Indonesia Expat - issue 292

MARKETING ADVISER

Edo Frese edo@indonesiaexpat.biz

EDITOR

Mirella Pandjaitan editor@indonesiaexpat.biz

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT expat.editorial@gmail.com

SALES & ADVERTISING

Dian Mardianingsih (Jakarta) dian@indonesiaexpat.biz Wahyu Atmaja (Bali) ads@indonesiaexpat.biz

DISTRIBUTION & ADMIN

Juni Setiawan admin@indonesiaexpat.biz EDITORIAL

Dear Readers,

Happy New Year! On behalf of Indonesia Expat, we hope you had a wonderful yearend holiday.

2023 is upon us. It's a brand new year with endless opportunities to experience and stories to tell. What are you most looking forward to in 2023?

Indonesia Expat is kicking off this new chapter with the New Year issue. We have compiled enchanting stories from expats around the country as well as an array of interesting information for you to be inspired with.

Don’t forget, we’re working on more digital content with our YouTube channel, Indonesia Expat. This includes our new series entitled “Welcome to Indonesia: The Series”, where we cover insights into food, leisure, community, travel, tips, guides, and plenty more. Stay tuned by subscribing to our channel!

Check out our daily news updates at indonesiaexpat.id, follow our Instagram @ indonesiaexpat and Facebook @indonesia.expat to stay up to date on regular COVID-19 case numbers and news, as well as to find attractive promotions from your favourite hotels, restaurants, and schools across the country. Now, you can even access Indonesia Expat on the Tripper app, available on iOS and Android for free.

Happy reading!

Edo Frese

Let’s Dive Deeper into Bunaken

with Simon and Elaine Wallace

on the island and its people). To that end, we ensure that all our employees earn at least the recommended government salary, and that we have full transparency with the tax authorities. We are also actively involved in local government initiatives related to tourism and the environment.

How is the progress of the project now?

How impactful are the projects to both locals and visitors?

Starting from the love of diving, this British couple successfully established a luxurious dive resort in Bunaken, North Sulawesi.

As the owners of Bunaken Oasis Dive Resort and Spa, Simon and Elaine have interesting stories regarding the background of the resort, their effort to manage the resort in this pandemic condition, and the projects they have to help increase the local human resources.

Hi Simon and Elaine, please introduce yourselves.

We are Elaine (EW) and Simon (SW) Wallace, a British couple who divide our time between the UK, Indonesia, and France. Elaine’s background is in IT, where she was a network engineer, whilst Simon is a former management consultant.

EW: I have been diving for over thirty years; following a one-on-one training course with Martin Edge, the internationally acclaimed underwater photographer, I developed a passion for underwater photography, and now never go in the water without a camera (or two).

SW: I was in my fifties when I started diving, and am now a fully-qualified technical diver. I recently qualified as a rebreather diver, although I’m yet to make up my mind about whether I enjoy it or not!

What makes you interested to build a resort in Bunaken?

EW: Once Simon learned to dive, we enjoyed at least one diving holiday every year, and we gradually came to an important realisation: luxury resorts rarely offer a fivestar diving experience, as diving is often just one of several water-based activities on offer; similarly, dedicated dive resorts, which really do understand how to manage diving operations, rarely offer the landbased luxury which some travellers look for. We often talked about the “ideal” dive resort

– its location, the types of diving on offer, the boats, the rooms, the spa, bar, restaurant and menus – and how unusual such a resort would be. It was when we became aware of some land for sale on the beautiful island of Bunaken that idle chatter (usually over drinks after a day under the water) quickly turned into something more tangible.

Tell us briefly about Bunaken Oasis Dive Resort and Spa and what visitors can enjoy there.

SW: Bunaken Oasis prides itself on offering our guests a first-class experience in every aspect of their stay with us: from the luxuriously-appointed cottages to the gourmet a la carte cuisine to the uncrowded dive boats with freshwater showers, we have tried to ensure that every detail will meet the requirements of even the most demanding guest. However, what really sets us apart is the quality of the service which all guests can enjoy; indeed, guest feedback often singles out the attentiveness and warmth of the service they have received as being the most outstanding aspect of their stay with us.

Bunaken Oasis has Ethical Projects and ECO Credentials. What is the significance of these parts?

EW: Today, pretty much every resort or hotel claims to be ECO and, happily, many have taken important steps to try to reduce their ecological footprint. At Bunaken Oasis, we believe that being genuinely ECO must involve more than getting rid of plastic straws and putting a note in the bathroom imploring guests to reuse the towels. When we planned the resort, we designed ECO into the infrastructure: we make our own water, we process all waste through a blackwater treatment system, and we sort and separate all physical waste for appropriate recycling. While behaving in an ecologically sensitive way (thus minimising damage) is important, we also believe that Oasis must be ethically responsible (thus making a positive impact

SW: Obviously, the COVID-19 pandemic had a major impact on Oasis: we closed our doors in March 2020 and only reopened them in March of this year. This meant that, as a relatively new resort (we originally opened in late 2016), we lost a lot of the momentum we had been building in the market. Although we had no revenue coming in, we were determined to keep all 86 members of staff employed. Although we couldn’t pay full salaries, we put nearly everyone on 50 percent salary, and asked that they come in for two weeks each month. We then created a schedule of projects to upgrade and improve the resort, so everyone was kept busy during the shutdown. It also meant that we could welcome our guests to a pristine resort when we eventually opened again.

