Balinese Eco LuxuryUbud, Indonesia
Play blushing bride in a century-old teak house built in Java as a gift for a lady betrothed to a Javanese nobleman. In the village of Baung, a 15-minute drive from Ubud, Bambu Indah offers eco luxury with 11 restored antique houses and elegant modern guest residences. Each detached room is unique and thoughtfully furnished – some are set on stilts, others include private water features or garden bathrooms, and one even has a glass floor so guests can watch shrimp swimming in the pond below.
There’s also a four-storey pagoda with floor-to-ceiling windows and a traditional Sumbanese house crafted from bamboo. During the day hike to nearby villages, go rafting on the Ayung River, practise yoga in the Minang House – a re-creation of a large clan home from the Padang highlands in Sumatra – or play the giant bamboo harp. For something truly hands-on join a house-building workshop and learn to contort bamboo into architecture.
Bambu Indah is about a one-hour drive from Denpasar International Airport. The boutique resort offers airport transfers (enquire for up-to-date prices) or guests can take a taxi (about US$15).
- Air conditioning
- Free wi-fi
- Refrigerators
- Room service
- Dry cleaning and laundry service
- Swimming pool
- Restaurant and bar
- Spa services
Doubles start at US$125, including breakfast and afternoon tea.
Bambu Indah
bambuhindah.com
Bambu Indah provides a free shuttle service to and from Ubud’s city centre, twice daily.