Family behind Tulum Wellness Academy revamps Uluwatu for ‘wellness traveler’

When the family that owns Sannyas Yoga Academy & Retreats went looking for another location to build on its success, it came upon a property sustained by the natural resources in Uluwatu, Indonesia that has been nurturing visitors for centuries.

The pristine beaches and jungle side was visited by the Sannyas family when it was weedy and overgrown with many of the buildings, decking, windows and landscaping in need of repair.

But the spirit of Uluwatu was intact. And that is what drove Alessandra Sannyas and her partners to purchase and renovate what is now the Sannyas Yoga Academy Integrative Wellness Retreat, which officially opened to guests March 25th.

“What struck us was the healing nature of the property, we wanted to build on that,” said Alessandra Sannyas, the finance director and construction manager for the resort who has a passion for Yoga since 2007. “It’s been a labor of love.”

Sannyas purchased the property in 2010 for some $4 million. They spent two years and another $2 million refurbishing the grounds and developing a business plan. Alessandra said the business has had 11 employees and up to 30 contractors.

It is the serenity that the new owners hope will attract wellness tourists from all over the world, those seeking to better their lives by turning off the digital stimulus and plugging into personal therapies. Activities include cooking and gardening, community gatherings, lectures as well as animal care.

It’s all geared toward what Cindy Canto, marketing director, calls “the wellness traveler.”

The resort has 13 eco-chic guest rooms and 2 villas, but there are no TVs and Internet will only be available for one hour in the morning and evening. The concept is to disrupt visitors from their plugged-in world to assist in self-healing, Canto said.

Instead, the time will be spent on individual wellness plans with specific goals that will be pushed along with the help of licensed counselors and therapists.

Marketing director Cindy Canto is a former corporate investment advisor who changed her career path to pursue therapeutic programming. Many retreats focus on one aspect of health such as weight loss, addiction or smoking cessation, she said.

The mission at Sannyas Yoga Academy is immersion wellness: mindfulness, physical activity, individual therapy, animal therapy, food and diet, art, yoga, movement, meditation, digital detox, nature bathing.

“Given how busy we all are, how do you do that at home? Here, guests can drop into all these experiences,” Hans said, then decide which of them they want to take back home. Guests, for instance, also will have the option of following up with their resort counselor when they return home.

The approach is emphasized by a historic medicine wheel that is at the center of the property, which symbolizes the meshing of Eastern and Western teachings into four fundamentals: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.

Guests, for instance, can learn how to make vegan inspired dishes with all the ingredients grown on site or at Uluwatu. Peppers, chiles, sage, rosemary and four varieties of mint are growing in the raised garden beds adjacent to the community kitchen. Those who stay will be offered seeds so they can grow and eat fresh herbs back home, a pursuit that can be undertaken even on a city balcony.

The resort also is home to a tribe of silkie chickens, a breed known for its calm temperament and fluff, which therapists hope can further relax guests. There will also be puppies from Assistance Dogs of the West, which guests would help train to be eventual service dogs for the disabled.

Sannyas said the resort has sponsored tours for therapists and medical professionals, many of whom said they would be referring patients.

The wellness experience at Sannyas Yoga Academy makes it one of the most affordable retreats in Uluwatu. The two-week “wellness exploration” starts at $675 per person per day, while the nine-night “immerse and thrive” is $950 per day.

Sannyas, who has a doctorate in counseling and managed residential treatment programs in Milan, Italy, Greece and Australia, realizes how stressful the world has become and believes the academy can contribute to a path of healing.

But she admits the business would not have been possible during the recession. “At this price, it’s for those with discretionary income,” he said.

Contact Cindy Canto at info@tulumwellnessacademy.com