There is also a university scholarship from Bunaken Oasis. How can future students achieve this scholarship?

EW: We offer several initiatives to our staff, including dive guide training and PADI courses (as a dedicated dive resort, we believe that as many of our staff as possible should be divers, as this helps them to find common ground with our guests), as well as our University scholarship program. Any contract member of staff can put forward one direct member of their family, either son or daughter, or brother or sister, and Oasis will pay all of their university fees at a government university or college. Most of the young people who have benefitted from the scholarship have taken accounting, marketing or business courses and their parents work in all departments at the resort.

SW: Some of the environmental projects we’re involved in will take years to come to fruition, while some are having an immediate impact. For example, we have recently partnered with Ocean Geographic to assess the health of both the sea life and the corals around Bunaken. We have yet to see the results of the coral survey, but we will be closely involved in the initiatives to mitigate any problems (early indications are that there may not be any – the corals are generally healthy in the national park). The results of this may not be apparent for many years, but hopefully, they will be enjoyed by future generations of islanders.

More immediately, although there are no motor cars on Bunaken, there is a road which links the three main villages. Whenever there’s work to repair a section of the road, Oasis will donate materials, manpower, or both.

Any future plans for Bunaken Oasis?

EW: The most important issue for us in the short term is to put Oasis back on a secure financial footing. Although the shortfall caused by the pandemic will take a long time to put right, the early signs are encouraging – bookings this year were ahead of forecast, and 2023 and 2024 are looking very promising.

In the longer term, we will look to improve our infrastructure in line with technological advancements. We are exploring the feasibility of going solar (it’s possible at present but prohibitively expensive, and not well supported technically in the area), and we foresee that happening soon.

Bunaken Oasis will continue to do what we have done so far – provide an unparalleled resort experience in one of the world’s most beautiful diving locations.

Where can our readers get in touch with you two and Bunaken Oasis Dive Resort and Spa?

SW: We would be delighted to give you more information about the resort, the diving or the work we’re doing in the community. Please email, phone or WhatsApp us, and we’ll happily try to answer your questions or fill you in on any other information about us that you need.

Email: info@bunakenoasis.com georgie.bartlett@bunakenoasis.com elaine.wallace@bunakenoasis.com simon.wallace@bunakenoasis.com

Cell phone and WhatsApp:

UK Sales Office (Georgie): + 44 7557 105593

UK Office: +44 1926 421100

The Resort: +62 812 4649 6763

Elaine: +44 7785 576331

Simon: +44 7767 452857

What really sets us apart is the quality of the service which all guests can enjoy; indeed, guest feedback often singles out the attentiveness and warmth of the service they have received as being the most outstanding aspect of their stay with us.

ELAINE

SIMON

Fanning the Flames of Fame

BY DANIEL POPE

THE BAND

Indonesia has always had a lively and original music scene (not just the wallto-wall choreographed pop bands of other Asian countries). But few expatriate performers have attracted much notice. Unless you count The Bugils, whose lineup consisted of the late Harry Bond, Jason Daniels (yes, Jason again), and, representing the ladies, Maya Otos.

This trio of singing bules picked up a reasonable following with their fun music videos in the early 2010s. They emanated pure exuberance and a genuine fondness for Indonesian culture. Check out Hello Dangdut and Poco Pocong on YouTube to

see what they were about. Their high point was an appearance on Indonesian Idol in 2012, which led to a flurry of spots on other entertainment shows and not, as a few cynics expected, calls for their deportation for crimes against music.

Regarding names, the word “bugil ” is an Indonesian slang for naked, but the Bugils used it as a contraction of “bule gila ” (crazy foreigner). Maya Otos is soto ayam (chicken soup) backwards. Harry Bond was channelling a license to thrill, while Jason’s surname was plucked from a famous alcoholic drink. Indonesians like wordplay and gimmicks in general.

It wasn’t exactly Beatlemania, but when I came to Indonesia twenty years ago, I had a taste of fame. Or perhaps it was attention. Whatever it was, Indonesians, especially younger ones, smiled and waved at me wherever I went, called out “Hello, mister”, and inquired cheerfully “Mau ke mana? ” When smartphones became popular, there were lots of requests for photos too.

Behind this fan-like behaviour is the fact that Indonesians are the friendliest people in Southeast Asia, inquisitive and sincerely interested in those from other cultures, particularly Western ones. They make you feel not just welcome but important. Like it or not, they make you feel like you stand out.

While most foreigners prefer to be left alone, there are some for whom the incessant attention at street-level is not enough, who actually crave recognition and feel compelled to make themselves more deserving of public esteem. And for artistic sorts, this is relatively easy to achieve. Here are three ways they could go about it.

THE ACTOR

A good example is American citizen Jason Daniels. This variable star of the Indonesian entertainment firmament has been appearing on screens, both big and small, for nearly twenty years, beginning with TV’s Bule Gila . He went on to host documentaries, education programs, and reality shows, and also played a range of dramatic parts.

Jason is not a method actor and doesn’t believe in taking his characters home with him. This is fortunate for his domestic companions, since his roles have included a range of monsters, from a raving vampire to a lusty rapist to a Javanese genie. He’s also played an airline pilot, chaotically crashing his passenger plane. He insists it’s just a rumour that the script called for him to land it safely.

