Banyan Tree Ungasan, Bali: What to See, Taste and Do in 5 days

I was off the grid for 5 days when I travelled to Bali, Indonesia, an island known for its lush green forested volcanic mountains, iconic rice terraces, temples, monkeys, traditional markets and beaches. It was nice to getaway for a few days away from high rise city buildings and just see lush greenness and panoramic ocean views. On vacation, I felt like I stayed in the Garden of Eden, in a hideaway stay at the Banyan Tree Ungasan, in a village on a clifftop 70 metres above sea level on the southern tip of the island of Bali. It was as if I had reached the end of the earth with only sweeping views of the Indian Ocean beyond land on which I stood on.

Bali might have a population of 4 to 5 million people but I didn’t feel any congestion when I stayed at the Banyan Tree Ungasan. Banyan Tree Ungasan is my ideal paradise, secluded, quiet and comfort in luxurious style. It was a hideaway in the sense it was tranquil and you immediately feel any tension in your body slip away as the resort is located away from the hustle and bustle of touristy Bali traffic and a hideaway from family and relatives who were all on the island for the same purpose to attend a family wedding but stayed in another resort. The glitter and excitement of another destination wedding (and a holiday of course) brought me to Bali for the second time after about 20 years. Bali now was very different from what I remember from my earlier visit there as a university student on a budget. The best destination weddings are the ones where you are so relaxed soaking up spa time that you nearly forget the actual day of the wedding. Banyan Tree Ungasan understands luxury pampering and relaxation, admittedly with a price tag to match, but as the saying goes, you get what you pay for.

It was August when I visited and the weather was nice and warm around 25 degrees C on average, a little wet, which locals told me was a bit unusual as it was meant to be their dry season, with a nice cool breeze in the evening.

There is enough beauty, romantic charm and places of interest around the Banyan Tree Ungasan to stimulate your senses. A destination wedding in Bali is at another level with views, service and creativity that makes good use of the surrounding natural beauty. The views for the wedding we attended at the Ocean Wedding Chapel in Ulutwatu, not too far from the Banyan Tree Ungasan was nothing short of breathtaking. I can’t think of any other destination wedding including mine with so many shades of blue, not to mention a rich and colourful culture and people to make the place as interesting as it was visual.

Banyan Tree Ungasan can organise transport from the airport to the hotel, which was particularly helpful for us as we had a late evening arrival and all I wanted to do after a 6 hour flight from Sydney was to crash on a clean comfy bed. We had the unfortunate situation of 24 hour delayed checked in baggage so our time leaving the airport was also delayed but the lovely driver patiently waited for us to ensure we arrived safely at the Banyan Tree Ungasan after about 30 minutes from Denpasar Airport (without traffic), where a golf buggy then quickly whisked us away to our villa which would be our base for the next five days.

Banyan Tree Ungasan Lobby

It was dark when we arrived by you can hear the rhythmic sounds of waves crashing in the Indian Ocean and the soft ocean breeze against your face, and I knew when I woke up, what I’ll see in daylight was going to be beautiful, and that’s both inside and outside the villa we stayed at.

I wasn’t wrong when I woke up. Banyan Tree Ungasan during the morning is absolutely stunning. I woke up to views of our pool in our villa and the Indian Ocean. Heading to the bathroom, it was respectful size, ordinarily the size of a living room and perhaps dining room and kitchen combined in some houses in Australia. I couldn’t help but notice how green the bathroom was with the plants growing around that you can see through the large glass windows which still maintains your privacy. The rain shower looking out to the plants through the clear glass panels was my favourite spot for bath time.

In the morning, the resort’s attentive staff delivered breakfast and it’s not the usual in-house dining service you might think. It was having breakfast in the comfort of our villa, maximising the use and beauty of the villa facilities and taking in-house dining to another level. My first meal in Bali was a floating breakfast and as the name suggests it was bacon and eggs, fruit platter, pastries, juice and coffee in a basket that floats in the pool in your villa. My basket floated away a couple of times as I was too busy photographing it and the last thing I remembered the lady at reception said to me from the night before was to watch out for the monkeys. Thankfully my husband swam out to get our breakfast back. It was actually a beautiful way to each breakfast in your swimmers, sitting on the pool steps in water and looking out to the sweeping views of the Indian Ocean and the weather was warm and pleasant.

