Green Living
Perched on the traditional Balinese hill village of Payangan, Alila Ubud is a natural boutique resort that feels secluded, yet is only a 20-minute drive to Ubud’s town centre. Artfully constructed with thatched roof villas, a breathtaking infinity pool overlooking the Ayung River valley and plenty of wildlife including chirping birds, roosters, frogs, and even the occasional monkey, this little piece of heaven is the perfect getaway for nature lovers. We put our senses in tune with the beautiful surroundings at our recent stay at Alila Ubud.
As we drove through the peaceful lush green rice fields leading to the resort, we were pleasantly greeted by the adorable cow and her calf near the resort entrance before arriving at the main lobby. Centred in the heart of the resort, the open-air lobby has a high thatched roof and beautiful coconut pillars, much like the villas on the property. Arriving in the afternoon, we were welcomed with fresh papaya juice and cold towels before we were led to our spacious Terrace Tree Villa.
Walking past beautifully aged moss covered stone walls and rows of bamboo trees, we were delighted to see the green roof on the Terrace Tree Villa. A comfy sofa and wooden table sit elegantly on the villa deck. Opening the wooden doors to our villa, we were met with natural daylight pouring into our room from the row of wood framed windows that open to the lush trees below.
We relaxed for the rest of the afternoon by the gorgeously designed infinity pool which overlooks the Ayung river valley. You may even see the occasional white water raft boat doing a dramatic drop to the Ayung River from the distance. The Cabana Lounge right by the infinity pool offers complimentary afternoon tea with simple Balinese snacks like fried bananas. We soaked up some sunshine as we sipped on a cup of black tea with ginger on the loungers by the pool. On two days of the week, girls from the nearby village practice their traditional Balinese dancing by the pool which is always enjoyable to watch especially with their colourful traditional dresses and cheerful music.
Awaking to the sounds of roosters early next morning, we headed to Plantation Restaurant which overlooks the infinity pool and gorgeous white sky for an a la carte breakfast. Dishes are made when ordered, minimizing as much food waste as possible. The menu is packed with healthy options like granola and muesli as well as an extensive beverage list from fresh juices and smoothies to Balinese coffee and hot chocolate. One of our favorites is a refreshing ginger and tamarind herbal drink called Jamu. After an energizing breakfast, we headed to the lobby to meet up with Puriana from Alila Ubud’s leisure concierge team to take a tour of the local crafts village. It wasn’t hard to spot Puriana’s passion for Balinese’a artisan culture as he worked as a silversmith before joining Alila. Through Alila Ubud’s support for local artisans by displaying their works at the resort gallery, Puriana decided to become a tour guide and continues his love for Balinese art by sharing about the tradition with visitors to Bali from around the world. From the meticulous ink drawings of Hindu gods at Wayan Gama’s painting school where free classes are provided to local village children to pass on the Balinese tradition and to equip them with a life-long skill to the famous mask maker I Made Regug’s coconut shell masks that come alive after 200 layers of natural dyes made from plants are painted on, we fell in love with the Balinese artistic culture in no time.
Coming back from an eye-opening tour of Bali’s artisan village, it was time to relax with an afternoon massage at Alila Ubud Spa where we were treated to a healing Warm Stone massage. In addition to the natural spa sanctuary, Alila Ubud guests are encouraged to stay healthy and active with yoga and tai chi classes by the poolside in the mornings and bikes conveniently located by the lobby for a cycling tour around the natural scenery in Ubud.
Perched on the traditional Balinese hill village of Payangan, Alila Ubud is a natural boutique resort that feels secluded, yet is only a 20-minute drive to Ubud’s town centre. Artfully constructed with thatched roof villas, a breathtaking infinity pool overlooking the Ayung River valley and plenty of wildlife including chirping birds, roosters, frogs, and even the occasional monkey, this little piece of heaven is the perfect getaway for nature lovers. We put our senses in tune with the beautiful surroundings at our recent stay at Alila Ubud.
We relaxed for the rest of the afternoon by the gorgeously designed infinity pool which overlooks the Ayung river valley. You may even see the occasional white water raft boat doing a dramatic drop to the Ayung River from the distance. The Cabana Lounge right by the infinity pool offers complimentary afternoon tea with simple Balinese snacks like fried bananas. We soaked up some sunshine as we sipped on a cup of black tea with ginger on the loungers by the pool. On two days of the week, girls from the nearby village practice their traditional Balinese dancing by the pool which is always enjoyable to watch especially with their colourful traditional dresses and cheerful music.