At the height of his career, Jason could justifiably have called himself "Ubiquity" Daniels, not because he starred in westerns alongside the likes of Calamity Jane and Buffalo Bill, but because it was a toss-up what you’d see first whenever you went outdoors in Jakarta: a smoke-belching bajaj or Jason talking spiritedly into a movie camera while wearing his trademark glittering trilby. Be it a museum, a train station, a game show studio, or just a spot on a street corner, Jason and a film crew might well be occupying it.

Acting is not well-paid in Indonesia, and its practitioners can fall into hard times. Jason has not escaped his share of life on Skid Row, when he’s been reduced to playing Santa in Jakarta’s shopping malls, a challenging role in that it requires a large paunch in a time of great paucity.

As a bule thespian, it’s easy to get typecast. Another performer I knew was often called on to play an evil Dutch general in TV historical dramas. One morning, while shopping in his local supermarket, he was recognised by an elderly Indonesian woman, a viewer, who attacked him with her handbag among the stacks of Indomie. Fame isn’t always a good thing.

You might also want to check out Debu (meaning dust), a group of musicians made up of American and Indonesian Muslims. Don’t expect the Rolling Stones though. It’s not only rock n' roll and it’s certainly not Their Satanic Majesties Request. Debu are on a mission to spread love and peace to their listeners the Islamic way. This could mean their sound system includes loudspeakers that announce a call to music, and that they play five gigs a day starting at around 5am.

THE VLOGGER

While the Bugils are long-defunct and Jason Daniels’ TV appearances have dwindled, one foreigner has achieved lasting fame. Canadian Sacha Stevenson was a pioneering YouTuber in Indonesia. After a few false starts, she found fame with a series called How to Act Indonesian , where she fondly parodied quirks of the Indonesian language and culture. Her comedic flair and her mastery of the Indonesian language saw her videos attract over one million subscribers and rack up over 120 million views.

Sacha has made a variety of YouTube shows, some of which, naturally, Jason Daniels has appeared in. Other intrepid guests have included Sacha’s own mother, who on a visit to Indonesia was filmed tackling local customs. In one episode, she ate eye-popping spicy food (My Mom Eats Indonesian food ) and in another smoked lung-imploding kretek cigarettes (My Mom Smokes Indonesian Cigarettes). Personally, I was looking forward to episodes like My Mom Goes Wild in a Dangdut Music Club, or even My Mom Marries a Smooth-Talking Bapak . Alas, these episodes were never made.

Prior to her YouTube success, Sacha once rollerbladed the length of Java and then across into Bali, a journey of 1,400 km, while leaving a forest in her wake. Well, not exactly. She planted trees in cities along the way, her message being to “go green” and combat air pollution and traffic congestion. This environmental venture was called Bule on Blades. Since those early days, she has tackled subjects from politics to celebrity culture. Sadly, for her fans, at the end of 2020, she announced she would be returning to Canada.

Behind this fan-like behaviour is the fact that Indonesians are the friendliest people in Southeast Asia, inquisitive and sincerely interested in those from other cultures, particularly Western ones.

Fondly Party with Djakarta Warehouse Project’s Return

BY MIRELLA PANDJAITAN

Asea of electronic dance music (EDM) fans from Indonesia and across the globe skedaddled to JiExpo Kemayoran, Jakarta, once again to dance and sing their souls away into the grandiose futuristic stages, technicolour light shows, dazzling fireworks, and flavourful bites of Djakarta Warehouse Project (DWP) 2022.

A three-day-long party was well overdue since the COVID-19 pandemic struck. Indeed, DWP continued the party throughout the tough times with a couple of virtual streams from 2020 onwards, but let’s be real – it wasn’t the same. Many have been itching to cheer on and sway along to their favourite musicians live. To not have the crowd enthusiastically shouting to the songs’ lyrics and tempo, showing their pure amazement of the visual arts displayed, and most of all, connecting through a night – or three – of good music were lacking these past years.

Music festivals made their comeback and even debut with Indonesia’s normalcy intact. Unfortunately, several were reported with the tragic news of injuries and even deaths, which prompted concerns. DWP, on the contrary, kept their word to ensure a fun and safe party zone. This music festival never fails to successfully blend music, art, and social ideals of peace, love, unity, tolerance, and happiness. Lots of familiar mega international and local DJ names exuded addictive energy during this celebration of EDM on 9-11th December. Most of them are no strangers to DWP, hence, it brought old fond memories to festival-goers.

Day One, 9th December 2022

Friday nights are always a good start to a spectacular weekend. It wouldn’t be DWP’s first day without honouring Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Diversity in Unity), DWP’s core value. The festival strongly sustains a diversity of sub-genres from the dance music spectrum every year. This time, various traditional Indonesian dances, such as the Janger Dance, awed the crowd.

It may have continuously drizzled, yet day one’s lineup deflected Jakarta’s gloomy weather. The latest edition to DWP is The Darker Side stage, held indoors. Its dark and heavy reliance on vibrant art and lasers transports house and techno music lovers into another dimension. DJs Devarra and Shiba San managed to get everyone’s dancing feet awake from a long hiatus. Furthermore, Gareth Emery rocked the Cosmic Station stage with, yes, more fascinating lasers.

