from Australia, Singapore, KL, Dubai, Doha and a number of other hubs, and Ubud is about an hour and a half's drive from the airport. Contrast that with some of the more remote islands in Indonesia, where you might have to take a second flight or a very long boat journey and the weather can easily cancel your trip. For a 7-day retreat, losing two days on the journey is a massive difference.

The other islands have their own charms and will appeal to different people. Lombok and the Gilis are ideal if you're after surf, snorkelling and some beach time (with a bit of yoga thrown in). Java has the temples and the culture, but very few retreats. Sumba and Flores are very wild and beautiful, but most of the places there are quite small, quite expensive and/or very difficult to get to. If your aim is to spend a full week on a yoga and meditation retreat with the practice at the very heart of your days, then Ubud has by far the most options and the most experienced teachers in the country.

Choice also means you can find a retreat that fits your budget. There's a widespread assumption that any yoga retreat in Indonesia is going to be expensive, and that's largely down to the fact that the ones you see on the internet are typically luxury resorts with private villas and spa menus. There are such retreats and some of them are absolutely lovely. There are also much more modest, simpler retreats in Ubud where the price actually covers the essentials: your room, your food, your daily yoga and your time with other people.

That's the kind of place we run. At Firefly Retreat we start every week on a Sunday and finish on a Saturday, so everyone arrives together and everyone leaves together. We have 15 rooms and never more than 20 guests at any one time, most of whom come on their own. The week includes two yoga sessions a day, three vegetarian meals a day, a Balinese cooking class, some cultural outings and a one-hour Balinese massage. There's a pool which looks straight out over the rice fields. A shared room is €350 for the week and a private room is €482. You can see what a week at our yoga retreat in Ubud looks like, or read more about our yoga retreat in Bali on our main page.

Location within Ubud is also important. Some retreats are right in the middle of town, where you're bombarded by scooters from morning until night. Others are so far out that you need a driver every time you want a coffee. Firefly is in Bentuyung Sakti, a village about a 20-minute walk from central Ubud. It's quiet enough to sleep with the window open and just hear the frogs in the rice fields, and close enough to walk into town for the market, a café or a temple on your free afternoon.

There are a few practicalities to be aware of before booking anything in Indonesia. Bali has a tourist levy for international visitors, which you pay online or on arrival. Visa requirements vary depending on your passport and are subject to change, so it's worth checking the official immigration site before you fly. The dry season is generally April to October, although Ubud is pleasant all year round. The rainy season usually brings a few short afternoon showers rather than days of rain, and the rice fields are at their very greenest at this time.

If you've never been to a retreat before, don't worry about your level at all. Most of the people who come to Ubud for a week of yoga are complete beginners or people who have had a long break from their practice. A good retreat will have a range of classes, from gentle to more challenging, and will let you drop a class if you need to. What you take away from it isn't necessarily a perfect headstand (though you might manage one!). It's a week where someone else does the cooking, your phone stays in your room and you have real conversations with people you would never otherwise have met.

Indonesia will always have some absolutely gorgeous places to do yoga. For most people, though, the easiest way to get the full experience is a week in Ubud. It's easy to get to, it's surrounded by nature and culture, and there's a retreat for virtually every budget. If you'd like to see whether ours is right for you, the dates and room options are on our prices page.