Forest Stage with Defender presents music off the beaten track

In the belly of the Ancestral Forest is a stage that takes somewhat of an adventure to find. If you take a short expedition through the tall trees and whispering echoes, you’d emerge into a clearing where musical acts, multi-disciplinary performances and intimate ceremonies take place. 

Though Forest Stage with Defender is one of the most tucked away of venues, it grows steadily in popularity amongst those who stumble across it. As we reach 10 years in The Fields, the venue evolves, expanding beyond its humble trimmings. 

This year, we’ve worked with Defender to create a treasure for all those who enjoy a good side-quest. Emerging from its chrysalis, Forest Stage with Defender unfurls as a cross-section between urban and nature. The musical programming is also expanding, with more artists this year than ever before.

Defender has been a longtime partner of ours, not just as the official vehicle of Wonderfruit but also in helping enrich Wonderers’ experiences in The Fields. Last year, Defender elevated Boutique Camping with an exclusive drive adventure, inviting guests to experience the all-terrain capabilities of the Defender firsthand.

This year, Forest Stage with Defender steps off the beaten track in a new way, presenting artists exploring the intersection between Mind, Nature and Sound. As dusk falls, you’ll find the future direction of musical arts here, from celebratory to cinematic, trance-like to traditional, challenging norms and finding new pathways to connect us to the natural world around us.

French group ensemble 0 will perform a 50-minute composition by New York composer Tristan Perich, a piece that bridges the gap between classical and highly experimental. Returning to Forest Stage, Modern Biology brings fellow eclectic icon of mycology: writer and fungal ecologist Merlin Sheldrake. And for his very first appearance in Thailand, Hiroki Okano performs a set that is both music and prayer. 

This is just a glimpse of what you might find at this hidden gem, which is open earlier and for longer, featuring returning innovative artists and leaders of niche genres. Explore Forest Stage’s full musical programming here.

For the first time, Forest Stage is expanding, introducing a dedicated bar and a lounge area for connection and conversation. Designed as an ode to Defender’s eco-brutalism, softened and re-interpreted to live within the Ancestral Forest, relaxed seating weaves naturally among the trees. This is a natural evolution of what we envisioned when we first plotted out spaces to plant the first saplings here—to carve out pockets between the trees and plants, where people could come together in community. 

Imagined as a semi-secret speakeasy, it is a quiet haven to sit, sip and listen to the forest’s rhythms. Popping up in this quiet clearing is a cozy bar that evokes both the city’s boldness and the serenity of being lost—or perhaps found—in the woods. With all the community of a friendly forest campsite, Wonderers can gather here to enjoy mocktails and cocktails inspired by Defender’s ability to take you deep into uncharted territories. 

Harvest the Wild

Capturing a taste of a wild, flowering jungle, this cocktail mixes the crisp botanical notes of Bombay Sapphire Gin, our house-made, aromatic Holy Basil Jasmine Honey, bright pineapple, fresh lime juice and a splash of soda—topped with a golden honeycomb.

By the Bonfire

An ode to a family night under the stars, this cocktail blends the smooth warmth of Suntory Whisky with a robust cold brew from sustainable, Northern Thai coffee beans, orange bitters and Local Spice Dram—an infusion of coriander seed, black peppercorn, cinnamon and ginger that feels like a warm hug. This is finished with a sweet treat: a toasted marshmallow.

Both cocktails are available in alcohol-free forms.