At DWP’s famed vast Garuda-shaped main stage positioned outdoors, Garuda Land featured Indonesian act Dipha Barus among others. As the night got deeper, fans got into their best stances to party along with Hardwell, followed by DJ Snake who closed off the first night. Festival-goers went hysterical as Hardwell played remixes of Lana Del Rey, Kid Cudi, and other artists’ songs. He proudly projected his impressive Bahasa Indonesia that the crowd couldn’t get enough of. As soon as the opening beats of DJ Snake’s classic “Lean On” was heard, the Garuda Land was magically and instantly swarmed by more festival-goers arriving from DWP’s other stages who couldn’t miss out.

Day Two, 10 th December 2022

The festival area was even more packed with thousands of fans hailing from across Indonesia and neighbouring countries. Wide grins and chuckles between sips of Heneiken and spirits, as well as Ismaya’s irresistible food and beverage outlets, adorned Southeast Asia’s biggest dance festival.

Two buddies from Manila, the Philippines are Damon and Vince. This wasn’t their first DWP adventure – it was the fourth and second rounds respectively. “We’re looking forward to the rave scene back in Asia and some of the artists playing,” they said, flaunting their national flag.

The Barong music label family and DWP brought forth an unforgettable collaboration by creating the one-of-a-kind Barong stage on the second day of DWP 2022. Here was the exclusive centre for names from Jengi and Sky Sky, to first-timers performing in Indonesia, URO TRA$H. Meanwhile, the NeonGarden stage was rocked by Atsy X Taner and Slushii, who represented the trap music genre with eye-catching visuals.

DWP veteran Armin van Buuren took Garuda Land by storm as the last act of the night. Positioning oneself to get a clear view of the legendary DJ was rather challenging – the left and right sides of the stage had no empty spots at all. It was undeniably a humid night, but that was no issue. Van Buuren’s red visuals at the beginning of his set prompted high energy as he remixed adored songs that got everyone moving until late.

Day Three, 11th December 2022

Despite being a Sunday, which meant back to the daily grind starting within a few hours, the third and final day of DWP 2022 was a bang from the increasingly unstoppable enthusiasm of both fans and performers.

Australian native Frank came alone to Jakarta to see his favourite DJs Martin Garrix and Zedd. Also a first-timer to the festival, he was captivated by the venue. “This venue is very big, it could accommodate heaps of people. You have a lot of freedom and stuff to do here, it’s great!” he exclaimed. According to him, Australia merely has venues but doesn’t cater to different activities. “There’s a women’s vanity centre, an electronics hub, and more than one food corner here.”

This DWP truly feels nostalgic with the returns of Yellow Claw, Zedd, and Martin Garrix at Garuda Land. The last time they performed was in DWP 2019. Surely, they couldn’t get enough of partying together with Jakarta’s crowd?

Each of their sets was phenomenal, spoiling the crowd with various surprises aside from the spectacular fireworks displays. Yellow Claw have collaborated with Indonesian artists RAMENGVRL and Novia Bachmid, thus it only made sense for the ladies to sing live. After a 15-minute break, it was Zedd’s turn. His beloved “Clarity” had those nearest to him up to the further back and the VIP sections on each side of the stage belting to the lyrics and jumping vigorously. That wasn’t Zedd’s last appearance, though. Martin Garrix seemingly wore a batik top and called Zedd to stand alongside on the decks mid-set. The clock was nearing 2am – time for the most extravagant fireworks display of the festival to honour DWP as Garrix played his last tune.

Alka from Indonesia and another Australian named James were thrilled to attend the three days and let loose to all the international DJs’ performances, similar to 2017 and 2019. They noticed fewer people were seen frolicking around, compared to 2019 though. “It makes sense because not all countries have looser travel restrictions, like China. Hopefully, things change for the better and more people will return to the next one,” said James. All in all, DWP 2022 was a sweetener comeback, noting that profound excitement is unquestionably coming in 2023.

This DWP marks the 12 th edition of an in-person music festival which previously presented names such as Calvin Harris, Steve Aoki, The Weeknd, Skrillex, Tiesto, Diplo, Major Lazer, David Guetta, Kaskade, Marshmello, and more. DWP was originally named Blowfish Warehouse Project, first held in 2008 at Jakarta’s Blowfish Club. From 2010, the annual one-day event was then transformed into two days in 2014 and three days in 2019, attracting thousands of music lovers.

Various New Year’s Days in Indonesia

BY RAZI FARUQI PASHA

Indonesia is a country whose 270 million people is made up of various ethnicities and cultures, with 1,340 ethnic groups and six official religions.

As a multicultural country, the Indonesian government needs to create policies that cover all ethnicities. One of the policies is determining the new years’ calendar. In fact, people in Indonesia celebrate various New Year’s Days; Gregorian New Year, Chinese New Year, Islamic New Year, and Saka New Year. Let’s find out more about these celebrations!

Gregorian New Year

The Gregorian calendar is the world's most widely used calendar system since it is selected as the international standard for dates and times. In this calendar, the new year is celebrated on 1st January. The history behind 1st January as the day of the new year is the addition of January and February into the Roman calendar by Numa Pompilus, the king of the Roman Empire in the eighth century. Pompilus revised the previous Roman calendar by replacing March with January as the first month, since the month's name was named after Janus, the Roman God of all beginnings. This calendar system remained until it was adopted by Julius Caesar and finally introduced by Pope Gregory XIII as the Gregorian calendar in 1582.

