FEATURES • DESTINATIONS
Ancient Wisdom,
Modern Impact:
The Healing Power
of Tradition & Care
at Fivelements
January 2025
Words & Photography by The Punch
Hidden along the tranquil Ayung River in Batu Rening, Mambal, Fivelements Retreat Bali offers a refuge from Bali’s bustling development. This award-winning, eco-conscious wellness retreat is a living, breathing sanctuary where authentic Balinese healing, plant-based cuisine, and sacred arts bloom in unison with the natural world. Conceived in 2007, Fivelements Retreat brings to life the power of integrated wellness, offering a path for those seeking inspiration, heightened awareness, and meaningful progress.
The retreat’s mission is alive in every detail, focusing on crafting high-impact wellness strategies designed to support individuals, couples, and organizations as they navigate life complexities, transitions, and transformation. The vision of Fivelements Retreat was brought to life by six founders, each bringing a unique blend of expertise with a rich background in international business, cultural brand equity, communications, holistic health, hospitality, and spiritual dialogue.
The 3800-square-meter Garden of Peace at Fivelements Retreat where medicinal plants, herbs, flowers, fruits, and vegetables are cultivated with care, provides natural treasures to the retreat’s restaurant, resulting in impressively sustainable bites. John T G Nielsen, the General Manager of Fivelements Retreat Bali, originally hails from Copenhagen and brings over 30 years of global hospitality experience. Pak Arthur Chosani, the resort’s Financial Controller and Head of Sustainability–known as the “Green Controller”–has spent 17 years in Bali, blending his background in banking with a passion for sustainability since joining the team in 2019.
Together, they lead with a shared commitment to environmental responsibility and wellness. More notably, the team dedicates its time to the power of education, where programs on regenerative design take place, making sure that sustainability isn't just a practice but a legacy in the making.
POWER TO PEOPLE
John and Arthur’s efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic led to the creation of a transformative program for Fivelements Retreat. Faced with the challenge of providing more than just temporary aid, Arthur saw a holistic initiative that would leave a lasting impact. Rather than offering one-time donations, he decided to allocate 0.5% of their monthly revenue to support initiatives that spark change.
John ensures that these efforts resonate with guests, creating a deep understanding of their significance. They champion three fundamental charities, with a special focus on children. In Singaraja, they donate to two orphanages that offer care, love, and education to young hearts from the tender age of two. The Bali Children’s Project in Ubud also benefits from their support, empowering 150 schools and nurturing the potential of young Balinese.
Since he arrived in 2018, John has witnessed a powerful transformation. Once a haven for foreign staff, Fivelements Retreat now thrives as a Balinese business, supporting local talent. The team, with young Balinese and Indonesians from various regions, exemplifies the relationship between strong education and impactful contribution. This evolution mirrors Fivelements Retreats’ commitment to community, nature, and humanity.
HOLISTIC CARE IN MODERN LIFE
Physical and mental well-being take center stage through a range of activities including yoga sessions, gym workouts, and restorative treatments. The presence of dedicated a personal trainer, physiotherapist, and psychologist is a further step into the wellness experience, offering invaluable support. Both John and Arthur engage in personal wellness, participating in boxing and strength training sessions twice a week. Through John’s nutritional studies and as part of his research it became clear that “boxing” is an ideal discipline to not only improve fitness but also to fight the terrible disease of Parkinson’s.
Research results showed dramatic positive changes in patients who had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s through a combination of a healthy diet with regular fitness sessions including boxing or qigong. As the Indonesian Ambassador for the global health movement the “World-Wellness-Weekend”, John uses the movement to inspire quarterly weekend events and involve guests and staff to join in every sense. The tagline “wellness for all” works beautifully within Fivelements Retreat as the retreat seeks to inspire a healthy mind, body, and planet. Each day, the gym and yoga shala stand ready, to welcome a balanced lifestyle for both guests and staff alike.
At Fivelements Retreat, wellness is an all-encompassing journey, where inner peace and external health come together. For a more holistic approach, this means health is viewed from every conceivable angle to benefit every facet of a person’s well-being. Nutrition is a big part of this philosophy; as what we consume profoundly impacts both our physical and mental states. A wonderful new book “Change Your Diet, Change Your Mind” by Dr. Georgia Ede illuminates the connection between poor nutrition and mental health challenges. At Fivelements Retreat, their team of nutritionists and dietitians passionately imparts the principles of a balanced, healthful lifestyle.
A SERENE PATH TO WELL-BEING
At Fivelements Retreat, the fusion of ancient wisdom and modern innovation is how they approach holistic wellness. Working closely with Parta Kinandana M.Sc, a physiotherapist renowned for weaving contemporary medicine with time-honored healing practices, they create a serene path to well-being. The blend incorporates fully traditional Balinese healers alongside psychologists, psychiatrists, and physiotherapists. In this alchemy of care, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) with Wellness Liaison Ibu Ketut adds another layer of depth, embellishing the rare spirit of Fivelements Retreat.
The spirit of evolution drives their practices. Another way they adopt this philosophy is Fivelements Retreat partnering with the Wellness for Cancer project, established by Ms. Julie Bach in Colorado. This initiative mixes research with healing traditions. Take, for instance, Fivelements Retreat Senior Chef and Culinary Instructor, Made Tantra, whose expertise in traditional Balinese cuisine played an important role in supporting his wife’s journey through breast cancer. Through a diet steeped in turmeric, ginger, and superfoods from their gardens, she achieved remission. Even as cancer cells linger, daily rituals like sipping Graviola or soursop tea empower the body to combat them. The Healing Sanctuary’s dedicated staff, trained in both traditional wisdom and contemporary research, offers comprehensive care for those navigating the aftermath of cancer.
