Moving to Bali? (Part 1)

We’ve interviewed some really fascinating people that have courageously packed up, uprooted and moved to one of the most beautiful places on Earth – Bali, Indonesia.

If you have the desire to do the same, perhaps you would find it interesting to read why they did it and their recommendations of their favorite spots on paradise island they now call home.

Jaja Moksha Boca 

Why the move here? It’s my Disneyland for wellness, good yoga studios with world class teachers, wide options for healthy and delicious food, easy to be with like-minded and interesting people, cool events, lots of interesting things to do and everything is within nature.
Yoga classes and workshops
Though I did not intend to stay long this time, I just really ended up staying longer coz I didn’t have any better reason to move (anywhere else!)
Favorite spots: Radiantly Alive, Penestanan, Down to Earth
Vegetarian Burrito from Down To Earth
Cool events at Betel Nut, Jazz Cafe and pop-up art shows.
Betelnut Shadow Art show
Best eats: Clear Cafe, Dayuh’s Warung, Warung Sopa, Bali Buda, Anomali Coffee, Run’s Warung and Warung Igelanca for local food. You’ll find cool treats along Jalan Bisma, too.
Bali Buda
If you go to Canggu, Old Man’s seems to be the cool spot.
About Jaja
She is a yoga teacher, an artist and a digital nomad who does consultancy work for business systems worldwide. She is also a past FLOW participant! She is currently based in Bali.

Angelo Marcos Santos 

Why did I choose to move to Ubud in Bali? I first decided to stay in Bali because I was tired of UK cold winters and low quality surfing waves. Bali provided all the solutions. I had been living in Uluwatu for 7 months surfing everyday and doing my Yoga, but I felt the place lacked human connection and spiritual vibes. So when I went to check out Ubud and the Bali Spirit Festival, I felt I found a dynamic place where I would find kindred spirits.
Favourite places to stay?

What comes to mind is the 5 star luxury of World Class Holistic Health leading hotel COMO Shambhala. I have stayed there on a few occasions and it is pure lush and perfect hotel treatment. It has an infinity swimming pool equipped with technology that structures water, which means it is a healing swimming pool! Perfect place to experience the truth that spirituality and wealth can seriously go together!
My other favourite places are…
Clear Cafe. This is probably on many peoples top 3. To the great sadness of Ubuds community, it burnt to the ground however Brett the owner has been doing a great job at raising funds to rebuild the neighbouring balinese houses that burnt down and in the meantime, he has been donated an awesome space next to Ubud’s main temple, where you can enjoy the view, feel the high vibrations from the temple and have the best Super Smoothies (Chaka Maca!) or Burritos (California/Breakfast) in town. Their menu is super diverse with world cuisine as well as raw or probiotic selection too. 
Yoga Barn’s Ecstatic Dances are must dos, where you get to meet half of the local expats community.
Taksu is also a very serene place, perfect for yoga, Kirtan or the Art Classes that I used to teach there!
Arma (Agung Rai Museum of Art) is also a beautiful space to spend time in. It is strongly committed to preserving Balinese Arts and Culture. The place serves as part Ashram with many holy figures, for example Sri Chinmoy, staying there and blessing the space. Their massages at the rejuvenation centre are also very good, including the Signature Flow Light Body massage or Nyoman’s body aligning massages. 

For a more local experience, Getting one’s Mind/Body/Spirit cleansed at the water temples can be very powerful if not life changing experiences. Tirta Empul or the less known Sebatu, are two very special places to immerse in the holy water and experience the sacred energy of the beautiful island of Bali.
About Angelo
After his Anthropology degree from University College London, Angelo dived deeply in the search for truth via different spiritual cultures. He has studied and practiced Zen and Tibetan Buddhism, Tantra, India + Bali Hindu and Esoteric Christianity. His experiences have made him sensitive 
to the depth and universality in cultural belief systems.
Through Zazen Meditation, Ashtanga and Zen Yoga, Angelo realized the Taoist integration of Yin and Yang energy- forms of Meditational Movement – and developed his own unique Yoga style called Yin Yang Yoga.
He has taught his Yoga in over 3 continents to hundreds of people in all ages, shapes and sizes. He has been selected as one of 20 Yoga and Conscious Movement teachers based in Bali, represented in film for the quality and uniqueness of the practice, in the visionary Documentary project SeeBeNow.
He has been an original creator of progressive workshops combining Sound Healing with Vibrational Medicine and Mandala Art Making. Through his dynamic Art therapy classes he has instigated countless creative awakenings. 
His keen interest on the intersection between science and spirituality sees him as an entrepreneur in the fields of Holistic Health, vibrational medicine and bio-technology. 
He also organizes and promotes Retreats, Workshops and  talks for International teachers and Speakers in the fields of Consciousness, Meditation, Yoga, Tantra and Buddhism.
Catch one of Angelo’s classes at the upcoming FLOW Yoga Retreat in Ubud on June 9-12.  Registration is found at www.flowretreats.com
Read part 2 of Moving to Bali soon!
April 16, 2015

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