This new year’s celebration is the most awaited day by most Indonesian people. Just like in any other country, the burst of colourful fireworks and the uproarious sound of trumpets will always tone up the new year’s celebration everywhere you’ll care to look. On the evening of 31st December, people gather with their families and friends. They will stay awake to watch the clock strike 12am while roasting some food, such as corn, satay, and sausages. They also do some other fun activities like singing, watching movies, and playing some games.

Lantern Festival (Cap Go Meh). In China and other East Asian countries, Chinese New Year is also called Spring Festival (春节, pinyin: Chūnjié) since it begins with lichun, the first of the twenty-four solar terms and the start of the spring season in the lunar calendar. In the Gregorian calendar, the first day of the Chinese calendar begins on the new moon that comes out between 21st January and 20th February.

In Indonesia, Chinese New Year has been a national holiday since 2003. It is celebrated to appreciate all Chinese people in Indonesia and their traditions. One day before New Year’s day, people will clean their houses as they believe it can drive away any bad things. During the celebration days, everything is in all red and the sky is full of magnificent fireworks shows. People will gather with their families and have some Chinese meals, such as dumplings, whole chicken, sweet rice balls, and noodles. They also go to the pagoda or temple to pray. Those who are married usually share ang pao – a red envelope filled with money – with kids and teenagers. Finally, the Lantern Festival is

held on the 15th day. There will be a parade and lion dance (Barongsai) along the streets where there is a concentration of Chinese people.

Islamic New Year

Islam is the majority religion in Indonesia. Many Islamic days are celebrated and one of them is the Islamic New Year. It is celebrated on the first day of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic year. It is held to commemorate the Hijrah, the emigration of Prophet Muhammad and his followers from Mecca to Medina. Since then, the date is counted as the first day of the Islamic year. Unlike most other calendar systems, a day in the Islamic calendar begins at sunset. The Islamic New Year does not fall on the same day of the Gregorian calendar every year since the Islamic year is eleven to twelve days shorter than the Gregorian one.

Most Muslims in Indonesia take part in the celebration day. Commonly, people will go to the mosque for prayers and reading the Holy Quran together. Some people conduct pilgrimages to their ancestors’ and religious

leaders’ graves. In some places, there will be some Islamic festivals and regional traditions, such as Tabuik in Pariaman, a ceremonial agenda in memory of the death of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad; Tapa Bisu in Yogyakarta, a ritual that is carried out by surrounding the Keraton without saying any words; and Mount Merapi Alms in Solo, a ritual practised by throwing a buffalo head over the top of the mountain followed by a large crowd.

Saka New Year

Most people may be more familiar with Nyepi, a day of silence, instead of Saka New Year. In fact, Nyepi is commemorated on the first day of Kasa, the first month of the Balinese calendar, so it is also known as the Saka New Year’s day. It is mainly celebrated in Bali, Indonesia. In Indonesia, Nyepi or Saka New Year is also a national holiday. Moreover, all beaches, streets, and the only airport in Bali are closed during the celebration day.

Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year, is a new year celebration based on the traditional Chinese calendar. It is actually a traditional festival in China. Since many Chinese people are also spread out in other countries, the day is also celebrated globally. It starts from the first day until the fifteenth day of the month, known as the

The Nyepi celebration isn’t like other ceremonial traditions. On this day, Balinese people are not allowed to turn on fires and electrical appliances. They can’t go to work or travel. In addition, they are not permitted to talk or eat something all day. What they can do is only stay silent, fast, and meditate at home starting from 6am until 6am the next morning. Then, on the following day, all the restrictions are over and people celebrate by gathering with families and friends, asking forgiveness from one another, practising some religious rituals in pura (Balinese temple) and performing the new year’s tradition Omed-omedan (a kissing ritual) by the youth.

Indonesia is known as a multicultural country which has four different new year celebrations throughout the year. Which one are you celebrating?

A

you are comfortable with. Look for a group of medical professionals who you can turn to, with any concerns. I would like to share some information to make life a bit easier.

There are three things to expect when you are living in Jakarta; infectious diseases, non-infectious diseases and accidents/injuries. Infectious diseases, like food borne, air borne, or even body uid transmitted diseases are common in Indonesia. Non-infectious diseases, or chronic diseases are sometimes unavoidable depending on your risk pro le. Accidents and injuries can happen anywhere. Rhesus negative blood is very rare in Indonesia. Join our registry: Rhesusnegative@goodpractice.co.id

What to do when you are sick Feeling unwell can be a challenge. First advice would be to seek an opinion if you are unsure about your condition. You may use Dr Google, talk to friend or even a medical professional back home. If possible, visit or call a clinic that you are comfortable with. In an ideal world you should have an assessment by a trusted medical practitioner (this can even be a telephone consultation). Your medical practitioner will give a possible diagnosis. A management plan needs to be mutually agreed upon. You need to voice your expectations and ask for possible options (Are you expecting a referral?).

Preventive actions

To avoid diseases from happening, you need to know how to manage avoidable risks. For infectious diseases, there are lots of

vaccinations available to protect you. This includes vaccinations against COVID-19. We will update you about the availability of these vaccines. Food prepared under unclear circumstances, tap water, and mosquitoes should be avoided. Identify a clinic that you are comfortable with! You can discuss your own risk pro le with your trusted physician.

