Recently, my wife and I took a trip to Indonesia. She has family there, so we were mostly heading there to visit and spend time with them. I’ve been to a few places in the world, but this was my first trip to Asia, and let me tell you…

Indonesia rocks.

Seriously. I had a vacation high even a full month after the trip. It wasn’t your typical vacation high, though; no, this was something more. My trip to Indonesia was eye-opening for me in a number of ways, and I’ll try to describe the experience for you here.

The Scenery

It’s no secret that I love nature. But Indonesia is a tropical island that came about thanks to a volcano… so the views from many places on the island are just breathtaking, especially in Bali, where we spent 6 days with a private guide. Have a look at these views for example:

We spent a lot of time in Bali, and you cannot take a bad picture there (though it may help to have a handle on the basics). Just point your camera in any direction. There aren’t many places I would prioritize going back to, but let me tell you… Bali is one of them, and the scenery is a major reason why. It’s not just the big views, either. It feels a little like Mother Nature is constantly trying to claim the island back for herself, and it has the effect of making the buildings look ancient, like they’ve been there forever.

The main religion is Bali is Hindu, and the religion requires families to have a temple on their residential property. The result is that each home has its own temple, and each is uniquely-designed, making it so that I never got tired of driving down the residential alleys. The combination of the intricate detail of the temples and the weathered, mossy look was captivating.

The Artistry

Bali is home to many types of artists; most famous among them, though, are the woodcarvers, painters and sculptors. These guys are just on another level, true masters of their craft. We had a chance to visit the private gallery of a local carver, and some of the works we came across just blew us away. The care and attention to detail put into each and every sculpture was inspirational.

Do you ever find that, when you’re watching someone who is exceptional at their art form, be it singing, dancing, guitar-playing, or anything else, you find yourself totally, fully immersed in what you’re experiencing? Yeah, turns out that applies to all art forms for me. We had about an hour to spend at the gallery, and it was over in the blink of an eye. We were glad to be able to purchase a few carvings to take back home with us, memories of our experience.

The Balinese artists are also the reason I decided to try my hand at wood carving. My grandpa has been a master woodworker for as long as I can remember, and I’ve always been interesting in woodworking. I was just never sure what kind I was most interested in, until this trip. I’m still new to woodcarving, but I’ll share my experiences as I go.

A Note on Prices

Speaking of buying souvenirs, I think it’s worth talking about prices in Indonesia. First off, just about everything is negotiable. If you’re not sure, ask. Whatever you do though, don’t be a sucker and pay full pop for everything you buy. I found that, on average, we paid about 60% of the listed price for most things. That includes our wood carvings, clothing we purchased, some of the more touristy experiences, and packaged goods like tea and coffee. Be polite about it, but be willing to walk away if you don’t get at least 30% off… if the merchant chases after you, you’ve done well!

Secondly, food and drink in Indonesia is CHEAP! I couldn’t believe how cheap it was. More often than not, we were able to feed three people for well under $20 CAD ($15 US), including drinks. I couldn’t believe my eyes the first time I saw the bill. This isn’t some crappy fast-food meal either… we’re talking full-on beef and chicken meals, with rice, coconut, and vegetables on the side. Actually, that brings me to my next favourite thing about Indonesia…

The Food

Words cannot describe the flavours I experienced on this trip. Every dish is made with a blend of herbs and spices so vibrant, you wonder how you ever ate anything else up until that point. One of my favourite dishes was satay, both the beef and chicken varieties. There, it’s called Sate Sapi and Sate Ayam, respectively.

I had had satay before this trip, but never the way it was served to me by the people that invented it. For under $5 CAD, you get eight (!!) skewers of charcoal-cooked chicken or beef, cooked to perfection and served over still red-hot charcoals, with a bowl of rice and the most flavourful peanut sauce you can imagine.

If you’re vegetarian or have a nut allergy, don’t sweat it – there’s plenty to choose from beyond that, and it’s every bit as tasty. I had countless fish and vegetable dishes that blew me away with flavours I had never experienced until then.

The People

I saved the best for last. The people in Indonesia, and especially Bali, are incredible. They’re hospitable, which might be something you’d expect, given Bali is a tourist destination… but it’s beyond that. They’re not polite because they have to be, they’re polite because they’re just genuinely happy people. I found this to be true no matter what the means or personal circumstances of the person were, and this got me to doing a bit of reflection: what is it about this place that makes everyone so happy? What do they have that I’m missing? Big questions without immediate answers… though I have a few theories, for sure.

Another thing I noticed during my trip is that people in Indonesia are extremely entrepreneurial… to the point that my wife and I had trouble explaining to her relatives what we do for work back home (we both work for companies). My wife Jessica works for a major bakery, and she had trouble explaining that she doesn’t own the bakery, just works for them. Her family made comments along the lines of “I don’t get it. Why don’t you just make your own bread and sell it, instead of doing it for someone else?”

What struck me even more than the level of entrepreneurialism, though, is the fact that this mindset is contagious. The more I experienced it, the more I felt it played a role in the happiness of the locals, and the more I started to think about what I could do for myself back home… this site is a product of that reflection, and my goal is to keep the memory of Indonesia strong in my mind, and use it as motivation to continue learning about myself and what makes me happy.

Wrapping it Up

So have I convinced you to take a trip to Indonesia? It wasn’t hard; there are so many reasons to go. If you’re flying from North America, it’s a very long trip (from Toronto it’s 15 hours to Hong Kong and another 5 to Indonesia), and the jet-lag coming back is brutal (it’s an 11 or 12-hour time difference if you’re on Eastern Time), but man is it worth it. Be sure to check out my packing list for some helpful pointers on how to pack like a champ when heading out that way!

Alright, your turn. Have you ever been to Indonesia? I’d love to hear about your experience. Tell me about it in the comments!