Now Open: Moon Gang Is Ubud's New Five-Suite Stay, Combining Cosmic Inspiration with Traditional Balinese Design
Music lovers, wellness seekers and design-obsessives have a new reason to book a trip to Ubud.
Close to cascading rice terraces and a burgeoning dining scene, Moon Gang is the latest boutique accommodation to open its doors in Ubud. Yet this jungly holiday destination is bringing something a little different to the ever-growing tourism scene. Brimming with music, wellness and a design language that would impress even the strictest architecture snob, this five-suite stay is ripe for decompressing amid a creative backdrop.
The work of Sydney-based YSG Studio — the practice behind award-winning projects like Atomic Beer Project and Four Pillars Gin Laboratory — the design embraces both ancient and modern rituals. Tucked away from Ubud's slightly chaotic main drag, guests reach Moon Gang's reception kiosk via a chauffeured scooter ride along a winding paved path called the Sari Organic Walk. There's no formal lobby here, just a car-free paradise.
Previously a private vacation residence, Moon Gang's building was more than a little shabby when YSG arrived. Now, this concrete bunker has been radically transformed, fusing cosmic references and hybrid Japanese architectural elements both inside and out, including the newly added rooftop bamboo suite. While the design indulges the team's most out-there ideas, they also partnered with 15 Indonesian creatives and collaborators to bring the accommodation to life.
Just a selection of these local additions include each suite's bedside cloud pendants, crafted from dyed banana leaf paper, and recycled plastic bottle-top flower lamps illuminating the bamboo suite's bedside tables. For when you're hanging by the pool, the lime lounges are handwoven from upcycled plastics, complete with 'mohawks' sprouting from sun visors. There are also hints of traditional Balinese rituals, such as the black-and-white checkered tiles along the pool's edge — a nod to the Saput Poleng philosophy of maintaining balance.
Meanwhile, abundant spaces offer plenty of opportunities for retreat. If music is your vibe, the Nongkrong Lounge is made for losing track of time. With the vinyl offering curated by Peace Freedom — a Bandung-based publishing company dedicated to musical and graphical archival research — the space features integrated custom-timber speakers. There's also the Melamun Terrace, an outdoor sanctuary featuring a steady flow of biophilia yoga sessions, stargazing, moon bathing and more.
That said, if wellness is a big part of your visit to Moon Gang, the day-and-night spa offering is primed for mindful meanderings. Think full-spectrum sauna sessions, guided aural meditation, and breathwork workshops. Yet this stay takes things a tad further, with the likes of moonlight typewriting, a hilltop midnight run club and film screenings under the stars pairing creative souls with after-dark activities that'll inspire your artistic juices.
Moon Gang is now available for bookings in Ubud, Indonesia. Head to the website for more information.
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Images: Tomasso Riva.
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