CALL of the WILD

Nothing spurs self-growth like a stint in nature, and Buahan, a Banyan Tree Escape located in the hills of Ubud has it in spades. Alli Sim travels to Bali to find oneness within.

Nature almost comes as a histamine response for some city slickers who find themselves in the Balinese wilds of Ubud. They get twitchy, fight the urge to constantly check their phone, and dull their startle reflex as they adapt to the sights and sounds of wildlife around them. Why does the body fight stillness? American writer and naturalist Greta Erlich muses that “everything in nature invites us constantly to be what we are”. This is both beautiful and terrifying, especially considering I’ve gone cold turkey on urban life and plunged myself in the heart of the jungle at Buahan, a Banyan Tree Escape.

I’m here for the Nature and Self-Growth retreat curated by Beyond by Banyan Group, which is kickstarting a series of wellness experiences in its properties worldwide. Developed in conjunction with renowned practitioners, the four-day/threenight journey into and out of the self is structured around eight pillars of well-being: growth, practice, connection, nourishment, movement, groundedness, rest and mindfulness.

It’s not hard to see why Buahan was selected as the site for this luxury women’s wellness retreat. Buahan’s novel ‘no walls, no doors’ concept means that guests are exposed to its untamed surroundings. And true to its environment, the unpredictability of nature can mean that comfort zones are stretched and tested.

Buahan will have you reframing your understanding of luxe eco resorts filled with buggies and hillside lifts. It’s an immersion in nature that, for many of us, comes once in a lifetime. But the freedom that comes with this escape may be a little confronting to those who count on their four walls for psychological security and retreat. All the more reason to let go.

Day One: Earth Element