The Jungle Awaits
Capella Curates takes seasoned travellers down barely trodden paths to discover the secrets of places they think they know.
Were it not for a display of culture and tradition, Bali wouldn’t live up to its appeal of soft luxury. Capella Ubud follows suit with a connection
to nature and the spiritual.
“I WAS BORN to be a healer, but I didn’t want to do it. I was afraid,” says I Ketut Budiasa in a slow, steady voice. “But after I filed my teeth (a rite of passage when Balinese reach adolescence), I became more open to the idea. As a healer, I don’t use modern medication to treat others. We use our hearts, energy healing and therapies that have been passed down from our ancestors.”
It would be another hour or so before The Camp Fire experience at Capella Ubud ends and I interject Budiasa’s stories with questions while nibbling on my freshly toasted marshmallow. I’ve visited Bali on several occasions, but this was the first time I’ve had the chance to hear about a local’s life.
The Camp Fire is just one of the numerous Capella Curates programmes organised by Capella Hotels & Resorts, meant to provide guests with a deeper understanding of the local lifestyle and culture of the place they’re in. Its culturists – what Capella calls its experience officers – seek out local businesses and families that make a meaningful impact in their communities and work with them to design unique experiences.
Canvas, Crayon & Paint – Keliki Style is named after a nearby village known for its miniature painting style, which was in danger of dying until a local artist set up Keliki Art School, teaching village children how to paint. To gain a better sense of what Keliki art is, head to Mads Lange at Capella Ubud – the open-air tented dining room named after the Danish spice trader – and look at its vaulted ceilings.
Artwork aside, Capella Ubud is a fascinating property. Designed by Bill Bensley, the resort is a joy to explore. Fans of the celebrated designer’s work will enjoy discovering his signature styles on a slightly different canvas. While the Capella brand is synonymous for understated luxury, you’ll find things done slightly differently here. In place of villas are luxurious tented camps.
Bensley throws together a wonderful mish-mash of
fixtures – think suspension bridges, cowhide-printed slipper chairs, batik ceiling drapes, tables with hooves for legs and pineapple side tables.
The 22 one-bedroom tents and a lone two-bedroom tent offer views of the rainforest, rice terrace, river or valley. Each is named after a skill the early explorers of Bali came with – such as the carpenter, naturalist, photographer and translator – with the tent’s interior decorated to reflect the occupation.
There’s plenty to do at the resort, such as attending a water purification ceremony at the Wos Beji River temple and attending a Balinese dance class, which incorporates traditional movements with yoga.
The On The Top of The World experience will see you waking up at an ungodly hour to hike up the active volcano that is Mount Batur. The trek back down is equally stunning with views of Batur lake, along with onion, tomato and eggplant plantations at the foot of the mountain. The experience takes around six hours and you’ll arrive at the resort at around 9am, just in time for a hearty – and well-deserved – breakfast.
If your idea of Bali comes with a dose of serenity, you can sign up for the Confined To Quarters experience. As its name suggests, you’ll be ‘locked’ in your tent from sunrise to sunset, participating in water rituals, breathing exercises and self-healing techniques, while enjoying in-tent massages and a Camp Roast Dinner.
Should the rustic jungle life – no matter how luxurious it is – not be up your alley, perhaps the concrete jungle of Singapore may tempt you instead. At Capella Singapore, a very different set of adventures awaits.
A Walk with Nature at Singapore Botanic Gardens sees you exploring the 180-year-old site with a guide. You’ll get to learn about the origins of the different flora here and the best time to visit depending on the flowers in season.
A slightly more adrenaline-inducing option comes in the form of Qi & The City, which takes guests around the city in a retrofitted sidecar. You’ll learn that Singapore’s architecture is largely built based on feng shui principles, the reasons for certain shapes, building heights and even the direction it faces, all in the belief that it’ll make Singapore even more prosperous. Whether you take to it or not, you’ll be viewing Marina Bay Sands Hotel and its casino in a different light.
For a local, both experiences were equally enriching and challenged what I thought I already knew about a country I’ve lived in for over 20 years. Now imagine how much more fun and meaningful it’ll be as a tourist. And I don’t need to hold that thought because I’m already checking out the experiences available at the other Capella properties.
If your idea of Bali comes with a dose of serenity, you can sign up for the Confined To Quarters experience.