If you wish to stay in the Balinese jungle, you need to visit Ubud in central Bali. If you book a hotel in Kuta, Seminyak, or Canggu, you won’t experience the jungle (although you may come across a jungle wallpaper or some tropical houseplants). We will highlight the best jungle resorts in Bali.
The 9 best Bali jungle resorts are:
- Bumi Duadari Estate
- COMO Shambhala Estate
- Jamahal Private Resort & Spa
- Kayumanis Ubud Resort
- Kupu Kupu Barong Villas
- Komaneka at Bisma
- Hanging Gardens of Bali
- Menjangan Dynasty Resort
- Bambu Indah
The premier jungle resort is Bali is undoubtedly the DuaDari Estate. Other excellent jungle resorts in Bali and Ubud include COMO Shambhala Estate, Jamahal Private Resort, Kayumanis Ubud Resort, Kupu Kupu Barong Villas, Komaneka at Bisma, Hanging Gardens of Bali, Menjangan Dynasty Resort, and Bambu Indah.
Every hotel in Bali will brand themselves as a ‘jungle resort’. If you’re not careful, you will fall for this marketing tactic. As someone who has lived in Bali for a significant period of time, I feel very comfortable saying that the following resorts truly fit the ‘jungle resort’ definition.
The DuaDari Estate
The Bumi Duadari Estate is a private sanctuary cocooned within a very large two-hectare landscape. The densely forested area sits alongside the Petanu River just out of Ubud. The property was designed and built by a famous Indonesian architect who recently passed away. The intricacy and level of detail put into the design of this estate are astounding.
Countless people on Google Reviews imply that the pictures do not do this property justice (and I tend to agree). DuaDari receives its name from the architect’s two daughters. This jungle resort is a gem in Ubud. The art collection and bird collection both add to the incredible rainforest element of the property.
This two-bedroom property has over 15 people who tend to the estate. It’s always in flawless shape. The home overlooks a large pond that is home to black swans. This entire property is fully encompassed by lush greenery. It’s private, tranquil, and beautiful.
Both bedrooms offer a California King bed. Honestly, the beds in this jungle estate look like 3 Queen beds pushed together – they’re huge. The open plan in the compound offers unprecedented access to the surrounding jungle (and with over 15 employees, you can avoid most of the unpleasant jungle creatures that too often make their way into public spaces).
COMO Shambhala Estate
The COMO Shambhala Estate doubles as a residential health retreat. A tranquil jungle is a perfect place to experience wellness. They have positioned their branding as a ‘Retreat for Change’ – a place to relax and improve wellbeing. They offer a vitality pool (whatever that means – it’s very Ubudian), private massage areas beside the nearby river, a climbing wall, gym, pilates studio, and to top it off, a yoga pavilion.
The jungle resort has even hired wellness coaches to aid your healthy vacation detox. On-site, the estate employs a yoga master, an ayurvedic doctor, a dietician, and outdoor adventure guides. Set in the middle of a tropical jungle, this spa resort on a giant estate lies on the river banks of the Ayung, just a stone throw away from Ubud.
Jamahal Private Resort & Spa
The word “Jamahal” translates to “precious time” in Sanskrit. This small jungle resort can only be described as heaven on Earth for the few guests who are lucky enough to stay here. Only 13 couples can stay at Jamahal at a time, however, there is over 70 staff that work here (quite the high level of service).
This is one resort that isn’t located in Ubud – it’s actually located in Jimbaran. The former fishing community still offers a small-town jungle feel. As is the case with many Balinese resorts, they seamlessly blend traditional architecture with a modern and luxurious feel.
Kayumanis Ubud Resort
The jungle offers serenity and peace that can be challenging to find in certain parts of Bali. Villas are often tiny and lacking complete privacy, but that is far from the case at Kayumanis Ubud Resort – these villas are seriously spacious. Each villa offers a completely isolated experience with natural jungle beauty.
We highly recommend staying here – even though it’s a bit hard to pronounce. The resort offers a beautiful infinity pool, a spa, a large kitchen for group cooking classes, The views of the rainforest are absolutely stunning and the wine bar on site makes these views all the more dizzying.
