Buahan, a Banyan Tree Escape
Like a chapter from the Jungle Book deluxe
11/05/2025 Reading time: 2 Minutes
Perfect For ...
Fans of luxurious eco-glamor and to experience the real Bali far away from the beach
Fans of luxurious eco-glamor and to experience the real Bali far away from the beach
Did you know that the last Bali tiger was killed in 1937? Or that a bite from a red-necked water snake up to 1.3 meters long can lead to kidney failure? I spend my first night in Buahan, a jungle resort at an altitude of around 600 meters in the north of Bali, dealing with these and similar questions. Not because I find the island's fauna overly interesting, but because only a wafer-thin mosquito net separates me from it. My 160 m2 "pool bale" has no walls, which brings you dangerously close to nature ...
The next morning: waking up to the view of the last wafts of mist and the first rays of sunshine over the mountains and to the sounds of a matinee performed by just about
pretty much everything that creeps, flies and flutters in the jungle. As a night like this in Bali's mountains can be surprisingly fresh, I decide against a dip in the pool and opt for a bath in the panoramic tub - wild can be so wonderful! Then it's off to breakfast on the funicular: it's two stops to the Open Kitchen restaurant and the Botanist Bar, four to the Toja Spa and the yoga pavilion. That's all you really need to remember at Buahan, as the rest is taken care of by a host of good spirits who emerge from the thicket of the rainforest whenever you fancy a drink or a detox treatment.
They also organize tailor-made excursions. To firefly breeding stations, for example. Or to the summit of Mount Batur, which you can also see from your bed. Or to a blessing at a waterfall on the Ayung River, down in the valley. A day at Buahan is like a chapter from The Jungle Book come true - only much more luxurious. And without Kaa, the evil snake, who is ultimately much nicer than expected.
Test highlight
Waking up in your own luxury villa in the middle of the rainforest
The next morning: waking up to the view of the last wafts of mist and the first rays of sunshine over the mountains and to the sounds of a matinee performed by just about
pretty much everything that creeps, flies and flutters in the jungle. As a night like this in Bali's mountains can be surprisingly fresh, I decide against a dip in the pool and opt for a bath in the panoramic tub - wild can be so wonderful! Then it's off to breakfast on the funicular: it's two stops to the Open Kitchen restaurant and the Botanist Bar, four to the Toja Spa and the yoga pavilion. That's all you really need to remember at Buahan, as the rest is taken care of by a host of good spirits who emerge from the thicket of the rainforest whenever you fancy a drink or a detox treatment.
They also organize tailor-made excursions. To firefly breeding stations, for example. Or to the summit of Mount Batur, which you can also see from your bed. Or to a blessing at a waterfall on the Ayung River, down in the valley. A day at Buahan is like a chapter from The Jungle Book come true - only much more luxurious. And without Kaa, the evil snake, who is ultimately much nicer than expected.
Test highlight
Waking up in your own luxury villa in the middle of the rainforest
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