Why I Fell in Love With Bali: A Journey Into Stillness, Nature, and Self
There are trips you plan.
And then there are trips that call you.
Bali was the second kind.
It had always been somewhere on my list, somewhere far, almost abstract. A destination you think about, but don’t quite commit to. Thirty-plus hours of travel, across continents and time zones, felt excessive.
Until it didn’t.
This year, during March break, my son Krish decided to spend two weeks with his dad. For the first time in a long time, I had a window of time that was entirely mine.
And I knew I didn’t want to waste it.
Canadian winters can feel endless, cold, heavy, and repetitive. I wanted warmth, yes. But more than that, I wanted something meaningful.
Not just a vacation.
An experience.
And for reasons I couldn’t fully explain at the time, Bali kept pulling me in, inviting me to find something deeper within myself.
So, instead of overthinking, I booked the trip.
My First Solo Trip — And Why It Was Different
I’ve traveled extensively.
For business, for work, for structured trips where everything is planned, efficient, and purposeful.
But this was my first true solo trip.
My Friends Kim and Ariane had always told me:
“Take a solo trip. It will change you.”
“Take a solo trip. It will change you.”
I assumed it would feel similar to traveling alone for work.
It didn’t.
When you travel for business, your identity is clear. You have meetings, goals, and schedules. You’re constantly “doing.”
But when you travel alone for yourself, something else happens.
You are left with your thoughts.
No distractions. No structure. No external validation.
Just you.
And that’s where the real journey begins.
Why Bali?
I didn’t go to Bali for beaches.
In fact, when I want a beach vacation, I usually head somewhere closer, something easy, relaxing, and predictable.
Bali was different.
I chose Bali for four specific reasons:
- Nature
- Spirituality
- A healthy, nourishing lifestyle
- And a deep curiosity about stillness
For years, I had been drawn to the idea of meditation, not casually, but deeply.
I had heard spiritual teachers talk about silence.
About spending hours, sometimes days, in stillness.
About how it changes your mind, your energy, your perspective.
I had practiced elements of Ayurvedic living throughout my life. It’s always been a foundation for how I eat, live, and think.
But I wanted to go deeper.
And Bali felt like the place to do that.
Ubud: Where the Journey Began
My first stop was Ubud, the spiritual heart of Bali.
If Bali has a soul, it lives in Ubud.
Surrounded by lush greenery, temples, and a soothing energy, Ubud immediately reinforced why I’d come.
I stayed for five days.
From the moment I arrived, the atmosphere shifted something within me.
A Different Kind of Beauty
The temples in Bali are unlike anything I’ve seen.
They’re not defined by grand statues or overwhelming scale.
Instead, they are:
- Crafted with stone, brick, and wood
- Detailed with subtle gold accents
- Open to nature
- Deeply calm
There is a quiet energy to them.
One of the most powerful experiences I had was at a Tirta temple, where I participated in a traditional water purification ceremony.
It wasn’t just symbolic.
It felt energetic.
Grounding.
Almost like pressing reset.
Living in Rhythm: Yoga, Meditation, and Nature
I stayed at The Westin Ubud, which offered daily:
- Meditation sessions
- Yoga classes
- Open-air wellness experiences
Imagine starting your day surrounded by trees, with soft rain in the background and the sound of nature rather than noise.
March in Bali brings occasional rain, but instead of disrupting the experience, it enhanced it.
Everything felt alive.
Sound Healing and Stillness
One of the most unexpected discoveries was sound healing.
I had heard about it before, but experiencing it in Bali was different.
The simplicity of it amazed me.
A single sound bowl.
A gentle tap.
And a vibration that feels like it moves through you.
It’s calming, grounding, and surprisingly powerful.
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The Jungle Retreat That Changed Everything
After Ubud, I moved to what became the most transformative part of my trip:
Nandini Jungle Resort (by Hanging Gardens).
This wasn’t just a hotel.
It was an experience.
Perched on a hillside, surrounded by dense jungle, the resort felt completely removed from the outside world.
I had booked three days.
I stayed for seven.
