Pip Edwards reveals secret corner of Bali that changed her life

Having been in and out of Bali for the past two decades, a recent trip to the popular island completely changed the course of Pip Edward’s life.

Spend five minutes on Pip Edwards Instagram page, and it’s clear she loves an island escape.

As the founder of PE Nation, and perhaps one of the most notable faces on Sydney’s social scene, Ms Edwards recently joined the hundreds of thousands of Aussies that travel to Bali each year — seeking sun, sand and sanctuary.

But instead of navigating the torturous roads of Kuta or the beachclubs surrounding Canggu, the 44-year-old revealed a secret corner of the island she’d not explored until now.

Pip Edwards has revealed the biggest changes in Bali over 20 years of travel to the island.

Having visited Bali for more than 20 years, Ms Edwards thought she’d seen it all — but says a visit to little-known Sanur where the “old Bali” still exists left her mindblown.

“I’d never been to Sanur,” she told news.com.au.

“It’s old-school Bali. It’s not as westernised. Has a traditional feel and it’s quiet. The beaches are more friendly.

“When I got there it was just magic … I saw this quiet and chill side of Bali, because obviously the traffic is out of control everywhere else.

“That was a pleasant surprise.”

Ms Edwards recently visited Sanur for the first time.

The 44-year-old says there are still corners of the island that haven’t been disrupted by mass-tourism.

Ms Edwards, who is currently travelling in Europe and will be attending the final days of the Paris Olympic Games, said while Bali has changed significantly over the years, there are still some places that maintain an authenticity that hasn’t been disturbed by mass-tourism experienced elsewhere on the island.

“Sanur is really basic,” she explained, saying aspects of the area still feels like what Bali was 20 years ago.

“A lot of people when I said I was going to Sanur, were like ‘wait, where are you going?’”

2024 has already seen one of the strongest visitation rates on record for Bali.

According to data released by the Bali Central Bureau of Statistics in June, Bali welcomed 503,194 foreign tourists in the month of April alone — which marks an increase of 7 per cent compared to the year prior.

Australia remains as the highest number of foreign tourists into Bali, with around more than 441,000 Australians visiting the island from January to April this year, and representing about 23 per cent of all international visitors during this period.

Pip Edwards has revealed the biggest changes in Bali over 20 years of travel to the island.

Pip Edwards with friend Jackie O Henderson.

As a result of the influx of tourism to locations like Canggu, Ubud and Kuta — some experts are calling for the island should be a little more selective with who travels in and out of Bali.

Ms Edwards, who is an ambassador for Sonos Ace headphones, said outside her stay in Sanur, she experienced a recent “lifechaging moment” while in a remote forest in Ubud.

“Where I went for the first time in like 20 years of going to Bali, was Ubud. I’d just never had a calling,” she explained, adding that Married At First Sight contestant Ella Ding suggested she visit a Shaman while in town.

“When I got there at the end of my trip, it was raining and so I said I’m going to do this so I did a day trip to Ubud.

“I went in a car to see this shaman in the depths of this jungle, and I went down five hundred stairs to this lake of holy water and saw this shaman.

“It was absolutely f**king lifechanging. He read stuff that my 20 years of therapy has never picked up on. He single-handedly redirected my life … it was quite emotional.

“I just screamed, on my own … into the jungle. I cannot stop talking about it because it was the most incredible experience I have ever had.”

Ms Edwards, who is a seasoned traveller and currently in Europe, revealed three items she would never step foot on a plane without.

“A lot of the time my luggage has been delayed, so in my carry-on is four different outfits to get me through … like bikini tops, jeans and shoes … and I’ve got all my expensive handbags,” she said.

“I do pack a lot of shoes, as they can make or break an outfit. Obviously I also can’t live without my Sonos headphones which are attached to my neck.

“In my carry on is also all of my sunglasses, because they also make or break an outfit.”

Pip Edwards is the founder of PE Nation.

Fashion designer Pip Edwards is the new ambassador for Sonos Ace headphones. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

Ms Edwards experience highlights another growing trend within Bali, where droves of tourists seek to experience a sacred cleansing ritual to cleanse the mind, body and soul.

Influencers and travel bloggers over the past few years have been uploading their experiences to social media, claiming the “traditional Balinese purification ritual” is one of the best things you can do while visiting the island.

A simple keyword search on TikTok and Instagram shows hundreds of videos of men and women screaming, crying and sobbing mid-ritual. Wearing traditional sarongs, surrounded by waterfalls and flowers, the emotional ceremony has gained popularity among travellers hoping find inner peace.

Outside of great surf, good food and larger than life party scene, Bali has more recently emerged as a top international choice for health-focused getaways.

Wellbeing-inspired trips are becoming increasingly more common among Aussies, with 47 per cent more open to the idea of a wellness holiday than in previous years, according to Expedia research.