Buahan, a Banyan Tree Escape
Ubud, Bali — Indonesia
Buahan, a Banyan Tree Escape
Ubud, Bali
from $900 / night
16 villas · Adults only · Year-round
- EDGE certified — energy, water & materials
- Firefly conservation programme on-site
- Zero-waste restaurant, 80% local
Why it's a Positive Escape
A resort above the Ayung River gorge with no walls and no doors — and a genuine commitment to the jungle it sits in.
Buahan opened in 2022 on a steep hillside in Payangan, designed by Balinese architect Gede Kresna. The 16 open-air villas use permanent cross-ventilation instead of air conditioning. On the farm below, all commercial pesticides have been eliminated to protect a firefly conservation programme run with biologists from Udayana University. It holds EDGE certification — a standard issued by the World Bank that independently measures energy, water and materials savings compared to conventional construction.
Sustainability in action
Community
Subak and village partnerships
collaboration with Subak Uma Lambing and Singaperang village for water management and food supply
Almost all staff hired locally
the kitchen is led by Balinese-born Chef Eka Sunarya
Energy
EDGE certification — 22.56% energy reduction
solar panels on villa rooftops
No walls, no doors
natural airflow that replaces air conditioning
Water
EDGE certification — 38.51% water reduction
low-flow systems throughout
Subak Uma Lambing canal preservation
active partnership with Subak Uma Lambing, a UNESCO-listed traditional Balinese irrigation cooperative, covering 87 hectares
Food
Zero-waste restaurant
certified zero-waste by Open Kitchen (an independent food waste certification); 70% plant-based menu; 80% of ingredients sourced within a 1-hour radius (Singaperang village)
On-site organic garden
70 species of fruits, vegetables and herbs grown on-site — no pesticides, composting, pollination by stingless bees
Materials & Construction
Reclaimed Ulin ironwood
Ulin is a tropical hardwood native to Borneo — sourced here from decommissioned boat jetties and fishing vessel decks in Kalimantan
EDGE certification — 77.22% reduction in embodied energy
embodied energy refers to the energy used to produce and transport building materials; bamboo used for lightweight structures, no heavy machinery during construction
Local Balinese architect
Gede Kresna / Rumah Intaran — 4 months of field research, 3 months on-site
Wildlife
Lentera Bumi firefly conservatory
run with biologists from Udayana University; all commercial pesticides eliminated on the farm to support the programme
Habitat for rare owls
nesting boxes for Javan scops owls (a rare species native to Indonesia) built on-site
No interactions with wild animals
and no captivity for tourism
Transparency
EDGE certification (IFC / World Bank)
independently audited by the International Finance Corporation, the World Bank's private investment arm. Results are publicly accessible.
Travelife
an external audit programme that assesses hotels on environmental and social criteria — participation requires an independent review.
Lentera Bumi programme
the firefly conservation programme is run with and confirmed by biologists from Udayana University.
Travel mindfully
The 2h road transfer from Denpasar airport is unavoidable given the remote location.
Photos · © Banyan Tree Group
The full picture
Three villa positions, each with a different relationship to the landscape — set in rainforest, facing the valley, or suspended above the Ayung gorge with open views. All are around 165 m², with a private infinity pool, a hand-forged copper bathtub facing the canopy, and a fire pit on the upper terrace.
The Open Kitchen restaurant works a plant-forward, Balinese-inspired menu sourced from the farm and surrounding villages. The Botanist Bar above the main pavilion makes cocktails from herbs grown on-site. The Toja Spa (toja means water in Balinese) has four open-air treatment rooms carved into the hillside. Awarded two Michelin Keys and on the Condé Nast Traveler Hot List 2023.
20 minutes north of Ubud — quieter, higher, cooler than the town. The resort occupies 12 acres of primary forest at the confluence of two rivers, with a waterfall below the villas and views of seven mountain peaks to the west. Orchards of cacao, mangosteen and durian frame the property.
Accommodation
16 villas
Capacity
2 guests per unit
Availability
Year-round
Price
From $900 / night
Amenities
Pool · Spa · Restaurant · Wi-Fi · No pets
Included
Daily yoga sessions · Guided waterfall hike · Firefly conservation visit at dusk
Getting there
Bus station · 15 km
Ubud
Free resort shuttle.
Airport · 48 km
Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS)
Private taxi or resort car service — approximately 1h40.
Good to know
No walls or doors: open jungle concept.
Very steep terrain with many flights of stairs — not suitable for reduced mobility.
Adults only — no children allowed.
Free shuttle to Ubud.