Banyan Tree Ungasan in-villa floating breakfast

After breakfast I tried the heated jacuzzi which was heaven, and dried off on the inviting poolside daybed. It was hard to think that I needed to leave the resort to explore the villages of Bali because I was so happy to have just stayed in the Banyan Tree Ungasan resort for the remaining days of my trip. But we had activities booked and arranged, including a wedding but any free time or day, I made sure we were back in the resort to enjoy all its creature comforts, and a few family members who saw my posts on social media the following days, chose to hang out with me at the Banyan Tree Ungasan resort instead of touring too. Clever monkeys!

Rosalynn Win’s Luxe Bridal Robes are perfect for this backdrop

On the other mornings I was at Banyan Tree Ungasan, the buffet and a la carte breakfast was one of my meal highlights of the day and absolutely delicious with a lot of variety of Western and Southeast and South Asian cuisines to choose and enjoy. A smiling chef, called Chef Desak, came out to greet me and noticed I kept helping myself to congee (Chinese rice porridge) that I rarely eat back at home but grew up with as my mum made it for us when we were kids and she asked me, “Would you like to try a Balinese congee?”. Of course I would and true to her word, Chef Desak made us Balinese congee or ‘bubur ayam’ the following day. It has the texture of Western porridge but it’s softer and made of rice, savoury in flavour with shredded chicken meat and it is turmeric that gives it the yellow colour and it’s served with condiments such as chopped scallion, crispy fried shallot, egg, chilli (and it’s a spicy chilli). I also loved the Nasi Goreng cooking class run by Chef Endah that Banyan Tree Ungasan offers that you can book from their recreational centre. They give you a recipe, do a demonstration and then you have to make the dish yourself. Nasi Goreng never tasted better.

Cooking class with Chef Endah at Bambu Restaurant, Banyan Tree Ungasan, Bali

Chef Desak at Bambu Restaurant, Banyan Tree Ungasan, Bali

On the day I decided to reluctantly leave the Banyan Tree Ungasan resort, and I’m glad I did, two of the sites that were highlights for me were Tukad Cepung Waterfall and the Tegalalung Rice Terraces. Tukad Cepung Waterfall is one of the most beautiful virgin waterfalls I’ve seen. If any tour guide suggests you see another waterfall, politely decline the suggestion and see this one as it is worth the three hour trip. We made the trip with a local Balinese guide called Wayan of Saba Bali Trans from Ungasan village via private car to this magical place. The waterfall is in a cave system and you have to walk down about 100 steep steps to get there. When I got there I saw rays of light coming through the cave opening amongst the lush evergreen trees and heard the gushing sound of falling water that echoes through the cave. Lost in the moment my thongs slipped off a couple of times down the stream of water that was thankfully caught a couple of other visitors. I ended taking them off and walked in the water ankle deep and stepped on the pebbles which was a nice foot massage. It was simply magical, like something you see in the movies.

Tukad Cepung Waterfall, Bali, Indonesia

My mother use to say to me as a kid never waste a grain of rice as the farmers work long and hard to bring each grain to your bowl and so I was keen to see a rice terracein Bali. The scenery when I visited the Tegalalang Rice Terraces in Ubud, Bali was spectacular. The irrigation system in the rice terrace called ‘the subak system’ is UNESCO World Heritage listed. According to UNESCO, a line of volcanoes dominate the landscape of Bali and have provided it with fertile soil which, combined with a wet tropical climate, make it an ideal place for crop cultivation. Water from the rivers has been channelled into canals to irrigate the land, allowing the cultivation of rice on both flat land and mountain terraces. Rice, the water that sustains it, and subak , the cooperative social system that controls the water, have together shaped the landscape over the past thousand years and are an integral part of religious life. Rice is seen as the gift of god, and the subak system is part of temple culture. Water from springs and canals flows through the temples and out onto the rice paddy fields.

Tegalalang Rice Terraces in Ubud, Bali

These two iconic sights are a day trip from the Banyan Tree Ungasan and TripAdvisor lists a few recommended day tours you can go on. I went with Saba Bali Trans and I found Wayan to be an excellent driver and tour guide who went above and beyond ensuring we really experienced Balinese culture without it being too touristy. Grazing on Balinese street food along the way with Wayan was also a highlight.

