18 Feb Why Bali is a great place to get Clean

Photo by Harry Kessell on Unsplash

Bali is popular for a lot of different reasons, but did you know that it’s also a great place for recovery? If you’re looking to start fresh and leave triggers from your drinking or using days behind for a while, this not-so-little island has an amazing recovery community. It’s also the perfect spot to relax, get centered, find tranquility, and to be sober amongst a phenomenally groovy fellowship of folks in recovery from around the world. Sure, we might be a little biased, but we did choose to build Kembali out here for a reason. It’s a special place. 

Devotion and prayer are ever-present in the everyday lives of the Balinese, and the locals are some of the kindest, most genuine people you’ll ever meet. This sets the tone for what many people consider to be a mecca for healing. Did we mention that it’s one of the most picturesque places on the planet? And yes, we’ve only just scratched the surface here. We could go on endlessly listing all of the reasons why Bali is so enchanting, but for now, we’ll stick with why it’s a great place to get clean. 

When you get sober, particularly in your early days, self-care is likely going to be front and center when it comes to your recovery program. One of the many cool things about Bali is that you can really indulge yourself here. Things like spa treatments, acupuncture, ayurvedic care, and yummy organic foods are at your fingertips on the island. These things also happen to be quite affordable in Bali in comparison to most Western countries which makes them quite accessible. We highly recommend taking full advantage. You can also go relax on idyllic white-sand beaches (specifically on the east coast and southernmost tip of the island), go hiking, or spend a few days in a treehouse next to a waterfall in Northern Bali. Oh, and did we mention the surf? It’s one of the few places in the world where you can almost always find perfect swell and wind conditions somewhere on the island, no matter the season. 

As mentioned, the recovery community in Bali is awesome and over the years, it’s become even stronger than ever. There’s no shortage of twelve-step meetings across the island, and we’re not just talking about AA. You can also find NA, CODA, Al-anon, SLAA, AAA (All Addicts Anonymous which we host right at Kembali Recovery Center), and more. Having this many twelve-step meetings across the island is a recent development, but it’s continuing to evolve with no signs of slowing. There are even several twelve-step conventions that happen on the island every year, including the AA international round-up, in addition to an NA and SLAA convention. Who knew Bali was so big on recovery?

Not a twelve-stepper? That’s totally cool, too. Just head to Ubud where all of the yogis and green juice junkies chill out and you’ll find that drinking culture is definitely NOT celebrated. In fact, quite the opposite. Ubudians are big on health, and there you’ll have access to world-class yoga studios and instructors, some of the best acupuncturists on the island, and killer healthy food options. It’s also where a lot of the breathwork facilitators and local healers live, so you’ll always be able to find good breathwork sessions or book treatments with some phenomenal masseuses and reiki masters. And if this all sounds a little too fluffy, you can skip the woo-woo stuff and just stick with some yoga and green juice. Take what you like, and leave the rest. This is what recovery is all about, right?

Finally, we’re not encouraging anyone to pull a geographic, ditch their responsibilities, and jet off to Bali before tying up any loose ends at home. But we do want people to know how profoundly beneficial this island, its sober community, and its resources have been to so many people in recovery. It’s an ideal place to get clean, or to come even after you’ve put some clean time together and when it’s practical for you to visit. Keep this island on your radar if it’s not already, and if you do make it out to the Island of the Gods, come say hello!

Kembali Recovery Center can Help

If you or someone you love is struggling to get or stay clean, don’t wait until tomorrow. Addiction doesn’t wait. Reach out to us today. You or a loved one never has to do this alone.