Learning to Do Nothing
This is where everything changed.
I skipped sightseeing.
I didn’t chase experiences.
I didn’t try to “see Bali.”
Instead, I chose something far more difficult:
I chose to be still.
My days looked like this:
- Sitting on my balcony, overlooking endless greenery
- Listening to birds and rainfall
- Thinking, processing, reflecting
- Doing absolutely nothing
And at first, it felt uncomfortable.
We are so used to filling every moment.
Scrolling. Working. Planning. Consuming.
But slowly, something shifted.
The silence stopped feeling empty.
And started feeling full.
A Different Kind of Luxury
One day, I visited a spa nestled beside a river.
It was a three-hour experience:
- Full-body massage
- Natural scrub
- Rinsing off in flowing river water
It wasn’t just relaxing.
It felt grounding.
Almost spiritual.
This is what Bali does differently.
It’s about connection:
- To nature
- To your body
- To your mind
Observing Life in Bali
During my stay, I would occasionally walk outside the resort and observe local life.
And what I noticed stayed with me.
People in Bali live simply.
But not in a lacking way.
In a grounded way.
They are:
- Deeply spiritual
- Rooted in belief systems like karma
- Kind, open, and welcoming
I have traveled all over the world.
And I can honestly say:
I have never felt safer than I did in Bali.
The Beauty of Nature: Rice Terraces and Rain
Back in Ubud, I spent an entire day exploring the famous rice terraces.
They are everywhere, but seeing them up close is something else entirely.
Lush. Layered. Alive.
I even did the Bali swing, something I never imagined myself doing.
But the most memorable moment?
Lunch in the rain.
Sitting overlooking the terraces, with soft rainfall all around, surrounded by nothing but green.
It was quiet.
Peaceful.
Perfect.
A Sensory Experience: Coffee, Tea, and Nature
One of my favorite unexpected experiences was a coffee-and-tea tasting tour.
It wasn’t just about tasting.
It was about learning.
Walking through nature, I saw:
- Coffee plants
- Tea leaves
- Clove trees
- Cinnamon trees
- Avocado trees
- Guava and other tropical fruits
This is the kind of experience I love.
Simple. Natural. Educational.
And deeply connected to the land.
Nusa Dua: A Gentle Return
To finish my trip, I moved to Nusa Dua, closer to the airport.
At Ayodya Resort, I transitioned back into a slightly more structured environment.
It had:
- Beach access
- Beautiful architecture
- A blend of nature and comfort
Although I didn’t come to Bali for the beach, ending here helped me ease back into daily life.
Why Bali Is Not Just a Destination
There’s a place in Bali called Canggu, known for:
- Digital nomads
- Cafés and co-working spaces
- Nightlife and social energy
And while it’s popular, it wasn’t what I was looking for.
If I return, and I will, I know exactly what I want:
- A quiet café overlooking the jungle
- A slow morning
- A few hours of focused work
- And the rest of the day in stillness
That’s my version of the “laptop lifestyle.”
What Bali Taught Me
This trip gave me exactly what I needed, and more.
It reminded me of who I am at my core:
- I love nature
- I value simplicity
- I thrive in calm, quiet environments.
- I am drawn to nourishing food and intentional living.
But more importantly, it taught me something I didn’t fully understand before:
And in a world that constantly pushes us to do more, be more, and move faster—
Choosing stillness might be the most transformative thing you can do.
I’ve Only Seen 5% of Bali, or less.
What’s incredible is this:
I’ve barely scratched the surface.
There are:
- Countless temples
- Waterfalls
- Jungle trails
- Cliffside views
- Hidden cafés
- Meditation, sound healing, and yoga centers
I haven’t even touched the entire experiences yet.
And that’s why Bali is not a one-time trip.
It’s a place you return to.
Again and again.
Would I Recommend Bali?
Without hesitation, yes.
But not for everyone.
Bali is not just a vacation.
It’s an experience.
If you’re looking for:
- Stillness
- Nature
- Spiritual exploration
- A reset
Then Bali might just change you.
It changed me.
