Breath Retreat 2026
May 10 - 16 | 2026 | Ubud | Bali
Sun, May 10 - Sat, May 16
Join James Nestor, Breath Crüe, and an international group of fellow pulmonauts at a boutique resort within the spiritual center of Bali for an unforgettable week of sunshine, jungle vibes, immersive breathwork, and moonlit gong sound baths as we explore the science and art of breathing.
What can breathing do for you?
For thousands of years ancient cultures used breathing as a medicine to help heal the body and calm the mind. Modern science has more recently shown that harnessing our breath can measurably reduce stress, blood pressure, anxiety, depression, snoring, chronic headaches, and even asthma and some autoimmune diseases.
In this immersive weeklong retreat, we’ll explore a new breathing practice each day, from relaxing and restorative techniques to more highly-energizing breathwork methods that heat the body up, lull it into a heightened immune response, and shift states of consciousness.
All levels of registration are ALL INCLUSIVE of more than 30 hours of intensive breathing instruction and practice, individualized assessments and training, alignment and biomechanics, three handcrafted meals a day, and connecting with extraordinary humans from all over the world.
At the close the retreat each guest will leave with a toolbox of breathing practices to improve mental and physical state, anytime and anywhere, for years to come.
“I’ve never felt anything like this before — my mind and body feel brand new.”
R.S. (Denmark)
Scene
The Mansion Resort & Spa Ubud, Bali is located in the Balinese jungles of Ubud.
This is a natural jungle environment, which means it’s raw and exposed to the tropical elements. You’ll be hearing monkeys and birds and insects, and other critters out and about. You’ll see stars and the moon at night. You’ll be not around, but in nature.
If you are looking for 5-star Ritz Carlton White Lotus-style experience, this retreat is not for you. (For those seeking luxury, check out our March 2026 Whales & Breath Retreat on a yacht in Dominican Republic!)
This Bali retreat center has a more low-key, bohemian, yoga-style vibe. It usually hosts yoga teacher trainings year-round.
The fancier rooms are fancier and standard rooms are more simple and completely serviceable.
We chose this location for its privacy and its spacious, truly psychedelic meeting hall, in which we will be holding our breathwork and multimedia sessions. We have been wanting to host a more budget-friendly retreat for years and found this was best place to do it.
Between sessions you are free to roam, swim, sunbathe, or just soak in the natural environment.
We are also organizing some day trips and ceremonies for those wanting to see more of the area. More on all that soon.
Kundalini • Tummo • Kriyas • Qi Gong • Hypoventilation Athletic Training • Buteyko Breathing Technique • Apnea • Pranayama Resonant Breathing
PACKAGES & COST
“I am not exaggerating when I say this was probably the best week of my life.”
C.A. (Britain)
All Inclusive
The room costs are ALL INCLUSIVE of food, lectures, breathwork, sunlight, moonlight, and everything else except alcoholic beverages and optional spa services.
James Nestor and Breath Crüe are all staying on-site and will be available to answer questions, chat, and breathe throughout the entire week.
There are no hidden costs. There are no sneaky fees. There are no pitches for timeshare opportunities. Just show up and we’ll take care of the rest.
Please contact us with any questions: retreat@mrjamesnestor.com
Amenities in each room include: Air Conditioning, Bathrobe, Direct Dial Phone, Extra Bed (available upon request), Fountain / Laundry Service, Mini bar, Tea & Coffee Maker, Work Desk, Slippers, Turn Down Service, In-room Safety Box, Non-Smoking Rooms; Cable Movie Channel, LCD Plasma Screen, Free Wifi, Free Internet Access, Private Bathroom, Hair Dryer (upon request).
$2490/2890
Deluxe King
This is a double occupancy room with King Size Bed. The total price is $2,490 per person for bed sharing or $2,890 USD single occupancy. An exquisite and intimate room set within peaceful courtyards along the amazing gardens with either fountain/garden view.
