Unique Places to Stay in Bali: Bamboo Houses, Treehouses and More (2026)

Bali has more than its share of extraordinary places to sleep, partly because it has a living building culture. Craftspeople still work in bamboo, timber and stone, and land prices outside the south coast still allow architects to experiment. This guide sorts the main types of unusual stay by what they are actually like, where to find them, and what to check before booking.

The types at a glance

Bamboo houses

Bali is the world centre of modern bamboo architecture. The movement grew out of the Green School, the bamboo-built school founded near Ubud in 2008, and the design firm Ibuku, which builds curving, multi-storey structures that look more grown than built. Staying in one is unlike any hotel room: walls that curve, roofs that open to the sky, light through woven panels.

Expect them to be open to the air in places, and often reached by stairs or bridges. They are at their best for travellers who want the building to be the point of the trip.

Antique joglos and gladaks

Joglos and gladaks are traditional Javanese houses built from heavy teak, with steep pyramid roofs held up by carved central pillars. Many Bali villas and boutique hotels have bought antique ones in Java, taken them apart and rebuilt them as guest rooms. The best are built without nails, held together by interlocking joints.

They feel warm and solid where bamboo feels light and airy. The quality of the conversion varies a lot, so check photos of the bathroom and ask about air-conditioning.

A place that does both: Bambu Indah

Bambu Indah on the Sayan Ridge outside Ubud (a BaliHotels.com partner) is unusual because it puts both styles side by side. Its 23 houses are either antique Javanese teak homes rebuilt on the ridge, or bamboo structures by Ibuku, and they include a Tree House, small nests and two tents. It was founded by the family behind the Green School. If you want to try more than one kind of unusual stay in a single trip, it is the obvious place to start.

Compare unique stays around Ubud→

Treehouses

Bali's treehouses come in two kinds. In the Ubud jungle they tend to be architectural, built into or around a tree with proper bathrooms. On Nusa Penida, the island off Bali's south-east coast, the famous ones are simple wooden A-frames perched above clifftop sea views. They are photogenic, basic and usually reached by steep steps.

Either way, one or two nights is usually the sweet spot. Check the bathroom arrangements, and skip them if anyone in your group struggles with ladders or heights.

Rice-paddy villas

Waking up to terraced rice fields is one of Bali's signature experiences, and villas set right in the paddies are found around Ubud, in the quiet Sidemen valley in the east and near Jatiluwih, where the terraces are part of Bali's UNESCO World Heritage cultural landscape. The views change through the growing season, from flooded mirrors to green to gold.

The catches: mosquitoes at dusk, frogs at night (lovely or loud, depending on you), and a drive to restaurants. For the quietest options, see our guide to quiet places to stay.

Clifftop villas

On the Bukit peninsula around Uluwatu, villas and resorts hang on limestone cliffs above the Indian Ocean, often with infinity pools that seem to drop straight into the sea. It is the most dramatic setting on the island and the most expensive kind of unusual stay. It is also the least adventurous in comfort terms: these are usually polished, fully air-conditioned luxury properties. See our Uluwatu guide.

Jungle tents and glamping

Safari-style tents on timber platforms, in the jungle around Ubud, in Sidemen or in the cooler highlands, give you the sound of the forest with a real bed. Standards range from rustic to genuinely luxurious, so the bathroom (en-suite, outdoor or shared) is the first thing to check.

How to choose

• For the building itself: a bamboo house or a well-converted joglo, in or around Ubud.
• For one unforgettable night: a treehouse, then move somewhere easier.
• For views without roughing it: a clifftop villa in Uluwatu.
• For quiet and the classic Bali landscape: a rice-paddy villa outside Ubud or in Sidemen.

Most unusual stays work best as part of a split stay: two or three nights somewhere extraordinary, then a conventional hotel by the beach. Many of these places also overlap with genuinely sustainable hotels; our eco-friendly hotels guide explains how to tell the real thing from the marketing.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most unique places to stay in Bali?

Bamboo houses and antique Javanese joglo houses around Ubud, treehouses in the Ubud jungle and on Nusa Penida, rice-paddy villas around Ubud, Sidemen and Jatiluwih, clifftop villas in Uluwatu, and jungle tents in the hills. Ubud has the widest choice of unusual stays.

Where can I stay in a bamboo house in Bali?

Mostly in and around Ubud, which is the centre of Bali's bamboo-architecture movement led by the Green School and the design firm Ibuku. Bambu Indah on the Sayan Ridge, a BaliHotels.com partner, has bamboo houses designed by Ibuku alongside antique Javanese teak homes.

What is a joglo in Bali?

A joglo is a traditional Javanese house built from teak, with a steep pyramid roof supported by carved central pillars. Many Bali villas and boutique hotels have bought antique joglos in Java, dismantled them and rebuilt them as guest rooms. The best are held together with interlocking joints rather than nails.

Are there treehouses in Bali?

Yes. Architectural treehouses in the jungle around Ubud usually have proper bathrooms. The famous treehouses on Nusa Penida, off Bali's south-east coast, are simpler wooden A-frames with clifftop sea views. Both usually involve steep steps or ladders.

Are unique stays in Bali comfortable?

It depends on the type. Clifftop villas in Uluwatu are usually polished luxury properties. Bamboo houses, treehouses, rice-paddy villas and jungle tents often mean open-air rooms, insects, steps and a drive to restaurants. Many travellers book one or two nights somewhere unusual and spend the rest of the trip in a conventional hotel.