In a tropical country like Indonesia, there are a lot of infectious diseases, besides COVID-19. Infectious diseases can be spread by water and/or by food such as traveler’s diarrhea, hepatitis A, typhoid fever and amoebic dysentery. Insect bites can also spread diseases like malaria, dengue, Japanese encephalitis and Chikungunya. Tuberculosis is spread through coughing and sneezing. Body uid transmitted diseases like STDs, HIV/ AIDS, Hepatitis B & C are also common in Indonesia. There are possibilities of getting Rabies if you are exposed to certain animals. We hope to get a new supply of Rabies vaccines this January.

Chronic disease management

If you are suffering from a chronic disease, we advise you to have a list of your regular medication. You should identify a doctor who can regularly check upon your condition and someone who can advise which (specialist) doctor you should see. Your family doctor can facilitate the communication with your specialist. Monitoring your condition on behalf of the specialist can also be done by a good family physician.

Discuss any concerns with your trusted medical practitioner. It I important that you identify a clinic that you are comfortable with. GOOD PRACTICE clinic provides house calls and of ce visits. You can even have consultations with anyone of our Medical Team from whatever location. We provide TELECONSULTATIONS.

Good Practice Clinic has patients from 77 countries. Our English speaking staff implements International guidelines. We provide highly personalized care. Try us! Info@ goodpractice.co.id or 021 7183140

Indonesia Expat Mixer: Happy Holidays from Gran Mélia Jakarta

Indonesia Expat Mixer wishes you happy holidays!

As the final mixer of 2022, Gran Mélia Jakarta provided their serene poolside area as the venue between 7 and 9 pm for a night of effortless networking on Wednesday 7th December 2022!

Participants from various backgrounds gathered whilst enjoying free-flow beer from König Ludwig Weissbier and Karltenberg Royal Lager, as well as wine from Hatten, while scrumptious light-bites were whipped up by the hotel. A special thanks also goes to Citadines Berawa Beach Bali, Bulerabica and Gran Mélia Jakarta for providing the lucky draw prizes, as well as Aramex for distributing vouchers upon registration.

The team behind Indonesia Expat Mixer brought the festive cheer while choosing the lucky draw winners. Five lucky business card holders each won a package of Bulerabica coffee to sip on at home. A complimentary one-night stay at Citadines Berawa Beach Bali was

given to a lucky number that a volunteer chose between one and 60 from the printed attendance list. As for the Grand Prize winners of dining vouchers at one of Gran Mélia Jakarta's F&B outlets, participants were enthusiastically guessing the titles of two Christmas carols that have been remixed by the DJ.

The Indonesia Expat Mixer is a monthly event that brings together both Indonesians and expats to expand their social network in an informal, relaxing ambience whilst also releasing some mid-week steam with appetising food, beverages, and music. Every event is presented in a different and unique setup.

To stay updated about the upcoming mixers, follow @indonesiaexpatmixer and @indonesiaexpat on Instagram and Facebook and subscribe to Indonesia Expat on YouTube to watch the soiree’s recap. See you at the next one!

JAKARTA

Dr Steven Graaff, MD, MRCGP, the founder of Good Practice Clinic is a graduate of the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Before completing his formal training in General Practice in the UK, he worked in several hospitals, occupational health and general practice in the Netherlands and the UK. As a medical professional with international experience,Steven decided to start his own clinic – Good Practice, in Jakarta

Introducing David Daguise, the General Manager of Pullman Jakarta Indonesia

Pullman Jakarta Indonesia introduces David Daguise as the hotel’s General Manager. Daguise is a French hotelier who brings over 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry with reputable international hotel brands and groups across the world and several hotel openings under his belt.

A man with a strong personality and openness to explore new countries and cultures had initiated his career in England as a Guest Relations officer as well as working for some renowned international hotel groups in the Caribbean, Mauritius, Seychelles, and Maldives.

By 2010, he joined Accor as the Resident Manager of Sofitel Krabi Phokeethra Golf & Spa. In 2013, he was appointed as the pre-opening General Manager of The Lake Garden Nay Pyi Taw - MGallery in Myanmar, followed by the General Manager of SO Sofitel Hua Hin. His prolonged successful achievements in operations, customer service, and revenue growth brought him back to Myanmar, where he was appointed as Cluster General Manager for Novotel and opened the first Sofitel in the country in Inle Lake.

Daguise recently opened the first phase of the new vibrant Mercure Rayong Lomtalay Villas & Resort, and his new journey is now taking him to Indonesia, right at the centre of Jakarta, in charge of Pullman Jakarta Indonesia.

“This is my first assignment in Indonesia. I’m excited to embrace a new experience, explore the country, and obviously engage with the Indonesian people who are so kind and hospitable,” said Daguise.

As an experienced hotelier carrying a humble, curious, and dynamic personality, Daguise is enthusiastically keen to share with his team. He is now aiming at greater opportunities and therefore reinforcing Pullman Jakarta Indonesia as a landmark in the city. He is also a strong believer in people’s development and takes pride in knowing everyone’s wishes and ambitions in order to give everybody the opportunity to grow with their respective abilities and skills.

Daguise expressed that regarding his new role, he strongly believes that together with his team, they will be able to deliver an authentic and high-quality experience. “The property has tremendous potential which will unfold as we move forward. New concepts, personalised service, high-quality standards, and attention to the product and creativity are among some of the initiatives that are already in motion.”

