In the lush mountains north of Ubud in Bali, a Banyan Tree resort opened in June with 16 spacious bales, or private villas, that have no walls or doors. There are room numbers, but no room keys. Upon arrival, each visitor is invited to strike a kulkul—a vertically hanging wooden slot drum that’s used in villages as a traditional means of communication and that unleashes a gonglike thud—hailing their arrival to the property and their welcome to its “naked experience.”
No, it’s not a free love commune, although there’s plenty of talk of nature and peace and happiness. The naked experience is an expression of Buahan’s aim to remove any type of physical or mental barrier that may impede an unobstructed connection with nature.
“It’s about going back to basics, about having the intent to go back to the root of who you are or who you want to be,” says Yvonne de Suñer Beltran, assistant vice president of experience development for Banyan Tree Group. “I’ve always had a deep desire to retreat inwards, and this is the essence of the naked experience, that we are stripped to our core selves so that we may reconnect to nature and renew our sense of meaning.”
The word “bale” in Indonesian refers to community gathering spaces in the form of open-air, outdoor pavilions. At Buahan, a Banyan Tree Escape—the second resort in Indonesia for the growing brand, which has deep roots in China and Southeast Asia—each bale totals 160 square meters (1,722 sq. ft.), including private plunge pools and lounging decks. With no real walls, the only separation between the “room” and the jungle environment around it is a push-open swinging gate, à la an old-time saloon entrance.
Sturdy canvas covers can be dropped down from the pitched, Balinese-style roof in case of inclement weather or for a sense of enclosure at night, when flowing white drapes also surround the bed, keeping bugs at bay. Thin bamboo hangings block the occasional sight line from the weaving paths around the property, and there are half-walls around the toilets. But otherwise, guests are fully immersed in the vibrant green jungle, left to enjoy the background soundtrack of the rushing Ayung River, birds and insects chirping away, and critters running around, as well as the soft pitter-patter of a midnight rainstorm, perhaps.
“We sought to create a way for people to be present, to renew and rewild in nature,” de Suñer Beltran says. “The intention is for guests to have a fresher perspective on life and be truly present in the now.”
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While the accommodations are amid—and really of—the surrounding jungle, that doesn't mean guests at Buahan are roughing it. To the contrary, this is more akin to an adults-only, luxury safari camp far removed from the throngs of tourists crowding, and overcrowding, the main drags found across the island. Creature comforts within each bale include plush bedding with an evening-only cool air system overhead—basically an energy-efficient, AC alternative—that’s focused on the bed; handmade copper soaking tubs; a separate, cordoned off shower; numerous lounging spots; and those plunge pools.
“Our no-walls experience, it’s one of a kind here in Bali,” says Suwena, one of Buahan’s affable hosts and activity guides. “There’s glamping here, but this is different.”
As Buahan is tucked into the mountains of its namesake village, guests are encouraged to be active and one with nature, but also to relax as much as they please. Although there are steep switchback trails and stairs required to get from the main hub of the property to the tiers of bales below, if one’s feeling a bit heady after cocktails in the Botanist Bar or after the restaurant’s mostly plant-based multicourse meals, there’s also a funicular-like inclinator system making the 150m descent instead.
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Daily activities are classified into categories such as healing, culture, cuisine, and adventure. Learn how to make jamu, an Indonesian turmeric and ginger health drink, go foraging for fresh herbs and produce, visit local Hindu temples, or cycle through nearby villages. Onsite there’s daily yoga and meditation sessions, as well as a waterfall accessible only to guests.
The idea of connecting with nature and “finding yourself” may not be a new one in Bali, but Buahan’s design, along with the luxe life it offers, stands out from the crowd. And in the privacy of your plunge pool, nobody’s going to be the wiser on just how naked your experience actually gets. Pro tip: just don’t be bashful about deploying the bug spray the resort wisely provides.
Rooms start at $900 per night.
