How To Spend A Restorative Week In Bali In Your 30s: Massages, Floating Breakfasts And Temple Tours

Suss a private driver ahead of time for the airport pickup and cruise into Uluwatu to catch your breath. Swap the region's beloved surf beaches for a spot by the pool with a book in hand at Seascape Resort & Spa. This semi-secluded stay has full honeymoon vibes and is frequented by couples of all ages. Suite and royal rooms have private infinity pools from which you can catch the sunrise with a Balinese-style floating breakfast or watch kites litter the Ulutwatu sky.

If you don’t have the cash to splurge, the standard suites (some of which are under $200AUD a night) are just a few steps from the public pool, which you'll only share with a few other travellers. Svaha Spa Bingin offers all the classic treatments, from facials to Traditional Balinese massages and hot stone therapy. After your spa treatment, settle in for a private flower bath, where you'll look out at magical sea views. The real highlight of this quiet resort is its peacefulness—you really do feel a million miles away from the region's kaleidoscopic, traffic-lined streets. 

Swan upstairs whenever you fancy for a relaxed dinner at Seascape's semi-outdoor Japanese restaurant Tsune. This unpretentious all-day dining spot has vast views of Uluwatu and its hum of activity. The menu leans heavily into sushi and sashimi, but if you're after something cooked, the fried rice and beurre-blanc-smothered pork schnitzel are both top-notch. Finish up with a jackfruit creme brulee (Tsune's signature dessert) or the cream caramel ice cream. 

Bali's day clubs can be reminiscent of Ibiza's party scene, but not Jungle Club Ubud. Sure, they ramp up the music and strobes as the sun sets, but this boutique-y day club is all about relaxation. (It's surrounded by an active tropical jungle that soundtracks your swim.) Set in the stunning rainforest, the day club has a three-tier infinity pool and bookable daybeds where you can recline and order burgers and cocktails between dips.

Quieter and a little more exclusive than its counterparts, this club is a far cry from the party-packed poolside clubs in Seminyak. It’s on the pricier side (with a minimum spend of roughly $100 AUD to nab a daybed), but it’s totally worth it to skip the crowds. 

Bali’s rice fields aren’t just a local food source; they’re also a popular tourist destination, even earning them UNESCO recognition. Set on lush rice fields in the heart of Ubud, Kaamala Resort & Spa makes use of its tranquil surroundings with luxury villas that overlook the peaceful greenery from private hot tubs and pools. Modern rooms embrace elements of traditional Balinese design with wood textures, natural stone and plenty of greenery, while including all the trimmings (and a fully stocked mini-bar). 

This resort’s just down the road from the famous Ubud Monkey Forest, so expect visitors to your resort room window on the reg (just don't leave your sunnies outside overnight). 

Bali's intense humidity can cut days exploring by foot short, so booking a driver for a half-day tour is the best way to cover more ground. For 850K Rupiah (roughly $80 AUD), a driver will take you to some of Ubud's most beautiful spots. While tourist-y, Tegalalang Rice Terrace's cascading rice fields are worth a walk around. The deep-green rice fields (lush from the almost daily rainfall) are seriously spectacular to see, and you can walk around the full terrace in 30 minutes.

Once you've wrapped, head to the Tirta Empul water temple. Here, you'll walk through a temple laden with "canang Sari" or Balinese daily offerings (little handmade baskets with flowers, leaves, rice, food, incense and money) prepared daily to show gratitude to the gods—each different but sharing the same meaning. The ornate template is perfect for families and has pools of koi fish, markets and shops to grab a cold bottle of water.

Finally, take a trip to a traditional Balinese home, where locals show you how coffee beans—including the Kopi Luwak 'cat poo coffee'—cacao and Balinese herbs are prepared for cooking by hand. We promise you'll leave with a deeper appreciation for the food you're eating on your trip. 

Tuck into generous plates of lamb pappardelle at retro-modern burnt orange restaurant Habitat Bistro. Ubud's answer to Totti's in the middle of a jungle was practically designed for long dinners and drinks—and you'll find local expats and travellers dining here. Head Chef Putu Armen (who refined his culinary chops at The Ritz-Carlton and InterContinental) celebrates simple Italian ingredients in pizzas, pastas and grazing plates. The real menu highlight is the pappardelle and the cheesy wild mushroom and smoked chicken gnocchi. 

Opened in August 2025, Maar Resort is by far the most luxuriously designed of Bali's boutique villas. While a little off the beaten track, this resort is literally wrapped in tropical foliage and rice fields that go as far as the eye can see. Book a villa with a private pool and order breakfast to your room, sipping coffee soundtracked by the jungle's lively residents. Move from a slow morning to an afternoon spa treatment at Svaha Spa—a 60-minute Cleopatra facial will set you back $38 AUD, and it's totally worth it. 

If you're up for an early start the next day, Maar offers a free 6am rice field walk for in-house guests. The tranquil stroll is hosted by a grandmother ‘Niang’ from the local village and is a beautiful way to learn more about Balinese culture (and work up an appetite for breakfast). If you don't want to skip a sleep-in, you can try your hand at ketupator or lolah making on other days of the week.

Is there anything better than a swim-up bar in Bali? Sini Vie Resort has all the boutique resort touches (including a free beer on arrival) with enough rooms to travel with a bigger crew. A quick 15-minute drive from Seminyak’s humming Eat Street, this tropical resort is great for a group getaway or a relaxing honeymoon. Park up at the pool bar all day for beers and cocktails, then dive into the 3M pool as many times as you have the energy for. Spend your afternoon at Svaha Spa getting a full-body massage and a facial, before heading back to the pool for an afternoon dip. Need a break from the humidity? Sini Vie's room have projectors and Netflix logins, so you can watch movies on the big screen from bed. 

Shichirin is the resort's fiery, authentic teppanyaki restaurant, where the chefs put on a spectacular show. Like Tsune, seafood and sushi are the heroes of the menu—the fiery blazing salmon sushi, which is set alight at your table, is a real highlight. Every dish is beautifully presented (especially the mosaic sushi and unagi bites), but we loved the classic chicken katso sando. For dessert, order the jackfruit creme brulee—or another cocktail, if you're that way inclined.