Buahan, a Banyan Tree Escape, is set to open in an off-the-beaten-track, untouched part of northern Ubud in September 2021. Though the opening falls during the pandemic, this brand extension symbolises the Banyan Tree brand’s vision and commitment to creating immersive experiences combining deep nature and sustainable design. Pioneering a “no walls, no doors” concept throughout the property and in each of its 16 balés (villas), Buahan, a Banyan Tree Escape, is an invitation into a different way of being. Situated in a quiet enclave surrounded by rice paddies and jungle, the site’s unique topography is next to the Ayung River and waterfall, including a sweeping view of the seven majestic peaks.
At the resort’s heart are the Open Kitchen and Living Room, both open dining and lounge spaces created to evoke a sense of community. Here, guests are invited to learn how the resort reinvents the basics of food and drink through its unique zero-waste farm to table concept, local sourcing philosophy and heritage techniques. The menu concept, 70% of which is plant-based, is sourced locally within a one-hour drive from the property. This concept was developed through a collaboration with Agency X, a local consultant group that houses the acclaimed restaurant Locavore, Nusantara Restaurant, and The Night Rooster Cocktail Bar, creatively enhancing a sense of place.
The Botanist Bar is centred around the use of local-grown natural ingredients and botanicals infused into its beverages, while Toja Spa celebrates the wellbeing traditions from Buahan village and its surrounding areas, with a unique “open” garden experience – certified by the award-winning Banyan Tree Spa Academy.
The brand also celebrates unconventional craft forms, from its sonic branding approach with Singapore- based creative studio Parable to using re-purposed Ulin ‘iron’ wood from boat jetties, hand-carved wooden headboards, hand-smithed copper bathtubs and natural dye soft furnishings.