All meals, all instruction, and all else included. All sales are final.
$2490/2890
Deluxe Twin
This is a double occupancy room with two twin beds. The total price is $2,490 USD per person sharing or $2,890 USD single occupancy. An exquisite and intimate room set within peaceful courtyards along the amazing gardens with either fountain/garden view.
All meals, all instruction, and all else included. All sales are final.
$2590/2990
Grand Deluxe King
The Grand Deluxe rooms offer a larger space than the Deluxe rooms, suitable for up to 2 adults and baby cot. King Size Bed with an extra bed available on request, subject to additional charge. The total price is $2,590 USD per person for bed sharing or $2990 USD for single occupancy. An exquisite and intimate room set within peaceful courtyards along the amazing gardens with either fountain/garden view.
All meals, all instruction, and all else included. All sales are final.
$2590/2990
Grand Deluxe Twin
The Grand Deluxe rooms offer a larger space than the Deluxe rooms, suitable for up to 2 adults and baby cot. Twin Size Beds with an extra bed available on request, subject to additional charge. The total price is $2,590 USD per person sharing or $2990 USD for single occupancy. An exquisite and intimate room set within peaceful courtyards along the gardens of with either fountain/garden view.
All meals, all instruction, and all else included. All sales are final.
$2990/3690
Suite Room
Graham Greenesque ambiance is found to full effect in The Governor Suite. Luxuriously appointed and richly decorated bedroom with an ensuite bathroom and a spacious, comfortable living area. Suites are located on the Mezzanine level in the main hall and in the resort, by the Beach Club Pool. The total price is $2,990 USD per person for bed sharing or $3,690 USD for single occupancy.
All meals, all instruction, and all else included. All sales are final.
$2790/3190
Villa Residence
The Villa Residences are located in the extensive gardens of the resort, and can accommodate two people. Free standing bungalows, some with wooden interiors and thatched roofs, some with semi-open bathrooms, or spacious luxurious bedrooms containing fine examples of outstanding artworks, furnishings and other treasures. The total price is $2,790 USD per person for bed sharing or $3,190 USD for single occupancy.
All meals, all instruction, and all else included. All sales are final.
$2990/3590
One Bedroom Pool Villa
Enclosed in small tropical gardens, our private one bedroom plunge pool villa offers a residence in our wooden bungalow, built mostly using natural elements like wood and bamboo. The Pool Villa has a daybed outside to read and enjoy a drink or food. Suitable for up to two adults. The total price is $2,990 USD per person for bed sharing or $3,590 USD single occupancy.
All meals, all instruction, and all else included. All sales are final.
$3390/3990
Two Bedroom Pool Villa
The resort offers three two-bedroom private pool villas. Each villa has two bedrooms that are detached (either King Bed & 2 Twins; or 2 King beds) with a private pool and shared living area. The total price for one bedroom is $3,390 USD single or twin bed occupancy per person; or one bedroom is $3,990 USD per person for single occupancy.
All meals, all instruction, and all else included. All sales are final.
“I wanted to express my deepest gratitude for the incredible experience. Breath Retreat is nothing short of transformative.”
S.D. (Canada)
Reservations
Breath Retreat offers both single and double occupancy rooms at a variety of price levels from lux to deluxe.
For further information on bed configuration and room details please write:
“Holy S%$t! You guys are so awesome! I have so many new tools to take back into my practice and spread this knowledge around the world. Thank you!!!”
M.A. (India)
Rundown
• Daily lectures with James Nestor exploring the history and science of breathing
• Group and individual breathing instruction with a team of internally renowned breathwork and alignment instructors.
• Handcrafted local cuisine
• Sunrise/sunset breathwork
• Evening gong sound baths
• Yoga, Qi Gong, alignment workshops
• And did we mention swimming pools, sunshine, monkeys, and vegan coconuts…in Bali!?
