Retreat itinerary
An Ubud and Nusa Penida retreat: jungle first, ocean to close
Many groups already know Ubud. Raja Lima shows another side of Bali: open ocean, wild cliffs and an island with a spiritual energy of its own. Together they make a retreat in two movements.
The idea
Start inward, finish with the horizon.
A retreat often has a natural shape. The first days are for arriving, settling and turning inward, and Ubud's green, sheltered setting suits that well. The last days are for opening up again and letting the practice settle before everyone goes home. For that part, there is nothing like waking up to the ocean.
Raja Lima sits on the cliffs of Nusa Penida's east coast, a short speed-boat crossing from Bali. Nusa Penida is an island of temples and ceremonies, and Raja Lima itself was built in partnership with local priests. Ending your retreat here gives your group a change of landscape, a change of pace and a real sense of a journey.
We host only the Nusa Penida part. You choose your venue in Ubud, and we take care of everything once your group reaches the island.
Part one
Jungle first: Ubud.
Use the Ubud days for the foundations of your programme: teaching, workshops, deeper inner work and the first connections inside the group. Keep travel within those days light, so that the group has time to land after long flights.
Before you leave Ubud, plan the crossing. Kusamba is the best harbour from Ubud, Sidemen and East Bali, and the speed boat to Nusa Penida takes about 15 to 30 minutes from there.
The crossing
From Kusamba to the cliffs.
For retreat groups we arrange every step: a car to the harbour, the speed boat to Nusa Penida and the car to Raja Lima. Transfers are charged separately and included in your quote, so your group simply follows the plan. Boats arrive at different harbours; Sampalan is the closest to us, but any harbour works. Book the boat at least a day ahead, especially around Balinese ceremonies. Our page on getting to Nusa Penida has the details.
Arriving before check-in at 2 pm is no problem. The group can leave luggage at reception, have lunch together on the terrace and watch the light change over the sea.
Part two
Ocean to close: Raja Lima.
Here the rhythm follows the day. A typical day at Raja Lima, if your schedule allows:
- Sunrise. Meditation or yoga on the open ocean deck, which holds up to 32 mats, as the sun rises over the Thousand Islands and the Lombok Strait.
- Breakfast together in the restaurant, which seats 35, so the whole group eats at once.
- Morning at the beach. Diamond Beach and Atuh Beach are a 10-minute walk away and calm in the morning. Atuh Beach is the better one for a swim.
- Afternoon rest. The plunge pools, your private terrace, and shi•ra spa, where retreat guests get priority booking and a 90-minute treatment for the price of 60.
- Late afternoon practice in the semi-open wooden shala or the air-conditioned stone shala, then the beaches again after 4 pm, when the day-trippers have left.
- Evening. Dinner on the terrace and fire pit evenings under the stars.
Tea time, twice a day, is complimentary, and so are the infrared sauna and ice bath for retreat members. A water blessing ceremony, led by the local priests who built Raja Lima with us, makes a meaningful close to a retreat (by donation).
Plan it with us
Send us your dates.
Raja Lima has 16 rooms for up to 32 guests, three practice spaces and a kitchen that adapts to groups, including vegetarian and special diets. You can book a few rooms or the whole property. From 6 rooms, the retreat leader's room and a massage are on us, and the shala is free for the whole stay. Full details are on our retreat venue page and in our information pack.
We host 6 to 7 retreats a year and are opening more dates for groups in 2027 and 2028, so it helps to get in touch early.
Want to see it first? Book a stay before you bring your group.
Questions
Good to know
How do we get from Ubud to Nusa Penida?
By car to Kusamba harbour, the best choice from Ubud, then a speed boat of about 15 to 30 minutes, and a car to Raja Lima. For retreat groups we arrange every step and include it in your quote.
Do you organise the Ubud part of the retreat?
No. We host the Nusa Penida part at Raja Lima. You choose your venue in Ubud, and we take care of your group once you reach the island.
How many people can join the Nusa Penida part?
Up to 32 guests in our 16 rooms. The open ocean deck holds up to 32 mats.
What is included for retreat groups?
Breakfast, tea time twice a day, and the infrared sauna and ice bath. For groups of 6 rooms or more the shala is free, and the retreat leader's room and a massage are on us.
Keep exploring