When I first heard about the Pangea Dreams Blogger Retreats, they had never run one before. There were no reviews, testimonials, or alumni to ask questions to. I mean, it all sounded great: one week at a luxury villa in Bali, daily yoga, sunset dinners, photo shoots… but I thought to myself, am I really going to learn anything? Do I really want to risk spending money on this?

In the end, I took the gamble and attended the first week of the first ever Pangea Dreams Blogger Retreat in Bali. Fast forward ten months later, and I say with confidence that it was the best thing I have ever done for my blog and my brand.

Many of you have been asking what a Pangea Dreams Blogger Retreat is all about and what my experience was like, so I’ve written a full review that will hopefully answer some of those questions!

LOCATION:

Pangea Dreams does not disappoint with the exotic locations they choose to host their retreats. Although I had already been to Bali before, I was so excited to return to this beautiful part of the world. (I mean, is there such a thing as visiting Bali too many times? I think not.) We were situated in the awesome surfer town of Canggu which served to be a perfect home-base for The Retreat. We had access to the beach, many wonderful cafes, views of rice paddies…it was perfect.

ACCOMMODATION:

All Pangea Dreams Blogger Retreats include a 6-night stay in luxury accommodation. I had never stayed in luxury accommodation before, so I was mesmerized by the gorgeous Balinese villa that greeted us upon arrival. The villa boasted a private pool, sundeck, cabana, open kitchen, and three large guest rooms. I shared a room with the wonderful Isabella Garofanelli, and our room had an open-air bathroom with a rain shower. I was very impressed and would say it added value to the retreat overall.

DAY-TRIPS:

Although we spent a lot of time at the villa for workshops and relaxing, we spent the majority of the time off exploring and taking photos of the beautiful surroundings. They definitely take advantage of the gorgeous destinations they choose, and schedule in plenty of activities that give attendees the opportunity to experience the local nature & culture.

One day we took a trip to Ubud where we saw the Tegalalang Rice Terraces, the Monkey Forest and even participated in a praying ritual at a Balinese water temple. Another day we drove down to Bingin Beach and Uluwatu Temple, and the next day we took a trip to Seminyak. There was even an option to hike Mount Batur if you wanted! In addition to the workshops and all the learning that goes on, it’s very important to the Pangea Dreams Team that participants enjoy their trip and get the most out of their experience.

WELLNESS ASPECT:

Since a big focus of The Retreat is health and wellness, you can expect lots of healthy food and yoga throughout the week. Each morning we started off the day with a yoga and mindfulness session which was the perfect way to clear the mind and get ready for the day’s activities. Since Bali is known for incredibly fresh exotic fruit, we were constantly surrounded by healthy food options and visited many of the healthy cafes in the area. Although I’m not a vegetarian, they can easily cater to vegetarians and vegans.

WORKSHOPS:

Remember at the beginning of this post how I wasn’t sure if I would actually learn anything? It’s laughable that I ever thought that! There was a total of 5 workshops during The Retreat, where we learned all about personal branding, building a community, how to collaborate with brands, and much more.

For one of the workshops with Carley Rudd of Carley’s Camera, we all went to a cafe for a hands-on food photography workshop. Ultimate #Bossbabe Kat Gaskin of The Salty Pineapple and creator of the Content Planner gave another workshop all about growing your Instagram which I found extremely helpful as well. (I’ve grown Wanderluluu from 1k to 10k followers in the past 10 months!) In addition, each participant had one-on-one sessions with the host of The Retreat and founder of Pangea Dreams, Tracy Komlos, where we discussed goals and personal development strategies.

However, the learning doesn’t just happen during the workshops, it’s honestly just a continuous week of learning: it happens during the photoshoots, talking to the other participants, watching the hosts and other attendees, etc. It’s a week-long collaborative learning environment! 

CONTENT CREATION:

The photo shoots and the content that was created while on The Retreat is gorgeous, professional, and very high quality. We went to beautiful locations for photo shoots (many places I had never heard of, and it was my second time in Bali) and I had amazing content to use on my social media channels for at least a month afterward, if not more.

Not only was the content I received from The Retreat amazing, but it also helped me take my own photography and content creation to the next level. Throughout the content creation process, I learned what makes a good photo in terms of lighting, editing, composition and even posing for photos.

NETWORKING & COMMUNITY

This was by far my favorite part, and the most valuable aspect of The Retreat, in my opinion. The environment is incredibly nurturing, with positive energy and motivation radiating off of every woman there. It can get lonely, and frustrating as an entrepreneur, and self-doubt can easily creep into the mind. That’s why joining the Pangea Dreams Community has been so key for me.

The Retreat offers the opportunity to connect with like-minded women in a similar position who are always there to support and inspire you. Not only did I leave The Retreat with a network of incredibly smart, inspiring, and supportive women who I can always reach out to if I’m ever feeling stuck or in need of a little motivation, but I left with life-long friends. That, I think, is pretty darn special.

BOTTOM LINE:

The Retreat was instrumental in helping me take my blog and brand to the next level, so I don’t even have to think twice about recommending it. It is perfect for any aspiring blogger or creative looking to expand their network, and improve their blog or social media. For me, it was the nudge of motivation and inspiration I needed to create a more professional social media and blogging presence in the travel industry.

EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT:

I am joining Pangea Dreams again for The Retreat in Siem Reap, Cambodia this February, but this time as a Trip Leader! That’s right, I’ll be co-hosting The Retreat with Tracy, Hayley & Renny and we’re all so excited to help inspire the next wave of aspiring content creators!

If you’re even considering the opportunity, I recommend going for it; I honestly couldn’t recommend it higher! Like I said, it was the best decision I’ve ever made for my blog & brand.

If you have any questions, concerns or just want to chat, please drop a comment below or feel free to email me directly. I’d love to tell you more about my experience!

To save a couple hundred bucks (10%) off any 2018 Retreat, make sure to use → LAURENP10← when booking!!!

Wander On,

Wanderluluu xx