A Luxury Detox Retreat at Blue Karma Resort, Bali

Tucked away down a quiet side street in Seminyak, Blue Karma Resort offers a serene stay for those in search of a tranquil retreat. Fusing ethnic design with a tropical backdrop, it’s a welcome setting for anyone wanting to relax and recharge in style. The suites are spacious and sumptuous, with modern furnishings, robes, slippers and toiletries – all of which make for a stunning place to stay.

The Blue Karma Detox


The detox can include just juices, solely raw food or a combination of the two; not wanting to throw myself too far in the deep end, I opted to start my first day with raw food, before moving onto two days of juicing. In addition to a full board menu, anyone taking part in the detox is treated to an indulgent daily massage and can choose from aromatherapy, hot stone, shiatsu or Balinese, as well as a trip to sacred Balinese temple Sebatu, for a healing ritual.


The opulent, Eastern-inspired restaurant that looked over the resort’s feature pool was the perfect place to begin my detox. I started with a raw lasagna for lunch, which was beautifully presented and followed with an aromatherapy massage, which was a great way to wind down after a day spent in the Balinese sunshine. For dinner I had a mouth-watering avocado and coconut soup followed by zucchini primavera; and went to bed feeling both satiated and serene.

While food was off the menu for the next two days, with seven juices a day – one every two hours – I barely had the time to think about being hungry. My first juice of the day was probably my favourite – Purity by name, it consisted of young coconut water, almond milk, date puree and vanilla bean, and was accompanied by a Spirulina lime pomelo shot, which was surprisingly tasty. Two hours later my juice was made up of lemon, ginger, cinnamon, aloe vera and water – which certainly had a kick to it. My midday juice was a green one, and came with a delicious orange wheatgrass shot and the afternoon offerings were a combination of greens, root vegetables and fruit juices. I had another early evening massage, this time a hot stone one, before the night-time juice; maca, cacao nibs, almond milk, coconut water and palm syrup, a delicious elixir before an early night.


I thought I’d wake up starving the next day and had been told by the chef in charge of my detox that if at any point I wanted food to let him know and I could revert back to raw food. But quite honestly, and surprisingly for me, I was never hungry during the detox.

For my third and final massage I chose the traditional Balinese massage and had another early night before my trip to Sebatu – a water temple where visitors can experience a traditional holy blessing – the following day. Blue Karma Resorts have two properties; one in Seminyak and one in Ubud. While the latter’s proximity to Sebatu would have meant a much shorter drive, I found the two-hour journey an inspiring one as we made our way past bustling Balinese villages, tropical green rice paddies and traditional temples along the way.

The hotel had prepared a sarong which visitors are obliged to wear and a towel for me to use after immersing myself in the holy water. The experience was certainly a spiritual one; after walking about 300 metres downhill I waded into the water and under the waterfall. To bathe in the holy water. Despite it being a popular destination for both tourists and locals alike, it was almost deserted when I visited, which added to the tranquillity of the environment. The place itself is serene, and I immediately felt a certain awe and calmness on stepping into the water, one that remained throughout the entire drive back to Seminyak.

It was a fitting end to an idyllic and eye-opening few days at Blue Karma Resort; a place I left feeling refreshed, revitalised and blissfully relaxed.