Richard Williams shares his stunning floating experience at The Terapung Float Club
Slipped unassumingly between the Harris Hotel and a newly-built shopping strip lies the Terapung Float Club in Jalan Drupadi, Seminyak, Bali. I had been intrigued by their high quality social media postings and given my interest as a “floater” since the 1990s, I was eager to finally experience their services.
Wow, I was not disappointed, this place is slick! From the glass frontage and polished cement, black stone tiles, and metallic, industrial interiors, to the ikebana pots throughout the public areas, it has a superbly minimalist Japanese interior feel.
A warm welcome began at entry and Putra, one of the owners, and his team welcomed me by name and invited me to sit down and check in, a process which was paperless. As I waited for my friend to arrive, we chatted about the inception of the business. Arthur, another partner from Malaysia, had opened a Float Club in Penang and I guess based on that success, the Bali Club came about, with the addition of a couple more business partners from Jakarta.
When my friend arrived we were both invited to enter the adjacent A.V. Room to watch a video on the float process, cleverly introducing the process visually as we sat on the beanbags. I couldn’t help but notice the cute icons and logos in brass inlaid in the floor and walls.
Putra then collected us and led us to a dimly-lit room where we were given a very welcome complimentary hair wash and scalp massage before being guided via elevator to the 2nd level float area.
At Terapung, they do not have capsule or “clam shell” tanks but use open, heart-shaped pools in a room that can be made completely dark. You are briefed on the music, when the lights will be turned completely off, the button location if you decide you’d like the lights back on or for emergency as well as the water spray bottle and facecloth if you get salt on your face. A sleek shower area with earplugs and petroleum jelly if you have any cuts and scrapes.
Easing myself into the warm salty water, I loved how I was able to extend my arms out above my head. Sensory deprivation is a wonderful way to focus on breathing and still the mind. One hour of floatation is worth eight hours of sleep, it is said. As your body is in zero gravity and the brainwaves are in theta, this facilitates deep relaxation as well as accelerating healing from physical injury. I was very aware of the movement of my head and my cervical spine, so even though I was horizontal, I was very aware of my posture. I glided in and out of consciousness, the experience was very meditative and didn’t really feel like sleep.
Music returned first and after a few minutes the lights were turned back on indicating the session was over. Slightly light-headed and coming back to Earth, I climb out and headed to the shower.
Staff are outside to guide you up to the relaxation level where you find stepped cement seating, an open warm breeze and hot tea being served. I sat and admired the beautiful ikebana in the center of the room, while off to the side is a compact yoga studio and opposite unisex lockers, bathroom and showers.
My friend floated in, we compared notes and felt all was good. What a great way to spend the afternoon! Arthur even came to introduce himself, and we really felt so relaxed and so well looked-after.
Floatation is not for the claustrophobic, although there is no reason why you couldn’t enjoy a float with lights and music still on. I would highly recommend floatation for jet-lag, general stress, meditation and mindfulness and for physical repair.
Definitely I will return. Terapung also offers multiple float packages, they have yoga classes and some basic massage services to ease into that float. Enjoy!
