Bali Beyond the Tourist Trail: Training, Wellness & Slow Days in Seseh

My Bali plans were pretty simple: meet up with friends, relax, train, eat good food and explore when I felt like it. I wasn’t going with a packed itinerary or a list of every tourist attraction I needed to tick off. I wanted to experience Bali at a slower pace while still keeping some of the routines that make me feel good at home.

Staying in Seseh

I spent around eight days staying in a villa in Seseh, with Canggu close enough to head over whenever I wanted. I stayed in a villa in Seseh, which gave me a quieter base while still being close enough to Canggu for restaurants, cafés, fitness and other plans.

Getting around was easy when I needed it. I used Grab and taxis regularly, and because I had friends already staying in Bali, I also had people to meet up with and explore with.

One thing I hadn’t expected was how difficult I initially found going for walks by myself. It took me a while to build up the confidence to head out alone, and I found that the roads, heat and general surroundings didn’t always make walking particularly straightforward. Because of that, getting my usual daily steps in was harder than I’d expected.

On the other hand, I did have places within walking distance. Just Oats became one of my little breakfast routines, and I’d walk there rather than getting a taxi.

Keeping up with fitness training

Fitness was still an important part of my trip, and finding a gym where I felt comfortable made a huge difference.

I trained at RITE Bali, and it was exactly the kind of gym I look for when I’m away.

The price for a 3 day pass was IDR1,200,000 (£50). I found the gyms with the most expensive part of my Bali trip. The staff were lovely, the equipment was great and everything was really clean, including the changing rooms. The recovery spa was also amazing.  I was able to complete both my strength sessions and my cardio while I was there, so I didn’t feel like going away meant having to completely abandon my normal routine. I didn’t end up exploring the classes there, but having a gym I genuinely enjoyed using meant training never felt like a chore.

For the slower days, I booked a reformer Pilates session at Shape House Pilates

Based in Seseh, and costIDR300,000 (£12). It was a lovely change of pace and fitted perfectly into the kind of balance I wanted from the trip. Shape House offers different styles of reformer classes, so there were options depending on what kind of session I fancied that day. I also went to Alma for a massage, which was another one of those slower, self-care moments that made the trip feel like a proper break.

Eating well in Bali

One of the things I loved most about Bali was how easy it was to find food that worked around my training. There were so many healthy options that I never felt like I had to choose between enjoying my holiday and eating in a way that made me feel good.

I went to Ocean Lane  IDR100,000 (£5) for an açai bowl, and Just OatsIDR99,000 (4) became one of my favourite breakfast stops. I’d actually walk there from the villa, which made it a nice little morning routine.

Another place I really enjoyed was OpenHouse Cafe in Seseh. I had a beef rice bowl there, which was exactly the kind of meal I was looking for while training, filling, fresh and packed with plenty of good ingredients. iDR145,000 (£7.45)

On days when I didn’t fancy going out, there were also loads of healthy food options available to order back to the villa. That was one of my favourite things about being in Bali, eating well didn’t feel restrictive or boring. There were so many cafés and restaurants where healthy food was simply part of the menu.

A little bit of self-care in Bali

I also visited Lash & Brow for a LVL lash lift IDR490,000 (£20)

The staff were really lovely and spoke good English, which made the whole experience easy and comfortable. With the amount of training I was doing and the humidity in Bali, I didn’t really want to wear much make up, so having my beauty appointment done meant I could keep things simple while still feeling put together.

Puppy yoga

One of the more random and definitely memorable things I did was puppy yoga.

I booked the experience through GetYourGuide, which combined the yoga class with time around the puppies and refreshments afterwards. It was such a fun experience and something completely different from my usual training routine.

 

Exploring Canggu

I spent some time around Canggu, particularly for the food scene. There were some really great food spots and plenty of places to choose from, although I wouldn’t say I explored a huge amount of the area.

I also went to Love Anchor, which was lovely to wander around and browse, and I visited a local market too. The people were incredibly friendly and welcoming, although I did find it quite expensive compared with what I’d expected.

On a Friday night, I went for a drink at Black Sand Brewery.  It had a really nice outdoor seating area and a good atmosphere, although it was very busy.

I didn’t end up exploring much of the nightlife beyond the main strip. To be completely honest, that side of Canggu wasn’t particularly my thing. The nightlife felt quite young and loud, and the music wasn’t really my taste, so I preferred the more relaxed side of Bali.

I think that’s one of the useful things about travelling somewhere solo: you quickly work out what is and isn’t your vibe.

What I loved about Bali

The people were one of my favourite things about Bali. Everyone I came across was so lovely, from the café staff to the taxi drivers, and I found that warmth really stood out.

And then there were the dogs. I absolutely loved seeing dogs everywhere. It sounds like such a small thing, but they became one of my favourite parts of being there.

I also loved the balance I could create. I could have a proper strength session, get my cardio done, find a good protein-packed lunch, have a matcha, book Pilates or a massage on a slower day and still feel like I was on holiday.

Bali made it really easy to build a lifestyle around the things I enjoy.

The reality of the Bali weather

The weather was definitely unpredictable. You could have beautiful sunshine and then suddenly get caught in the rain. I quickly learnt not to make every plan dependent on perfect weather and to just go with it.

One of my favourite moments was sitting at the beach on my last night and watching the waves crash. It wasn’t the typical white-sand tropical beach I’d imagined when thinking about Bali. The sand was black, and it looked completely different from the postcard version of the island. But sitting there watching the waves was actually one of those simple moments that sticks with you.

My top tips for visiting Bali

• Download Grab It made getting around so much easier and was something I used regularly. For a 20 minute bike ride IDR20,000 – IDR 40,000 (0.84p – £1.68)
• Think about where you stay. Your location makes a big difference. I liked having Seseh as my base, but don’t assume you’ll naturally get thousands of steps in just because you’re somewhere tropical. I found walking alone took some getting used to.
• Don’t feel guilty about training on holiday. If exercise is something you genuinely enjoy, Bali has plenty of options. Finding a gym you actually like makes it much easier.
• Build in slower days. Pilates, massages and simply sitting somewhere with a coffee or matcha were some of my favourite parts of the trip.
• Be prepared for the rain. The weather can change quickly, so flexibility is your friend.
• Don’t feel like you have to do everything. I didn’t see every famous attraction in Bali. I spent time with friends, trained, ate good food and enjoyed my surroundings and that was enough.

Would I go to Bali again?

Absolutely! I didn’t explore nearly as much of Bali as I could have, but that actually became part of what I enjoyed about the trip.

My stay was about settling into a different way of life and finding a routine that worked for me. I loved the people, the food, the fitness and wellness scene, the dogs, the cafés and the slower pace.

There were definitely things I found challenging, particularly getting comfortable going for walks alone and working out where I felt comfortable exploring  but those experiences were part of getting to know Bali for myself.

I left feeling like I’d experienced a different side of Bali to the one you often see online. I hadn’t seen everything, but I’d found places I loved, created little routines and experienced enough to know that I’d happily return.

Crystal Watts – Writer Bio

A personal trainer and online coach with a passion for strength training, fitness and wellbeing. “I believe fitness should fit around your lifestyle rather than take over it, and I love helping women find a way of training that feels enjoyable, sustainable and empowering.”  Follow @fitwithcrystal for more fitness-inspired travel info!

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