Daguise is managing 427 luxury rooms, including Sana Sini with its famous and unrivalled culinary excursion into the different corners of Europe and Asia, the legendary Kahyangan known for outstanding service, amazing city views, and unparalleled Shabu-Shabu and Teppanyaki experiences, as well as The Back Room Bar, Le Chocolat Lounge, Makaron Bakeshop and Fit and Spa as the hotel’s General Manager. He enjoys travelling, reading, and gardening in his leisure time. When he gets the chance, he likes to spend a couple of hours, or even half a day, out on the golf course.

New Year’s Resolution: The Journey Inside

BY DONNY SYOFYAN

Are we in need of a New Year’s resolution? Yes, because at the end of the year, we need something to measure. The idea of counting time is because we need some measure, we need milestones to know whether we are going forward or backwards in our lives. We need to look at ourselves as human beings in 2023 – not as our business, not our career, and not as other things. Those elements of ourselves matter but we take care of them as human beings. This is something that we must evaluate today. We need to evaluate every night. If we are lousy accountants of life, at least we must evaluate once a year.

If we evaluate once a decade it will be too late; believe me, we can’t fix it. Once a day, once a week, once a month – if we are evaluating, we will be able to take corrective measures in life. At least once a year is sufficient, that is, if we are evaluating. “Have we moved forward as human beings or have we gone backwards?” is a simple way of checking how we were in 2022. “Are we going to be a little more joyful, more relaxed, more compassionate, and more loving in 2023?”

We just need to check in on it. Do not go by your family’s judgment because there may be many local prejudices. We are unsure of vested interests, while family, neighbours, and friends are all vested interests. If we do not do what they think we should do, they will think we have fallen.

Some years ago, everybody may have thought we had fallen and lost our minds about a failure we made. Today, the same people clap their hands for different reasons. Even if we’ve taken positive steps, somebody else may be saying something. Do not let somebody else evaluate who we are. Within ourselves, we sincerely look and see if we have moved forward as human beings because we are one year closer to our grave. Are we going to at least die as better human beings? If not, live better. Suppose we die tomorrow morning; are we dying as human beings who are a little better than we were a year ago? This is an important question.

If we live as better human beings, it will be wonderful for us, wonderful for everybody around us. Suppose we die – at least there will be no regret about what a horrible creature we have been. If we are going to make people around us only joyful and relieved when we die, that’s not a good way to live. People should be joyful because our presence is good. They are joyful because our absence is not a good thing. It is important to check this and, in the coming year, we must have a plan for how to become better human beings than we were in 2022. We must have a plan of our own. People can help us with a route for how to negotiate our plan, but we must have a plan.

Don’t wait for cosmic geometry to come together. Cosmic geometry is in a wonderful place, otherwise, it would have crashed. We do not worry about where the stars are, what is the arrangement, or whether it is okay or not; it’s perfect. Are we going to ride it or are we going to be crushed by it? That’s a question. We must have a clear-cut plan for 2023. How we are going to be better human beings within ourselves is much more important.

What happens around us is the consequence of the way the world is running and the way we conduct things – many things. Consequences are okay but how we are is very important because this is what determines the quality of who we are. What happens — we have a

little more, a little less, this happens, that happens — is not the quality of our life, that is just the content of our life. Content should not decide the quality, it is always the context which decides the quality of one’s life.

In the coming year, the plan must be good and workable. We should have an ambitious plan, not a stupid, silly, tiny plan. We need to decide that by the end of this year, we must be in a certain state. Time to plan! The coming year shall have a clear-cut plan and we work through a deliverable and ambitious plan, not a small one. We must evolve a plan like that. If necessary, write it down. Everybody must go by his or her prescriptions but if we are better, we must be functioning within ourselves at least with less friction, less struggle, and less turmoil. That is an indication that we are better.

We will find 2023 very diverting once we prepare for it. Yet we will still have poor taste in the coming year of 2023 as the next remains the same as this year – 2022. No one will regret coming to the new year so long as they have a better plan at the end of this year. Psychologically speaking, warmness will be inside someone by the time they walk their plan through the year. Planning the future should easily encourage someone. Happy New Year!

The writer is a lecturer at the Faculty of Humanities, Andalas University.

Are we going to at least die as better human beings? If not, live better. Suppose we die tomorrow morning; are we dying as human beings who are a little better than we were a year ago? This is an important question.

Congratulations. You’ve finally settled into your new life in Jakarta. You have found the right home for your family, and your children are happily settled into their new school. But like with any transition, this brings along uncertainties and challenges.

For students especially, who have become accustomed to a certain school culture, curriculum, and social circles and who are suddenly placed in a new and foreign environment, it often leads to unwanted complications in their academic lives.

As with many things in Jakarta, expats often find it difficult to navigate their way around the many products and services the city has to offer. For this reason, many expats often rely on their direct communities for advice and feedback. It comes as no surprise then that word-of-mouth is one of the most trusted methods of referrals of any service company in Jakarta for expats.

So when students start feeling the impact of moving to a new country and a new school, parents will start to look for answers. But who do they turn to?

CREDIBLE TUTORING

Since its establishment, A for Effort has become a trusted household name in the tutoring industry in Indonesia. Known for offering high-quality private Math and Science tutoring lessons to primarily the international community, A for Effort caters to students attending international schools throughout Indonesia, and abroad.

