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Halina Reijn’s Wellness Retreat at Kamalaya: Life changing
You could unwind on a beach, take a city break for a boost of energy and inspiration, or head to a monastery for reflection. But with a wellness retreat, you get all three experiences in one. That’s the path actress and director Halina Reijn decided to take.
Halina Reijn's hectic lifestyle
Halina Reijn leads a busy life, juggling roles in films, theater, and TV series, while also being a regular guest on TV show De Wereld Draait Door. In addition, she has built a career as a director, columnist, and writer. Although she is successful and content, she still felt the need to take a step back and reflect. 'I'm 37 now,' she says, 'and I have a hectic life filled with friends. Everyone around me is starting families, which gives their lives a new kind of depth. But I don’t have a partner, I work a lot, and I just keep going non-stop.' Wanting a break to reflect on life and where she’s headed, she decided to take a health and wellbeing holiday. 'I was determined to travel solo, but I didn’t feel like being by myself in a regular city hotel in Rome'. A wellness retreat seemed like the perfect balance: meeting likeminded people, having an opportunity to relax and be pampered and engaging in holistic activities. Slow travel I would say.
Destination Kamalaya Koh Samui Thailand: paradise on earth
At a five-star resort where practically every treatment imaginable is available, you can be sure that relaxation won’t be an issue. Still, not all massages are created equal, despite what the brochures might promise. Halina explains, 'For once, the travel agency got it right. Trust me, I’ve been massaged countless times in my life, in some of the most luxurious places—from upscale hotels to high-end spas around the world. But it’s only now that I’ve experienced what it feels like when a therapist is truly present with you during the entire session. When someone dedicates their full attention to you, it becomes so much more than just working on your muscles. In my case, the therapists were all Reiki masters, which added an extra layer of depth to the experience. Of course, technique matters, and that’s something many places get right, but it's the personal connection and touch of spirituality that truly elevate the treatment.’
Chi Nei Tsang abdominal massage
Halina experienced, among many treatments, an abdominal massage. 'At first, I thought, really? A stomach massage? Please, leave me alone. But it turned out to be absolutely amazing.' She also had a Thai massage. 'Sure, you can book one in Amsterdam, but you definitely won’t get it like I did here. I can’t even explain what they did to me - at one point, it felt like they were practically hanging me from the wall, but wow, it was incredible and I felt some stones lighter afterwards.'
Meeting likeminded people as solo traveller
Meditation, yoga, fitness, hiking, cooking classes, detox, acupuncture, the list of activities on a wellness retreat is endless. Halina shares, 'You can make it as intense or relaxed as you like. I ended up trying a lot of different things. And even though I'm usually not a fan of group activities, I found them to be the most enjoyable part of the trip.' Despite her deliberate choice to travel alone, she adds, 'Even though I wanted to be by myself, I felt incredibly lonely for the first four days. That changed when I discovered the large community table in the restaurant where you could sit if you felt like chatting with others. Once I found that, it opened up a whole new world for me! I met such interesting people: a top lawyer from Tokyo and someone who worked for the UN, for example. What made these encounters special was that everyone, being away from their usual environment, was anonymous and completely unguarded. Plus, everyone is somewhat vulnerable, because we all came with some kind of personal goal. One person can't sleep, another feels overweight or burned out, and someone else is seeking answers to life's big questions. All those shared experiences create an instant connection, leading to deep conversations.' So, in the end, Halina was far from alone and, in fact, she recommends that everyone take this kind of trip solo. 'You have to do this on your own, really, you múst. You can meet people along the way, but it’s completely different from doing it with a friend or partner who already knows you in a certain way. Going alone is purifying and refreshing. It gave me such clarity, because talking to strangers allows you to reinvent yourself. And as a bonus, I’ve made real friends along the way.'
Five-star ‘commune’: everything is practical and down-to-earth
Halina comes from what she humorously refers to as a 'hippie type family", referring to people in the eighties who embraced alternative lifestyles, eating organic food, sustainable living, and second-hand items. ‘Sourdough bread', that is very much my childhood,’ she smiles. ‘I grew up in communes and ashrams. And precisely because I’m done with eating berries and wearing wool socks, I found this place so refreshing.’ In this five-star ‘commune’, everything is practical and down-to-earth. ‘There’s meditation and yoga happening everywhere, but it’s not pushy at all. You’re completely free to join in or not. And it’s far from roughing it—there’s amazing food and everything is incredibly luxurious.’ Did she still manage to find time for reflection despite meeting interesting new friends and joining the holistic group activities? ‘My sessions with the life coach were incredible. In other therapies, it can sometimes take years to reach a breakthrough, but here, somehow, you go straight to the root of the issue. I think it’s because they approach things differently than we do in the West. With an Eastern, spiritual perspective, you take stock of your life and look at your challenges in a new light, which helps you find different paths forward. Of course, a retreat like this also gives you the peace and space to sort things out. You revisit the questions that have been on your mind, but now with new inspiration and insights. That helps you come up with fresh ideas to tackle certain issues and find the answers you need to move forward.’
Halina Reijn's reflection once returned home
After two weeks in paradise, Halina has returned to Amsterdam. When we ask her how she’s doing, she says, ‘I feel great! This was one of the best experiences of my life, and I’m not just saying that to promote it.’ Clearly, we’ve got a new fan. So, what does Halina, who had never been on a wellness retreat before, think makes it different from a regular holiday? ‘It’s more than just a holiday to a resort. You don’t only unwind and indulge yourself while you’re there, but you also bring new insights that are useful back home.’ She mentions cooking classes for those wanting to lose weight and meditation sessions for people learning to relax. She herself received a few mental exercises to continue at home. ‘What makes this kind of wellness retreat such a great investment is the toolkit you bring back with you. And knowing there’s a place in the world where you can find total peace is incredibly reassuring. Plus, I’ve got all the contacts of the people I met. Honestly, I loved it. It was truly life-changing, and it’s something I plan to do every year from now on.’
About Halina
Halina Reijn is a Dutch actress, writer, and director, and she traveled to Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary in Koh Samui, Thailand, one of the best Health Spas in the world.