Here is a summary of some things you can see, taste and do in and around the Banyan Tree Ungasan in Bali, Indonesia in 5 days and doing absolutely nothing should be on the list too!

See

Melasti Beach which is a short drive via golf buggy and walk from the Banyan Tree Ungasan
Tegalalang Rice Terrace (we went with a local Balinese guide, Wayan of Saba Bali Trans who I found on Tripadvisor)
Cepung Waterfall (Saba Bali Trans)
If you are lucky enough, a destination wedding at the Ocean Wedding Chapel above Uluwatu Temple which is inhabited by monkeys
Bamboo Forest (Saba Bali Trans)
The entire Banyan Tree Ungasan resort is so beautiful to walk around and explore
Watch the monkeys and bats at the temples

Taste

In-villa floating breakfast at the Banyan Tree Ungasan
In-villa BBQ dinner on the outdoor terrace of your villa amidst lighted garden torches, floating candles and flower petals where your personal chef and waiter create a memorable dinner evening.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner at the Bambu Restaurant – try the Balinese congee for breakfast and Chocolate lava as dessert for lunch or dinner
Nasi Goreng from the cooking class taught by Chef Endah at Bambu Restaurant in the Banyan Tree Ungasan
Indonesian street food, which I tried on a day tour with Saba Bali Trans to Cepung Waterfall.
Lunch and mocktails at the bar by the poolside

Balinese purification ‘Melukat’ ceremony at Batu Pageh Temple which is inhabited by hundreds of bats. This can be organised by the Banyan Tree Ungasan.
Tropical Rainmist Treatment at the Banyan Tree Ungasan spa where you are given a foot wash, massage, bath in honey milk and then a steam to purify your skin, a scrub and then a trickling rain shower allowing the peaceful flow of water to relieve tension.
Swim in the infinity pool at the Banyan Tree Ungasan
Shop at local markets in Ubud
Nothing. Just chill in the spa in your intimate villa retreat with lush green private gardens and pool or swim at the resort’s infinity with magnificent views of the Indian Ocean whilst sipping signature cocktails or mocktails.
Learn how to make Nasi Goreng in the cooking class run by Banyan Tree Ungasan’s Bambu restaurant.

This is the second Banyan Tree Hotel global experience for me, and Banyan Tree Ungasan certainly lives up to its brand of luxurious and culturally sensitive resort experience. My first Banyan Tree experience I stayed at Banyan Tree Phuket and like my first experience, Banyan Tree Ungasan in Bali ensured I had a memorable and very much rejuvenated stay. Absolutely loved it.

Useful tips and what to bring

Carry on – make sure you pack essentials like underwear, spare light change of clothes, small toothbrush and little toothpaste just in case your luggage is delayed for some reason by the aircraft carrier
Pack clothes for 25 degrees C tropical weather with a light sweater for cooler weather. Clothes that a comfortable in the heat and dry quickly. Overcoats can be left at home
Bring thongs or shoes you can wear in water when you travel to Tukad Cepung Waterfall
You can bring your own small umbrella but the hotel provides you with one.
DSLR for high quality picturesque shots although iPhone or Google Pixel is the most practical on day trips. As there is plenty of stairs and climbing bring a backpack and pack light. Bring spare tissues just in case you need to use public toilets.
Hiking boots worked for me for the day trip to Cepung Waterfall and also a packed pair of thongs.
Sunscreen (I didn’t really need mosquito repellent but you can bring it just in case the insects prefer your skin over mine).

Getting there

I flew Qantas from Sydney to Bali and it’s about a 6 hour flight. When you arrive at Denpasar Airport, Bali, it is about 18 kilometres to the hotel by hotel car or taxi. We arrived late in the evening which only took 30 minutes but our driver said it can take an hour depending on the time of day because of traffic.

Checkin time 2pm Check out time 12pm

Address Details

Jl. Melasti Banjar Kelod, Ungasan, Bali – Indonesia 80364

+62 361 300 7000

ungasan@banyantree.com

Banyan Tree Hotel website

See.Taste.Do stayed at the Banyan Tree Ungasan for 5 nights, hosted 2 nights by the Banyan Tree Ungasan and the remaining nights and all tours were independently paid for.