The Bali Story Sanctuary
Writing Retreat
Revitalise your creativity – ponder, plot, dream and write
October 21 - 29, 2025 February 02 - 10, 2026 | October 20 - 28, 2026
7 writing days / 8 nights
Details follow for October 2025
We gather as a group from October 22nd - 28th with villa check-in the day before and checkout the day after.
You can also extend into the Ubud Readers and Writers Festival from October 30 - November 2.
Thursday October 30 – Sunday November 2, 2025
Thursday October 29 – Sunday November 1, 2026
Immerse yourself in the magical environment of Penestanan, the artists’ area of Ubud, Bali, where, ensconced in a private villa, you can escape daily chores and the demands of everyday life and devote yourself to your writing. You’ll be supported by like-minded creatives and our creative facilitators, Dr Betty O’Neill and Steve Castley.
Acclaimed author, creative writing teacher and professional workshop facilitator
See more here.
Writer, reader, painter, traveller, dreamer, villa manager extraordinaire and Penestanan local
See more here.
Enter a welcoming, safe space for laughter and learning where you can enliven your creativity with innovative tools, techniques and practices and build confidence to play with ideas, deeply engage with your work and open up to new possibilities for your writing.
Testimonials
“The retreat was a timely catalyst to reconnect with my project after months of stagnation. Within a day of joining the retreat, I felt my ‘writing mojo’ resurfacing”
- Annie Stewart, 2024 Retreat
“Thank you so very much for a fabulous week. My writers’ group at home are all envious - as they should be! The exercises you led us through really opened my creativity faucet and I intend to keep twisting the tap-handle in the right direction”
- Jo Callaghan, 2025 Retreat
Dates
7 writing days plus arrival and departure days
Our 2025 retreat begins at 12 noon on Wednesday 22nd October and concludes with a Farewell Dinner on Tuesday 28th October.
Villa check-in is on Tuesday 21st with check-out on Wednesday 29th October 2025.
If you are staying on for the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival, (website here) check-out date is Monday 3rd November. You might also like to arrive early to relax and acclimatise or stay on longer and keep writing. Let us know and we will do our best to accommodate you for an extra nightly fee. Your airport transfers are included.
Our wonderful 2024 writers
Who is this retreat for?
Whatever your level of experience or genre, whether writing fiction or non-fiction, whether you’re just getting started or you’ve been writing for years, this writers’ retreat is designed to give you space and supported time to write.
Testimonials
“The retreat was a smorgasbord of wonder for me. From the small details, I felt well cared for and could relax immediately. The structure was held with gentle commitment by Betty and Steve, and I valued the workshops for the clarity of information and the quality of teaching. There was always something helpful to be learnt, and connection with other participants about the writing as a part of group check-ins and socially over dinner was delightful”
- Katherine Howard, 2024 Retreat
“The Bali Story Sanctuary course was exactly what I needed to transform my travel blog writing into a book worth reading”
- Teresa McCarthy, 2024 Retreat
The Place
Natural Beauty
Enjoy the beautiful surrounds which help calm and prepare the mind for your creative endeavours
Villas
From the comfortable air- conditioned bedrooms to the lush tropical gardens and pool, the ambience of each villa creates peace and tranquility
Forget the world
A quiet place to develop your work, nourish your mind, body and spirit and make new connections
Testimonial
“Bali was the perfect place to do this writing retreat. A big Thank you”
- Teresa McCarthy, 2024 Retreat
“I haven’t felt so enlivened by being part of a group for a long time. I really appreciated the very careful planning (with flexibility!) that went in to every day”
- Meg Corlett, 2025 Winter Retreat
The Program
Pre-retreat Zoom meeting: Date and time to be advised.
21st October: Arrive in Bali. We’ll meet you at the airport and bring you to your villa. Settle in and join us for dinner at 7pm at Two Sisterz if you arrive in time and feel like it.
22nd October: Have a lazy morning getting your bearings and join us at noon for a buffet lunch and orientation session at Betty’s Villa Exotica. We’ll spend some time getting to know each other, setting our intentions and planning for the week ahead.
Suggested Daily Rhythm
This Writers’ Retreat has been carefully curated to provide you with the enabling conditions for your writing project to flourish by escaping the usual daily demands and nourishing your creative core.
Testimonial
“Our small group had time to write together, to share our writing, to get to know each other, and to retreat to our villa and write or have Balinese massages on-site or explore”
- Moira Nolan, 2024 Retreat
Afternoon Workshops
Included, but optional, are a series of afternoon writing workshops to develop your writing craft and creativity. Final workshop offerings will be decided based on the needs of the group.