DISTINCTIVE OFFERINGS
Each guest’s arrival is prepared with care, making sure a detailed form is filled out during the reservation process. The retreat’s responses shape a bespoke retreat experience, with options varying from five-day, five-night escapes to more extended stays.
Fivelements Retreat curates three principal types of retreats, each deeply rooted in Balinese philosophy and dedicated to holistic well-being. Guests arrive seeking solace, relaxation, or recovery from stress, illness, or life transitions. Each retreat is tailored to their individual needs, focusing on health, fitness, and nutrition. Whether beginning a new fitness regimen, embarking on a detox journey, or simply searching for rejuvenation, the approach seamlessly marries ancient Balinese wisdom with contemporary practices like personal training and yoga.
NURTURING COMMUNITIES FOR CONSERVATION
Fivelements Retreat addresses environmental challenges like river erosion by using eco-friendly materials, such as bamboo and recycled products, for durable eco-decking terraces, reducing their environmental impact. In 2021, Arthur partnered with Professor Pak Dharma from Udayana University to tackle sustainability issues. They identified a village in Kintamani needing support, focusing on the importance of implementing a waste management program and banning plastic in the forest to ensure ongoing assistance.
John reflects on their broader village initiatives, revealing a comprehensive environmental management strategy. While the village holds deep spiritual significance, the focus is on preventing environmental degradation caused by waste. Their commitment centers on genuinely supporting communities in need, including an agroforestry project in Gelagahlingah, Kintamani, aimed at bolstering the local economy through sustainable tourism. Rather than seeking recognition, they prioritize respectful, proactive efforts to help those unable to help themselves.
An important part of the community involvement is the collaboration with Sungai Watch through Bali Hotels Association, which on Earth Day in April 2024, saw 140 hoteliers gather in two locations, in Ubud and the mangroves by the Sanur bypass. Together the teams removed over four tons of waste, and it was in many ways a wake-up call for the young Balinese hoteliers to feel and see the sad state of waste that pollutes the nature and waterways of Bali. John advocates for stricter environmental regulations and initiatives like car & motorcycle-free evenings in Ubud and other key tourism towns to improve air quality. As Head of Sustainability for the Bali Hotels Association, John oversees educational programs on sustainability and waste management, emphasizing the need for government leadership and long-term planning to combat over-tourism and its negative effects.
EVERYDAY CHOICES
Fivelements Retreat shows commitment to sustainability in its daily choices, exemplified by the use of bamboo toilet paper–an eco-friendly alternative that decomposes swiftly and is made from renewable bamboo. Guests are invited to partake in environmental initiatives by planting trees with dedication boards, allowing them to leave a lasting mark on the landscape. Take John, for instance, who has planted a tree in memory of his beloved dog, Charlie. This heartfelt gesture not only helps in combating erosion but also supports the surrounding environment. Such initiatives create a personal connection for returning guests, who often return to visit their cherished planted trees, deepening their bond with both nature and the retreat.
Arthur highlights Fivelements Retreats’ commitment to preserving rare plant species, like the Badung tree and sandalwood, as part of protecting Indonesia’s natural heritage. A study undertaken by Udayana University in 2021 identified 132 plant species in the lush gardens of Fivelements Retreat highlighting the importance of caring for the environment and biodiversity conservation and its important role in the sustainability of the tourism sector. The research study states, “The benefits of biodiversity interacting with each other in ecosystems are as a foundation for sustainable development”. Their newest addition at Fivelements Retreat is the Garden of Peace, which uses composts from the venue where nearly 95% is waste. It also produces fruits, vegetables, and traditional herbs, enhancing the guest experience with circular practices.
At the retreat, local Kintamani coffee is served for breakfast and the leftover grounds are used in the gardens to fertilize the soil as the grounds contain several key minerals for plant growth. Additionally, the used coffee grounds are used for beauty treatments, showcasing regenerative benefits, and every week the team conducts a complimentary coffee scrub-making session. The focus on holistic wellness includes guiding guests towards healthier eating and fitness habits, partly inspired by the late Dr. Michael Moseley’s philosophy of small, positive changes, like taking a walk after dinner to kickstart the metabolism and improve sleep. Dr. Moseley’s simple solutions are a great reference and easy to adapt to for many on the road to seeking improved health and well-being.
BALI: A SYMBOL OF PROGRESS
Arthur sees Bali as a symbol of environmental progress. He hopes that the island and Fivelements Retreats’ strides in waste management and communal care will catch the government’s eye and set a standard for improvement. The work undertaken in the local village of Batu Rening by the team at Fivelements Retreat highlights the many challenges but also opportunities to solve waste management issues in the village, where guests often walk around exploring the temples and rice fields.
Education must pave the way for a better future with the belief that younger generations will grasp the significance of environmental responsibility. With a limit on time, John makes sure Fivelements Retreat makes a lasting impact such as donating revenue to charities and employing energy-efficient building methods. Genuine action must take place and replace mere PR as we have to recognize the large environmental footprint of hotels. Through the foundation of tradition, knowledge, and education, Fivelements Retreat improves well-being and safeguards the future of the island’s environment and health.
EXPLORE THE FULL STORY IN UNCOVERED BALI BOOK
Uncovered Bali is a collective project showcasing the sustainable journeys of carefully selected Bali businesses to a global audience. Each story highlights the unique impact these enterprises have on preserving Bali’s cultural and environmental heritage while driving positive change. Through this project, we aim to inspire global leaders, travelers, and communities to embrace more sustainable practices and appreciate the powerful role that local businesses play in shaping a better future.
EXPLORE THE PUNCH