Your Hosts
JAMES NESTOR is a science journalist and author of the international bestseller book, Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art, which has been translated into more than 45 languages and has sold more than 3 million copies worldwide. Nestor will lead daily multimedia informational sessions, live expert interviews, and archival reviews on the history and science of breathing techniques. Nestor will be available throughout the week to answer individual questions and consult about whatever. Between lectures, Nestor will be leading several evening sound baths by night, and by day taking a place on the mats between the rest of the respirators to participate in breathing sessions led by an inimitable, international coterie of renowned breathwork teachers and musicians known as the The Breath Crüe: Emma Estrela (UK), Michelle Riordan (Kinielty, Ireland), Mike Mol (Netherlands), with live music by the astounding Marc Capelle, and many more to be announced soon.
“James and his team were selfless teachers, constantly accessible throughout the week and guiding us through each new program with grace and humility.”
M.K. (Germany)
FAQ & Additional Details
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Breath Retreat is perfect for anyone who breathes. We offer clear instruction, support, and an environment for guests to take their breathwork as far as they’d like to go, from biomechanics basics; gentle and nourishing practices; to full-on vigorous hour-long ancient techniques. You are the pilot at Breath Retreat; not the passenger.
We have hosted hundreds of humans from more than 20 countries all over the world, including New York CEOs to Sedona vanlifers; British physicians to Brazilian artists; teenagers to octogenarians; single people in a relationship to single people not in a relationship; couples traveling together to multi-generational families. You will be in the company of amazing people doing amazing things from all over the world. Children under the age of 17 are not permitted.
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We offer a broad range of program pricing from two to five thousand dollars per person for the entire week. Pricing includes all food, workshops, yoga, fitness classes, sound baths, sunsets, sunrise swims, and the now-(in)famous Breath Retreat Friday Night Dance Party Blowout. Alcoholic drinks and desserts are not included. Costs do not include suggested (but optional) travel insurance, ground transportation, or flights.
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The chefs can accommodate whatever dietary needs. While the chefs focus on locally-sourced plant-based cuisine, each meal will offer various options for every nutritional nuance: paleo to vegan, pescatarian to breatharian, and everything in between. All meals are served buffet-style allowing you to choose whatever you’d like. For protein-focused eaters, every meal offers eggs and every lunch and dinner offers both eggs and fish. Delicious smoothies, pastries, desserts, and more are available throughout the day, every day. Wine and beer are available on your dime.
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Our Great Breath Retreat Concierge Extraordinaire can arrange roommates for solo guests interested in sharing rooms. Feel free to reach out to retreat@mrjamesnestor.com for next steps.
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Proof of Travel Insurance is strongly (strongly!) encouraged. Be sure to purchase early and often. Things come up, and things seem to come up a lot more often right before big events. We want to make sure everyone is covered in case of some unforeseen circumstance that would require the trip to be cancelled.
We like www.insuremytrip.com and www.travelinsurance.com.
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All sales are final.
We understand that life sometimes throws curveballs. If the reservation must be cancelled for whatever reason Breath Retreat may offer to try to find a replacement but there are no guarantees.
If Breath Retreat is successful in finding a replacement, there will be a $750 re-booking fee deducted from the refund as well as any outside vendor expenses and/or credit card processing fees that may have incurred from the cancelation.
Any cancelations within 30 days of the retreat are fully non-refundable.
We strongly recommend trip insurance and like www.insuremytrip.com and www.travelinsurance.com.
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Want to learn more about Breath Retreat? Check out this overview written by a past Breath Crueist.
Schedule
The schedule is loose and will be changing depending on the flow of the event. Here’s a rough sketch of what to expect.
All days are padded with free time for swimming, beaching, napping, work calls (not recommended!), drinking, and breathing in of blue sky and blue sea.
James and the Breath Crüe are all staying on-site and will be available throughout the entire week to answers questions, chat, and breathe with guests.
