Book Buahan, a Banyan Tree Escape with VIP Benefits

The no-walls, no-doors concept defines the stay. Mist, birdsong, changing light and the sounds of the river become part of the room experience. Weather and occasional encounters with insects or wildlife belong to this setting too. The openness is the point, not a design trick.

Comfort comes through the pavilion's proportions, a king bed, a bathtub and space to spend much of the day outdoors. Locally sourced and reclaimed materials, including Ulin wood, connect the buildings to Balinese craftsmanship. Instead of a window framing the forest, the bale leaves you living alongside it. Dedicated hosts and round-the-clock security support this unusual way of staying, without changing its open character.

Each bale has a total area of 160 square meters, comprising 125 square meters for the room and terrace, plus 35 for the pool and deck. Each accommodates two adults, with no extra beds or additional guests. Position and outlook, rather than extra bedrooms, shape the choice between categories, so consider which part of the landscape you would most like to wake beside.

The Rainforest Pool Bale puts the surrounding greenery first, with mountain and natural scenery views. River Valley Pool Bale looks toward the Ayung River, forest and hills. These are two different ways of experiencing the same open-air idea: one emphasizes the forest around the pavilion, while the other brings the river valley into the outlook.

Buahan Valley Pool Bale has a heated private pool and views of forested hills, rice terraces and the river. Above the Waterfall Pool Bale occupies a secluded position above flowing water, with rainforest around it. Seven Peaks Pool Bale gives the mountain panorama greater prominence, particularly as the peaks emerge in the first light. For a honeymoon, the decision is less about finding a larger room than choosing between a broad outlook and a more enclosed forest setting.

The Open Kitchen and open communal spaces are the social heart of Buahan. Meals follow locally sourced ingredients, seasonal harvests and Indonesian cooking traditions. The kitchen's zero-waste menu concept was developed with Agency X, a local food laboratory and culinary consultancy, to bring attention to forgotten Balinese flavors.

You can watch the chefs prepare the food, which gives the restaurant a more direct connection to its cooking than a dining room separated from the kitchen. Dinner usually follows a five-course format. For guests interested in the island's food, this is a reason to spend an evening at the resort rather than making every meal part of a trip into Ubud.

The Botanist Bar continues the same local logic. Herbs, flowers, spices and tropical ingredients from the gardens and nearby producers inform its cocktails and botanical refreshments. Locally roasted coffee belongs to the offering too. The rainforest-facing setting makes the bar a natural place to pause between an afternoon outdoors and dinner, with the landscape still close at hand.

Toja Spa brings Banyan Tree's approach to wellbeing into open-air treatment spaces. Local healing techniques and knowledge shared by Balinese healers inform its rituals, while herbs and other botanicals give the treatments a connection to the surrounding land. The setting keeps the experience outdoors even when the focus turns to massage and body care.

Buahan Bliss combines a body scrub, massage and herbal wrap. Couples can choose Sejoli, a journey that includes meditation, Balinese massage and a flower bath. These specific rituals offer a more useful starting point than choosing by treatment length alone. Yoga, meditation and sound-healing experiences broaden the options for guests who want to give wellbeing a larger part of their stay.

Beyond your own pool, the resort has a shared outdoor infinity pool overlooking the jungle and mountains. The Bamboo Pavilion provides another setting for yoga. These spaces give you reasons to leave the bale without filling the day with excursions, and keep the forest as the backdrop to swimming or movement.

The resort offers experiences that connect guests to the surrounding area. On the Sandikala Walk, a local farmer guides guests through rice fields at twilight, explaining rice traditions and the Subak irrigation system. It turns a familiar Balinese landscape into something easier to understand, with attention to the people who cultivate it.

Jungle Cooking at Dukuh Asri brings foraging and cooking with local people into the day. Herbal-drink workshops explore Jamu and Loloh, while Batur Brewscape leads into Kintamani's coffee highlands. Cycling and mountain outings give more active travelers another way to explore. Choose the experiences that interest you, then leave time for the room, the pool and the slower rhythm of the resort.

Buahan is close enough to Ubud for cultural excursions, but it is not a central Ubud hotel. A few nights here work best with a lighter schedule, rather than repeated drives between attractions. Comfortable walking shoes with good grip and a light layer for cooler evenings are useful companions to swimwear and resort clothes.

The grounds follow sloping terrain, with paths and stairs linking the different areas. Guests with mobility concerns should discuss the layout with the hotel before choosing a bale. The hotel can arrange a private airport transfer, a useful option for reaching this inland location. Arrange the airport journey in advance too, allowing for traffic on the drive into Bali's interior. Leave the arrival day open enough to settle into the pavilion and become familiar with its surroundings.