Kupu Kupu Barong Villas
There are numerous awards that have been gifted to this collection of 39 jungle villas. In fact, they have earned more independent awards than any other hotel in Bali. One of the most impressive awards has to do with their jaw-dropping view. Their rooftop restaurant was listed as one of the world’s top 50 tables with a view.
Kupu Kupu Barong’s website begins with a Nathaniel Hawthorne quote – “Happiness is a butterfly, which when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you”. We highly recommend a jungle meditation or a jungle yoga class at this resort.
Komaneka at Bisma
Komaneka sits just beside the famous Ubudian Campuhan River (the nearby trail is a great place to hike/run). This hillside property offers the best jungle view in all of Ubud. From the resort, one can see the valley, coconut plantations, rice fields, and a number of giant palm trees. Less than a kilometer away, this is arguably the closest luxurious resort to Ubud’s Monkey Forest (another great jungle)
They even offer a wedding chapel on site. If newlyweds get the urge to run, there is even a jogging track within the villas compound. It’s hard to find a beautiful and isolated villa so close to Ubud Town Center. It’s well worth the price.
At Komaneka, you can find outdoor pools with a gorgeous view, a restaurant, a luxury spa, numerous private pools, and patios that offer an unparalleled view. These charming and modern suites offer outdoor showers, which are a must-try in Bali (don’t worry – nobody will be able to see you). Much to your husband’s chagrin, the villa offers free dance lessons.
Hanging Gardens of Bali
Once you take a gander at the aptly named resort, it’s easy to understand why this jungle resort is world-famous. The villas sit high above the jungle rainforest and overlook thousands of trees and a river whose sounds can soothe one to sleep in an instant.
The architect decided to design this resort with feng-shui in mind. One can really feel that intention in every room they enter. The roofs of these buildings are made with dried vegetation and offer a traditional, yet luxurious look. The hotel is most famous for the infinity pools that jet out over the jungle. These cascading pools are perched high above the rainforest and the views are jaw-dropping.
Menjangan Dynasty Resort
Many people don’t actually make it to West Bali. Unfortunately, a serious portion of Bali has been bulldozed to create room for hotels and villas. This is great news for tourists and great news for the economy of Bali, however, it may soon reach a point of no return in places like Kuta and Canggu.
Thankfully, this is not the case in West Bali National Park. One of the few resorts located here is named Menjangan Dynasty Resort. They offer incredible snorkeling, jungle-hikes, and beachside glamping tents. We highly recommend this isolated destination if you wish to avoid the tourist crowds in more traditional Balinese tourist spots.
Bambu Indah
Bambu Indah is the most famous jungle resort in the world (to me, at least haha). The owner has actually given a Ted Talk to discuss how bamboo is the future of architecture. This collection of bamboo villas are made from locally sourced materials and set alongside a jungle river. They have manicured the landscape to feel as though you’re traversing through the jungle, without the hardship (or bugs) that one associates with the jungle.
The resort offers a natural swimming pool and sits on the edge of a river. Local farmers come to bathe their buffalo at 3 pm every day and one of the resort perks is that you can help them bathe the creatures! The hotel organizes rice field excursions and morning yoga.
Many hotels will brand themselves as ‘jungle resorts’, but reality does not match their branding. After a surge in construction, much of the jungle landscape has been renovated to make room for restaurants, shops, and other jungle villas. The aforementioned villas all meet the proper criteria to offer you the experience you desire.
Related Questions:
Is Ubud a Jungle?
Ubud is a town in central Bali. While the town itself is not a jungle, Ubud is surrounded by jungle landscape. Ubud’s city center features a monkey forest that is certainly a jungle. Sometimes these monkeys escape their natural habitat and end up perching atop nearby restaurants.
Where is the Jungle Swing in Bali?
The Jungle Swing can be found in various locations around Ubud. The Tegalalang Rice Terraces feature several different jungle swings. The famous ‘Green Kubu’ restaurant also features a swing. The photographers that work at these Jungle Swings know the perfect angles for your ‘jungle swing’ photoshoot.
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