Babies, Here's Why You Need to Let Your Soulshine 

Hip-hop-rockstar-poet Michael Franti has the most fun, foot-stompingest wellness retreat in Ubud. “Strength to me is not the ability to flex, but to be open,” he told T+L. “To be ready and able whenever we are called upon.” Sounded like a good start to a recipe for a harmonious life, so we checked into Soulshine Bali, where, as it turned out, every guest, no matter how young, gets total (and top-end) wellness immersion. We’re talking irresistible flashmobs and sublime staff who clock all your faves: from fruits to drinks to, obviously, tunes. Come along with us to celebrate the uniqueness in humanity with Franti and friends. 

IN A FLASH, DOZENS OF BODIES in white linen dance past our breakfast table like ghosts. I’ve barely finished my dragonfruit smoothie bowl, and there’s a flashmob already happening on the lawn outside the Togetherness Lounge at Soulshine Bali, an architecturally stunning wellness resort recently opened on the outskirts of Ubud by musician Michael Franti.

Along with other guests, our family of four can’t help but be swept up and thrust into the frenetic dancing and free-flowing rhythm our resort staff perform in unison. The timing of the morning sunshine also couldn’t be more perfect, as it pierces the canopy of palm trees behind us like a stage spotlight on a backdrop.

My kids are smiling ear-to-ear. This spontaneity is not just welcome and soul-enriching for them; it’s something they (regretfully, I realise at this moment) don’t get much from their mum and dad in the business of everyday-Melbourne life. 

If this short break as a family has done anything, it’s made me take note of those shortcomings. Not only do I need to be more present for myself, but for them, too.

This is one of very few luxury “wellness” resorts in Southeast Asia where kids are not just welcome, they are embraced with open arms. By the owners, by the marketing team and by the staff. Our children are very young, and for many couples like us who desperately need to escape the Australian winter with their own children, the obvious thing to do would be to enroll them into a kids club for half a day while we either work on our tan or Vinyasa poses.

We created Soulshine as a place where people could come and hit the reset button – Michael Franti

At Soulshine, our children are treated not as baggage but as guests. They get woven into the fabric of our days effortlessly by the staff and how the resort functions. Each morning the chef walks over to us with a plate of watermelon for my son and a skewered strawberry for my daughter, remembering that these are their respective favourite fruits to start each day. 

As for the parents, we arrived on day one of our visit to our favourite gin cocktails waiting in our room and a curated Spotify playlist with some of our favourite bands playing in the restaurant, which I’d sent over to management in advance.

Rock’n’roll, authenticity and good old unshackled fun (perfect for curious toddlers) permeate every corner of the grounds, which are playful and visually stunning. A lime green, Art Deco waterslide drops into one of the three infinity pools, and a double rope swing offers the perfect perch for anecdotal conversions with other guests lounging in the canary yellow overwater cabanas. 

Franti’s love of yoga and the friendly, artisan culture of the Balinese first brought him to the Island of The Gods. A rapper, singer-songwriter, poet, documentarian, activist and artist himself, who travelled through the region much in his nearly 20 years of touring Australia, he bought a plot of land with terraced rice fields in 2008 and developed it into a retreat specifically for travelling yoga groups.

Escaping the pandemic in 2020, he and his wife, Sarah Agah (a former emergency department nurse), packed up life in the U.S. and moved to Bali to rebirth Soulshine into something even more special: a wholly immersive, holistic retreat where the good vibes flow, with joy-inducing multiplier effect coming from each guest who just can’t resist tapping their toes and clapping their hands.

“We believe it’s important for people to have deep experiences of healing, spirituality and just inviting positive energy into their lives,” Franti told T+L. “And then at night, we rock out.”

The new Stay Human Restaurant offers guests respite from the sometimes oppressive Bali heat, but it’s the food that is the lead singer here. Tuna Poke Bowl, Jackfruit Tacos and Michael’s signature Salted Caramel Popcorn are best enjoyed by the pool.

With Sara’s added vision and design flair, the resort’s Panorama Shala is its crowning jewel. My children use the space as a sort-of reverse escape. When there is no scheduled yoga class at either 8 a.m. or 4 p.m. (complimentary for every guest regardless of age), they jump on stage, dance together and play the drums in yet another moment of beautiful Soulshine spontaneity that we’ve gotten used to.

Watch my video review of Soulshine Bali here

There are 17 new luxury Panorama View rooms and suites, each with endless views across the lush Ubud landscape. A custom timber bar can be found in each room, filled with snacks and infused flavoured water.

The Luxury Soulrocker Sky Suite looks more like the bridge or wheelhouse of a cruise ship, and it towers above the resort like a sentry. The queen bed features 270-degree views and decking onto a private plunge pool, sauna and lounge.

During our stay, we make the most of our two adjoining Panorama Suites in the newly renovated part of the resort, each with stone terrazzo bathtubs (filled with flowers on arrival) that sit beneath illuminated light boxes featuring lyrics by Madonna. An acoustic guitar hangs on the wall next to an abstract painting of Prince, and a Marley turntable with a David Bowie record repeat scratches above our headboard as we drift off to sleep.

There are constant reminders everywhere to slow down, savour the moment and be happy. You find them on table settings, straws and staircase landings.

Stay Human
Happy Is The New Sexy
100% Well, 90% Of The Time

“Change is challenging,” Michael says. “It opens our hearts. Sometimes in order to achieve that change, we express emotions that are deep and locked in for a long time. And then from those tears, from that effort, we find that strength, that tenacity to keep going in our life. To hit the reset button when things get super, super stressful. To walk a little bit taller and smile a little bit brighter.”

This is a spot for couples, friends or spiritual family soul seekers just like us who need a quick reminder that happiness is not manufactured or artificial. It’s to be worked on, and when it’s found in a place like Soulshine Bali, it should be embraced beyond your holiday with gusto.

www.soulshinebali.com; Panorama Suite from USD 323.85 per night; Soulrocker Sky Suite from USD 1,653 per night; The Soulshine Soulful Retreat spots start from USD 1,809 for 7 nights in a Garden Room, with payment plans available.

BOOK YOUR STAY AT SOULSHINE BALI VIA BOOKING.COM

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