'Naked' escape: This Bali resort lets you experience nature like never before

Where: Banjar Selat, Desa Buahan Kaja, Payangan Gianyar, Bali (19 kilometres north of Ubud centre)

How much: Rainforest, River Valley and Buahan Valley pool bales from $1359 a night

Remember the raw food movement? Now it's all about raw holidays. Maybe it was those years of being cooped up with pandemic panic, but travellers are opting into trips that allow them to experience culture, wellness and nature up close and personal.

One Bali resort has gone all in with the concept: Buahan, A Banyan Tree Escape is a self-described "naked" resort, with no walls and no doors and a philosophy about removing barriers, not just physically, but mentally. Tucked deep in the untamed jungles north of Ubud, it offers a very different take on Bali - wild, raw, and far from Bintang bars and babe boutiques.

Waking up in the jungle is not exactly peaceful. Hundreds of birds compete for the limelight - "We're awake! So are we!" - an insistent frog, tiny squirrels rustling through branches, a rhythmic waterfall and, further away, several roosters all make themselves heard. Beeps, trills, whips, whistles - noises like I've never heard.

About 6am - the mist rolling off the distant mountains - is when the pulse of the rainforest starts, slowly at first, then building to a cacophony of song over the next hour. Oh, the power of birdsong! What a way to feel truly alive. I sit quietly at the edge of my open room, legs dangling over the jungle. I've never stayed in a resort like this; it feels somehow both rustic and luxurious.

There are 16 villas (all with plunge pools) embedded around the jungle, cleverly hidden from one another so it's possible to feel you're part of the landscape, with no glass to shield you from the elements.

There's a huge netted bed in the middle of the open space, alongside double sinks, a deep hand-hammered copper bathtub and ornate wooden mirrors carved by local carpenters.

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Fresh, organic ingredients sourced onsite and from nearby farms and forests make up the mostly plant-based menus and each dish - from moringa butter spread over sourdough to fern tips that taste like delicate asparagus - reflects the land's abundance.

The herbs and plants that grow freely around the resort are more than decorations; they are medicine and food. We take a tour of the gardens and fill our tummies with brightly coloured flowers - from sour to sweet to so chilli that my mouth tingles for ages. At an entertaining cooking class from the head chef in the open kitchen, we learn how to create local staples like curry paste, the essence of Balinese cuisine.

There are so many must-do activities, but room for just three here: a sunrise yoga session that's less about nailing the perfect pose and more about surrendering to the jungle's rhythm; a hike past hidden waterfalls and massive banyan trees; a visit to the secret spa (no signs or maps here as part of the naked ethos), where treatments blend Balinese herbs and ancient wisdom to create a wellness experience unlike any other.

On our last day, we are driven into the beautiful local village, Tenganan, Ubud's oldest, where the locals are preparing for Ngaben, a huge and sacred mass cremation ceremony, where 59 villagers - the total dead over the past three years - are to be commemorated.

The families gather to dress the dead in elaborate garments, offering food and gifts and releasing lanterns to guide the spirits home. What a privilege to witness this special day, an intimate and very local glimpse into the island's traditions, made possible as part of Banyan Tree's Stay for Good program.

Explore more: escape.banyantree.com

The writer was a guest of Buahan.