Not everyone wants to have a wild time during their hen’s party, I know. My good girl friend is getting married in a month’s time and all 4 of us, bride and hens, wish for a quiet bonding time together. You know it’s all gonna change once household chores, dirty dishes and diapers come into the picture. So we opted for a DIY yoga hen’s trip to Ubud, Bali.
Step 1: Make sure everyone wants a yoga retreat
Of course, all hens and bride must have an interest to practise yoga. You don’t have to be super good at it, simply the curiosity and an open mind will be perfect.
Step 2: Decide on your style of retreat
Make sure it’s communicated clearly the style of retreat preferred.
Questions to ask can be:
What is our personal budget?
How many days should our retreat be?
What level of comfort are we expecting?
How many yoga sessions do practise per day?
Do we join a retreat with others, request for a private retreat, or take public classes in studios?
We opted for public classes, which leads to step 5.
Step 3: Book your flights
Depending on the number of girls travelling on this trip, you may or may not face difficulty with syncing leave days and finding flights that fit everyone’s budget and expectations. Here are some budget tips to ease the flight booking process.
Step 4: Book for accommodations
Likewise, expectations of prices and comfort level can potentially make the accommodation booking process a tiring one. Voice out your quirks, qualms and expectations honestly — this can be a good chance to find out more about each other over high tea while planning for the trip. Things to consider can include the need for swimming pool, private space, sleeping arrangement, shower time, and distance to yoga studios.
Step 5: Plan a skeletal daily schedule
Hen’s trips are typically short, around 3 to 5 days. If you have the luxury of taking long travels, by all means travel free and easy! If you’re on a hosted retreat, you may skip this step. Otherwise it’s wise to have a vague idea of day-to-day activities for a peace of mind. For our retreat, we included the number of yoga session per day, meal timings, and a sprinkle of fun activities. Here’s a review of two yoga studios in Ubud you may like to consider.
Step 6: Add a sprinkle of fun activities
All yoga and no play makes Jane a dull girl. We injected massage sessions, trekking, cafe-hopping and shopping into our schedule. Planning early gives us time to do some pre-trip research on places to visit and things to eat, so we have a stress-free, fuss-free retreat. Be adventurous and try something new for the first time! Our bride had lots of fun trying out acro-yoga, arial yoga, vegan meals, and seeing fireflies.
Step 7: Have a dining list
Oh yea, this is the fun part. What’s travelling if you don’t take your palate on a trip too? Get on the Internet and do some research on the best food in the area. Let’s not forget hidden finds too. Food is more enjoyable with friends. Here’s a list of cafes to hit in Ubud, if you find yourself in Bali for your retreat.
Step 8: Prepare for a hen’s night
We set the intention for an alcohol-free hen’s trip, and our plan was to surprise the bride with an adorable bikini, some poppers, props, decorations, music and tea by the pool — our very own mini poolside party. Have a fun discussion with fellow hens pre-trip, and plan something that you know will warm the heart of your bride-to-be friend.
