What Bali Gave Us: Soul Stories from the Island of Bliss

The Bali Bliss tour is more than a beautifully planned itinerary (though let’s be honest, it is stunning). It’s a space — one held gently — where women arrive curious and often tired, and leave lighter, seen, and strangely whole.

Let me tell you about what really happens in Bali.

 The First Day: Arrival, Exhale, Connection

The first day is always a whirlwind. Flights, baggage, sticky humidity (and yes, the hair frizz makes her first appearance). But as soon as we arrive in Ubud and the lush green wraps around us, something shifts.

That night, sitting barefoot in a circle at our welcome dinner, we introduce ourselves. Some have come alone. Others with a sister, a daughter, a best friend. Everyone’s brought something with them — heartache, excitement, restlessness, the hope of a fresh start.

And just like that, the group begins to weave.

 Tirta Empul: Where the Waters Remember

There’s no way to describe Tirta Empul without goosebumps.

We arrive early, dressed in temple sarongs, guided by a local priest through the traditions of the water cleansing ceremony. Each woman steps into the holy springs and makes her way from one fountain to the next — whispering her intentions, releasing old fears, washing the weight off her shoulders.

Some women cry. Some stand in stillness. One quietly says, “I haven’t felt this peaceful in years.”

And every single time, I stand back and think: Bali does this. It holds us, even when we didn’t know we needed to be held.

 The Cooking Class That Fed Our Hearts

It’s always a highlight — the warm kitchen, the local “chef-extraordinaire” explaining how to grind fresh sambal with laughter in their eyes, the little jokes flying around about who’s better with a wok (spoiler: it’s never me).

What I love most? We stop being strangers. Somewhere between rolling satay skewers and tasting homemade coconut pancakes, the stories start to pour out. Stories about loss, love, starting over, burnout, joy.

The food is delicious — but it’s the company that nourishes us.

 Monkey Madness, Fire Dances & The Unexpected

Of course, no trip is without its wild moments.

Like when two women screamed with joy as a monkey jumped on their shoulders (and I nearly dropped my iced coffee from laughing). Or when we watched the Kecak Fire Dance at Uluwatu Temple and sat in silence after, goosebumps rising with every beat of the chant.

Or when one of our ladies — nearly 70 — decided on a whim to do the Bali Swing, soaring over rice terraces with her eyes closed and arms wide open. We clapped, cried, and cheered like we’d all just jumped too.

That’s the thing about this trip: Bali makes us brave again.

 The Nights We Sat in Circle

Maybe my favourite part is the evenings. The unstructured time when we gather with wine or tea and talk about anything and everything.

One night we spoke about what it means to grow older and not shrink in spirit. Another night, we did a simple sharing circle under the stars — no rules, just honesty. I looked around and thought: Here we are. Women from all walks of life, strangers just days ago, becoming something like family.

There’s a magic that happens when women travel together, especially in a place like this.

 What We Took Home (and Left Behind)

Bali didn’t just give us sunsets, massages, and mango smoothies (although — yes please). It gave us something deeper.

For one woman, it was a feeling of being seen again.
For another, it was the courage to do something bold when she got home.
For all of us, it was a shared moment in time that became a before-and-after.

Some left relationships, some started new projects, some simply began showing up for themselves again.

We left behind fear. We took home light.

 Thinking of Coming?

I don’t run this tour to "tick boxes." I do it to create something that leaves you changed — in the best way.

If your heart’s been whispering “I need something for me”, this may be it.

We have a few spots left for our next Bali Bliss journey in September 2025 and 2026.

Come solo, come open, come exactly as you are. The rest will fall into place.

Because what we’re building here?
It’s not just travel.
It’s transformation.

With love, frizz, and soul,

Chantelle 
Founder | Amarantine Travels
Leading you to unforgettable journeys.