'I've been to Bali 15 times, but I've never experienced it like this before.'

Growing up, my mum and I were always close.

Despite now living on opposite sides of the country and the relentless demands of work and life, we've always carved out pockets of time for each other— but never quite like this.

When the opportunity for a week-long women's wellness retreat at Escape Haven Bali landed in our laps, we both knew: this was the kind of reunion neither one of us would ever forget.

@taylahstrano

One week in one minute. Thanks so much @Bali Women’s Retreat for having mum and I! #bali #presstrip #travel

♬ Welcome To My Island - PVA Remix - Caroline Polachek & PVA

Why a women's retreat is priceless.

Mother-daughter trips are already rare gems. Add in the unique magic of Escape Haven, and suddenly you're gifted this luxurious pause: a week where the outside world melts away, and your only "to-do" is to focus on yourself, and eachother.

I mean that literally, by the way, not lifting a finger for an entire week, not even to clear a plate. Everything is handled with intention.

Women — usually the ones keeping everyone else fed and happy — get to be cared for, and the only expectation is to lean into self-indulgence. And to do it in a place where we've spent so many family and solo holidays, a spiritual second home for a lot of Aussies, was just the icing on the gluten free cake (more on the food below).

How it works.

Guests choose a retreat package tailored to their wants and needs. Escape Haven's approach is, refreshingly, the opposite of the hyper-scheduled, "wellness bootcamp" trend. There's no 5am wake-up, unless you want it. No guilt if you skip a sunrise session. Every activity, from yoga and mindfulness workshops to spa appointments, is gloriously optional.

It's an ethos I learned to love. While I'm the first to colour-code my itinerary and rally people for "organised fun," at Escape Haven, my inner type-A melted away as soon as the first drop of massage oil hit my back.

The Itinerary: Highlights from a (deliciously) selfish week.

What does a week on retreat actually look like?

For mum and I, it was the ultimate sampler of Escape Haven's best — punctuated by quiet moments together and new friends made around the table.

Morning rituals.

Early pilates or yoga (sometimes both, sometimes… none!)

Slow breakfasts by the pool and around the communal dining table,  featuring fruit platters so beautiful we had to snap a photo before eating.

Group mantra sessions that, I promise, transformed even this skeptic into a zen convert​.

Ayurvedic wisdom.

My ayurvedic consult with Dr Raj was a personal highlight. Reluctant "woo-woo" stuff aside, learning about my dosha and being prescribed a bespoke tea blend felt incredibly personalised. Meals were adjusted to include my newly prescribed tea blends, and the intentionality of "wellness hospitality" really hit home when Raj would check in to make sure my tea was just right and really unpack how my sleep was the night prior.

Spa, Every. Single. Day.

Image: Supplied.

The "non-negotiable" daily spa treatment is arguably what Escape Haven is famous for. Over the week, I cycled through a signature welcome massage, gua sha facial, Ayurvedic oil pouring, and far too many options to name.

Here, spa is essential, not a luxury add-on. There's something joyful about a group of women quietly slipping off to be pampered, knowing everyone else is doing the same.

Longevity Circuit: For brave souls. 

One day (tbh I can't remember which because they've all blended into a week of healthy decadence) I was signed up for the Longevity Circuit — an offsite triple threat of infrared sauna, oxygen chamber, and red light therapy.

The sauna? Blissful, especially when bingeing Netflix in your own private hut. The oxygen chamber? Not for the faint-hearted. Lying in a pressurised glass tube is, frankly, terrifying, but the touted health benefits (improved oxygenation, infection-fighting superpowers, youthful glow) are tempting.

Image: Supplied.

Red light therapy rounds things out: a glowing, full-body recharge, while standing on a gently buzzing vibration plate.

Food that breaks every wellness stereotype.

All meals are dairy, gluten, and sugar-free, and before I totally lose you, the Escape Haven kitchen blew every expectation away. Think three-course dinners blending fresh-caught fish, luscious salads, fragrant curries and snug comfort food.

Meals are lively communal affairs, women sharing stories and laughs, but never once worrying about who is cooking, cleaning, or cajoling anyone to eat their veggies.

Intentional cultural connection.

While Bali is often associated with organised chaos — honking mopeds, crowded streets, a sensory overload — the retreat leans into the island's gentler rhythms.

Image: Supplied.

Among my favourite inclusions: offering making workshops, a Balinese blessing and cacao ceremony on the beach, and getting our hands dirty in the kitchen with the chef to cook a traditional lunch. Each activity felt carefully chosen to foster connection — with Balinese culture, and with the women beside me. 

Permission to do absolutely nothing.

Between activities, you're encouraged to wander at will: stroll the lush gardens, read by the pool, hop a shuttle into town to revisit old Bali favourites, or simply catch up on that lost sleep we've all been desperately trying to regain for years.

The staff, somehow both laid-back and extraordinarily attentive, whisk you to your next appointment or cheerfully accommodate when you opt out. There's no "should," only choices.

What a retreat like this means for mother-daughter bonds.

All the luxury and pampering aside — the true magic was in those moments with my mum I'd never orchestrate at home. Early morning chats as the sun climbed over the frangipani trees, the giggle-inducing awkwardness of learning chants and mantras side-by-side, the chance to talk (and listen) without the usual distractions.

Image: Supplied.

We both let go. Of schedules, of responsibilities, of the feeling that time together must always be spent "doing." Instead, we just were. And in that space, we found a new, richer rhythm in our relationship — one I know will ripple through our daily lives long after we're back to reality.

Sometimes the most radical act of self-care is to be unapologetically selfish. To accept care, prioritise your own needs, and spend time just "being" rather than doing. For women — especially as mothers, daughters, partners, and perpetual caregivers — this reset feels not just refreshing, but revolutionary.

Would I recommend Escape Haven?

Absolutely — for mothers and daughters, longtime friends, solo travellers, anyone at a crossroads or in need of a reset. Whether you're new to wellness retreats or you're a Bali regular like me, it's a chance to experience the island, and yourself, in a whole new light.

When you've been to Bali 15 times, you think you've seen all there is.

But after this, I'm convinced: one of the best versions of this island — the one that brings you home to yourself and the people you love most — is found when you let someone else take care of you, invite you into rest, and remind you that leaning in to your own needs is not an indulgence. It's absolutely essential.​

Feature image: Supplied.