Revivere or revīvō: Latin for ‘I live again’. A simple adage for a promised life; one that is easy to understand upon entering the elusive space that is Revīvō Wellness Resorts in Bali, Indonesia. The drive to the property from the airport is so unassuming—barely crossing the 30-minute mark—that you hardly discern just how far away you are from civilian life. In actuality, you are ensconced in the lush surroundings of Nusa Dua—comprising some three hectares of dense teak trees—where, with time, the constant buzz of cicadas becomes the only familiar sound.
Just like its soundscape, the rest of the resort is stripped bare of any reminders of life beyond its perimeter. Other than its Balinese-style architecture which encourages a slower way of life, I barely notice the presence of any other staying guest. The amicable staff too, work diligently at their respective tasks, always helpful but never making their presence felt.
Nonetheless, that is not to say that it is stripped of life itself. Instead—like its namesake—Revīvō is where the mind is reset; the body, nurtured; and the soul, restored. A second shot at life, perchance.
The Revīvō treatment
At Revīvō, every guest is afforded the same degree of seriousness. Be it sustainable weight loss or establishing a healthy sleep routine, both short- and long-term goals are taken into consideration no matter the duration of their wellness retreat. They hit the ground running—starting with an arrival consultation with a wellness coach. This is where the healing begins.“Your body is craving the rest. It’s practically screaming for it.” These are the words I’m met with halfway through the hour with my wellness consultant, Dr Jayvant Bhagattjee. He tells me that my mind and body feel heavy, fraught with the emotions I’ve been keeping at bay—the aftermath of a trying year from dealing with grief and a complicated situation at home. Add a multitude of prior injuries, a worsening immunity system and an erratic work schedule, and it was a wealth of pain points that I had to work through.
The regimen I am presented with is a measured prescription of slow body work in the form of various yoga class types and stretching sessions, combined with a lean, mindful diet that demands a sense of discipline. Half-portions at meals, fewer carbohydrates and strictly no desserts.
If anything, meal times prove the sheer might of Nū, the only in-house restaurant. Post-consult, every guest’s meal plan is sent to the kitchen and customised to their myriad needs. Despite the controlled diet, some meals turn out to be a welcome surprise, like a delicious tempeh satay or a scrambled tofu alternative I thoroughly enjoy for breakfast one morning.
Nevertheless, the diet change is still a reckoning for my body and I struggle. Throughout the stay, there are times I falter and steal a bite of dessert. But Bhagattjee is the furthest from discouraging. Baby steps, he assures.
Self-healing
Beyond my specially curated itinerary, Bhagattjee recommends I try finding my own balance in my free time here. That translates into a lengthy swim one morning, and some contrast therapy afforded by the resort’s hot and cold plunge pools as well as its infrared sauna room.
But balance knowingly comes with its fair share of indulgence. The hour of pampering thus arrives in the form of two pleasurable sessions at Remissiō, the in-house spa. The first is a divine hot stone massage, in which my massage therapist expertly whisks away all the unwanted tension in my strained muscles. But the true treat is a spice wrap consisting of a medicinal scrub and yogurt rub, followed by a relaxing herbal bath.
Redefining holistic well-being
Notably, we’re entering a frontier of wellness that blends ancient wisdom and modern science, and Revīvō’s Vitality Centre proves to be a sanctuary for new-age transformation. Think advanced health assessments where state-of-the-art technologies are used to achieve a precise evaluation of your body’s full aerobic potential or its resting metabolic rate as well as innovative therapies which utilise advanced oxygen modulation to give your body the same benefits as high-altitude training.
Restful minutes are also par for the course with treatments such as the Rebalance Impulse Neuro-Relaxation Therapy, which is a science-backed form of colour therapy that sets one’s meditative brain waves into motion and feels almost hypnotic. A transportive exercise that forces you to slow down, cut out the noise and reset the mental state, if you will.
In times like these, there’s no denying that Revīvō is the ultimate reprieve. Between its advanced forms of treatments, ancient healing therapies and the work it makes you put into reforming your daily habits for a better way of life, the one question I gather Revīvō wishes to posture might be this: what does it really mean to live?
This story appears in Vogue Singapore’s May ‘Sonder’ issue, available online.