Sunday (Personal Assessments / Opening Ceremonies @ 7pm) – Relax, recover, eat, sleep, swim on your own. Breath Crüe will be holding personal breathing and posture assessments throughout the morning and afternoon. (Plenty more breathing assessments on Monday for anyone who can’t make it on Sunday.) Group dinner at 6pm followed by Opening Ceremonies led by James Nestor with a multimedia lecture overview on why humans are the worst breathers – and how to fix it. Evening closes with meditative breathwork and gong sound bath.
Monday – Qi Gong Breathing. Sunrise yoga; group morning breathwork; personal breathing and posture assessments; pre-lunch lecture on Qi Gong with exercises; post-lunch breakout sessions focused on mechanics and alignment; sunset ocean swim; group dinner and drinks. Evening Q&A with Breath Retreat Crüe on specifics of breathwork practices and best techniques for athletic training, stress mitigation, sleep, sex, asthma reduction, and who-knows-what-else.
Tuesday – Breathing Less. Sunrise yoga; morning group breathwork; pre-lunch lecture on breath retention and CO2 training; optional HIIT training on the beach; group afternoon long breathwork; sunset ocean swim. Evening yoga nidra and sound bath.
Wednesday – Airway Health & Adventure Day. Sunrise yoga; morning group breathwork; post-lunch lecture on chewing/myofunctional therapy and airway health; instruction with expert myologist. Post lunch guests are free to adventure out to wilds to surf, hike, sightsee, whatever. Evening Q&A with James Nestor.
Thursday – Kundalini. Sunrise yoga; morning group breathwork; pre-lunch lecture on Kundalini with exercises; optional HIIT training on the beach; afternoon 90-minute intensive group kriya breathwork; sunset ocean swim; group dinner and drinks. Evening gong sound bath.
Friday – Tummo/Bon Buddhist Breathing (Closing Ceremonies). Sunrise yoga; morning breathwork and individual assessments; pre-lunch presentation on Bon Buddhist/Tummo breathing with exercises; afternoon biomechanics breakout session; final personal assessments; Tummo-based group breathwork finale; sunset ocean swim with non-alcoholic and not-non-alcoholic drinks and photos on the beach; big final group dinner. Closing ceremonies amidst the now (in)famous Breath Retreat Dance Party Blowout.
Saturday (Au revoir) – Long goodbyes and room checkout by 10am.
Cuisine
All guest packages include three locally-sourced meals a day.
The chefs specialize in locally-sourced plant-based cuisine. Each package includes egg options with every meal and local fish with lunch and dinner to sate paleo, keto, and pegan eaters.
Alcoholic drinks not included in guest package price.
Getting There
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Fly into Bali Airport aka Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS). You will be staying The Mansion Resort Hotel & Spa in Ubud, Gianyar, Bali, about 23.4 miles (37.7 km) from Ngurah Rai International Airport.
Round Trip airport transfers will be provided to you.
Visa on Arrival (VoA) or e-VOA: Most tourists need a Visa on Arrival (VoA) or an e-VoA to enter Bali. Obtain the VoA at the airport upon arrival, but expect queues. You can apply for an e-VoA online before your trip via the official Indonesian Immigration website for a faster experience. The cost is about IDR 500,000 (around USD 40). Ensure the passport is valid for at least six months from the entry date and has two blank pages.
Electronic Customs Declaration (ECD): Complete the Electronic Customs Declaration (ECD) within two days of arrival in Indonesia. This can be done online, and a QR code will be provided to present to customs officials.
Bali Tourism Levy: All international tourists (except ASEAN nationals and Timor-Leste citizens) must pay a mandatory IDR 150,000 (around USD 10) per person tourism levy. You can pay this online via the official Love Bali website or app before arrival to receive a QR code, or at the airport with a credit/debit card.
If you have any questions around your travel, contact the Event Manager, Linda Cain, at 626-252-2834 or LindaCainOffice@gmail.com or email retreat@mrjamesnestor.com.
Reservations
Space is limited. Please contact us with any questions: retreat@mrjamesnestor.com