Previous workshops have included:
Turning facts and events into engaging stories – 9 essentials of a good story
Sizzling starts and great hooks
Writing emotions
Developing scenes from the senses
Building tension by capturing pivotal moments and conflict
Writing family stories – more than places, names and dates
The ethics of writing life stories – memoir, biography, family history
Testimonial
“Betty and Steve made the workshops very informative and interactive. A group of eight people was perfect to give everyone a chance to express their thoughts, share their writing and any concerns they had about their skills and to learn how to progress with their books”
- Teresa McCarthy, 2024 Retreat
One on one mentoring
Optional daily mentoring sessions are offered. For beginning writers, Steve will listen to your ideas, help you choose a starting point for your story and with you, plan the writing of your memoir or novel. Betty will also be available for a one-hour mentoring session. You can book these in when you arrive
Local area activities (cost not included)
Testimonial
“I particularly valued Betty’s insights and one to one mentoring which she offered with generosity, skill and wisdom. I feel very blessed to have had this opportunity and made good progress with my long dreamed of book”
- Katherine Howard, 2024 Retreat
If you fancy a longer break from your writing or are looking for local inspiration, some suggestions include: visit the Ubud food and flower markets, make a woven palm leaf canang sari (offering trays); take a trip to the rice paddy terraces, enjoy a Balinese cooking class or a Cocktail Masterclass. Take a full day out to discover nearby waterfalls, temples, a coffee plantation, the Neka Museum, the House of Masks and Puppets and more; or go for a day’s snorkelling off the coast from Padang Bai to Blue Lagoon.
Accommodation Features
Our two- and three-bedroom villas, each include:
King-sized bed in air-conditioned bedroom with ensuite and walk in robes
Own writing desk, chair and lamp
Large living areas with lounges, TV, cable and a library of books
Ceiling fans in open living areas
Filtered water
Free fast speed wifi throughout the villa
A fully equipped kitchen with gas cooktop, microwave, refrigerator/freezer
Washing machine and drying rack
Pool and outdoor area with seating
Your villa caretaker will make you breakfast each morning, service your room and common areas, clean the pool and tidy the gardens. They will ensure you have everything you need to make your stay comfortable. Individual dietary requirements can be met with notice and discussion before arrival.
See villas here.
This retreat offers the privacy and tranquility to start, continue or finish a creative work inspired by the beautiful surrounds of Bali, with fellow writers and dedicated time.
Cost
(Australian Dollars)
8 nights /7 writing days (plus check-in and check-out days)
Private room and ensuite in two- or three-bedroom villa with shared living, kitchen, outdoor areas and pool
$3850
Optional Ubud Writers and Readers Festival extension, 5 nights’ accommodation with breakfast and 4-day festival pass
+$1050
What’s Included
8 nights’ accommodation and breakfasts (The Bali Story Sanctuary Writing Retreat only)
13 nights’ accommodation and breakfasts if you are combining The Bali Story Sanctuary Writing Retreat and the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival
Welcome lunch, Farewell Dinner and evening Cultural Kecak Performance
6 morning creativity sessions, 7 afternoon workshops and 7 afternoon writing debriefs
One on one mentoring sessions
Evening reading soiree
One hour Balinese massage
Wifi connection throughout each villa
Airport transfers
What’s Not Included
Airfares, passport valid for six months from arrival date, and visa fees
Travel & health Insurance (mandatory)
Alcohol
Additional activities, yoga classes, treatments and meals not listed. You will be steps away from great cafes and restaurants or a short car or motorbike ride into Ubud.
Payment
Please pay your non-refundable deposit of $500 to secure your booking.
If required, a payment plan is available. Just email for details.
FLIGHTS TO DENPASAR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Please book your flight to arrive at Denpasar International airport on the 21 October 2025,
2 February 2026 or 20 October, 2026.
Fares to Denpasar can vary greatly so we suggest you book ahead or sign up for the various airline sale alerts to get the best fare.
Testimonial
(Australian Dollars)
“Thank you, Betty and Steve, this inaugural Writing Retreat in Paradise greatly exceeded my expectations”
- Moira Nolan, 2024 Retreat
You can look forward to a world of stimulation and relaxation, the spaciousness of dedicated time for immersion in your own imaginative writing world and the beauty of Bali.
You’ll return refreshed and invigorated, with stories to tell and progress to report.
Come on your own or bring a writing buddy with you.
Beautiful Bali and your story are calling.
On Steve’s PayPal @balistorysanctuary page, click through Send, enter $500.00 for your deposit and in the 'add a note’ box enter the Retreat month and year.
Then click on Next for payment steps to secure your booking.
Please add your email address in the Shipping Address information.
Once your deposit is paid, please complete the questionnaire by clicking the button below.
or
Email Betty for more information, put in an expression of interest for upcoming retreats (please nominate which one) or to organise a chat about your writing goals. I'd love to hear from you. Betty.ONeill@uts.edu.au