Even though I’m not into the esoteric, Keigo Tanaka’s organic soundscapes left me feeling at peace. The Japanese musician created one of Wonderfruit’s most breathtaking performances incorporating bio-electric signals and flow dance artist Inna’s hypnotic moves.
Wonderfruit is often referred to as Asia’s answer to Burning Man because of its blend of arts, music, culture and sustainable living. While both festivals celebrate creativity and positive impact, Wonderfruit also has a strong sense of community and often offers a broader selection of programming. Its 10th anniversary at “The Fields” Siam Country Club Pattaya last December was a sell-out event, with over 40 pavilions, stages, and venues drawing a loyal audience.
Its values of purpose and courage align with the Defender, which served as the festival’s Official Automotive Partner for the third consecutive year. Garth Turnbull, Managing Director of JLR Asia Pacific Region, notes: “Our clients are drawn to meaningful experiences and a strong sense of community and environmental responsibility—the same mindset that defines Wonderfruit.”
Their partnership has played a key role in shaping some of the festival’s most significant moments, such as the lasting draw of the Forest Stage in the Ancestral Forest of The Fields. Even after dancing at the music stages, stretching in yoga classes, and tie-dyeing outfits at Philip Huang Family and Friends’ workshop at Indigo World, my path kept leading back to the Forest Stage.
ADVENTURE & INTENTION
Presented by the Defender and designed by festival architect and lighting designer Jiro Endo, the Forest Stage was built from tree trunks and covered with tong tung leaves from northern Thailand. These details transformed it into an intimate sanctuary.
Turnbull says, “It’s a reminder that exploration isn’t just about terrains; it’s also about culture and creativity. Partnering on a stage that celebrates artistic expression within a natural ecosystem expands the Defender’s story in a fresh, contemporary way, where nature and creativity meet with purpose.”
On the Forest Stage, performers paid tribute to their heritage while defying conventions. They included Dutch producer Felbm, whose instrumentals blended acoustic and electronic elements, and Scottish-Thai musician Helen Ganya, who infused her slick rock and avant-pop with traditional Thai instruments.
“Exploration isn’t just about terrain; it’s also about culture and creativity.”
Garth Turnbull,
Managing Director,
Jaguar Land Rover Asia Pacific Region
The speakeasy-style Defender Lounge, reinterpreting the vehicle’s eco-brutalist aesthetic with relaxed seating, offered a quiet place to listen to the forest and provided opportunities for connection and conversation beyond performances.
Nearby, The Forest Bar, which merged urban boldness with the serenity of being lost (or found) in the woods, beckoned Wonderers to mingle over cocktails like By the Bonfire and Harvest the Wild that offered welcome relief from the day’s heat.
In the Harvest the Wild cocktail, inspired by a wild flowering jungle, Bombay Sapphire Gin was paired with basil jasmine honey, pineapple, lime juice, and soda. It also had a golden honeycomb garnish. A starry night spent with loved ones was captured in By the Bonfire, a blend of Suntory whisky, Turkish gin, orange bitters, and a dram infusion of coriander seed, black peppercorn, and cinnamon ginger. Finished with a toasted marshmallow, it felt like a warm hug in a glass.
The Forest Stage served as an oasis of calm during the day as well, hosting activities like Forest Therapy Experience (forest bathing). The sensory journey deepens one’s connection to nature and oneself by combining Zen Buddhism and mindfulness.
As James Marriott, a Forest Therapy Guide with more than 15 years of experience, guided us through the Ancestral Forest, we watched leaves dance in the wind and ants trace intricate paths around tree trunks.
ALIGNING MOBILITY & SUSTAINABILITY
The Defender 90 and Defender 110 provided performers with mobility and supported essential operations in The Fields. Turnbull and his team created experiences that were both elevated and environmentally friendly.
By reducing emissions, electric technologies have transformed travel. “As infrastructure advances, hybrid and electric vehicles will become increasingly popular, not only because of their sustainability, but also because of their elevated experience,” adds Turnbull.
In this respect, Wonderfruit’s sustainability goals are similar to the Defender’s. A collaboration with American conservation organisation SUGi and Thai forest planting team Baansuan Onsorn also allows the festival to create a pocket forest at The Fields by planting over 30,000 new trees.
In addition, recyclables are properly processed on site, food waste and containers are composted, and biohazard waste like toilet paper and face masks is incinerated using a medical-grade appliance.
According to Turnbull, “At Wonderfruit, we are all driven by the desire to connect and share something meaningful with one another. Our philosophies are naturally aligned between creativity, community, and purpose.”