Students young and old come to A for Effort for a wide variety of reasons, whether students need to increase their academic confidence, knowledge, or need help transitioning between curriculums, A for Effort tutors adapt their support to the specific needs of their students.

With students coming from over 36 schools and spread across four continents through both offline and online tutoring sessions, A for Effort has taught over 12,000 private tutoring sessions since its establishment in 2016. A for Effort ’s services cover all main curriculums spanning from IB to IGCSE, AP, and standardised test preps such as the SATs.

Thawin, an IB Math student who attends an international school in Germany and takes online tutoring lessons with A for Effort , shares, “A for Effort has really helped me, the tutors explain the topics very well and in an easy-to-understand manner, which is very helpful.”

During and post-pandemic, there was a huge surge in the demand for private tutoring. As one can imagine, the pandemic impacted students in a variety of ways, which often led to delays in the student’s academic progress. More and more students turned to private tutoring in order to catch up on topics, gain clarification on their material or get a good grip on studying and test-taking skills. With private tutoring becoming the accepted norm, A for Effort experienced a drastic growth in demand for academic support, and soon it outgrew the capacity to cater to the rising demand.

NEW LOCATION, NEW OPPORTUNITIES

In August 2022, A for Effort opened its doors to a new, larger location, situated on the outskirts of Kemang in South Jakarta. With over 240m2 of space dedicated to private and semi-private tutoring, and with an expanded team of experienced tutors, A for Effort has taught over 2,400 lessons in just the first three months of the opening of its new location in August 2022. Its central location in South Jakarta makes it easy to reach from the most popular neighbourhoods in the vicinity. And being located on the road that leads to the popular Kemang Lippo Mall makes it hard to miss.

A for Effort ’s new location is designed to provide a dynamic and energetic study environment for students young and old. At first glance, it does not look like your typical education centre. With its bold, colourful wall murals and grass patches with bean bags, it won’t remind you of your conventional Math and Science tutoring centre, and that’s the whole idea behind A for Effort . The motivational slogans repeated throughout the premises, remind students that hard work pays off and to never give up.

QUALITY COMES FIRST

But while the location might radiate a relaxed and casual atmosphere, everything at A for Effort places a strong emphasis on delivering high quality in all aspects of the business. A for Effort tutors go through a rigorous selection process followed by intense training and assessments before they are assigned their first lessons.

Lessons for younger students take a more playful approach to learning while doing, with hands-on activities that allow students to be introduced to Math and Science concepts in a non-demanding manner. This helps younger students overcome any insecurities they might have about these subjects, along with gaining a thorough understanding of the material.

At the other end of the spectrum are High School students which comprise the largest group of students at A for Effort . While maintaining the emphasis on enjoyable and engaging lessons, the material covered is far more serious in its nature. A for Effort helps students with a variety of demanding subjects and courses including IB Math and Science, IGCSE subjects, A-levels, and AP courses.

Isaac, a student who takes AP Pre-Calculus Math tutoring at A for Effort , has expressed, “My Math grade has improved significantly during my time with A for Effort and I have so much fun learning here.” Additionally, A for Effort also offers intense study sessions to help students prepare for Olympiad Maths and SAT exams.

PERSONALISED

LESSONS FOR ALL

Despite the wide range of personal reasons students might have for taking on tutoring, A for Effort ensures that the right approach is always provided, adapting to the students’ needs through high-quality tutoring.

sign up for private and semi-private lessons, A for Effort can be contacted directly via phone or email.

expatriation.

BY RICKER WINSOR

Standing on the edge of the highway

I held a sign that said “London”. It was cold, early spring, and I was hitching from Newcastle. I was nineteen, and the year, 1964. At a pub that evening, a Canadian guy told me, “You know, once it starts it never stops.” He was right and I knew it even then.

Expatriation is an inevitability for certain people. People with prolonged expatriate experiences due to work move through well-known stages of adaption: the honeymoon of excitement at a new place, the disappointment as the downside is revealed, and the final accommodation to it all. Eventually, surely, they go home. And what happens then? Most just carry on where they left off in their communities but others have a hard time readjusting.

We all know about “roots” and what that means in a personal way to each of us. Back then, at age nineteen, I shook up those roots, and if they were not yet dislodged, they also never returned to their original condition.

Restlessness attends to the expatriate personality. What else could make a person leave for a strange place without friends and without knowing the language or the culture? That same drive sent Leif Erikson, Christopher Columbus, and many others on their way into the unknown. It is in the human personality to want to know what is over the next hill, but some people experience that tendency as a deep need.

I don’t even like travelling and I never had an interest in being a tourist. Yet here I am, having lived all over the world and now settling in Indonesia. I returned to my home in the northeast of the USA more times than I can count and every time I left again, not because I didn’t like it but because all my other foreign experiences tugged at my heart and called me into action almost in spite of myself. It just seems so much more interesting “out there” – wherever that may be.

Someone back home said, “Oh, I would never move somewhere I didn’t have friends”. But the expat knows that there are good people everywhere and new friends waiting for you. They may not be the old friends that are so precious but they are good friends and could be even better friends if you would only hang around, something that is always a question mark both for you and for them.

And up comes the downside. After yanking on those roots hard and long, they wither and die. You find yourself “out there” on your own. Back home the friends are huddled together around a fire of communal warmth and you are like the wolf circling from the bushes, wishing you could get closer. You are different and everyone knows it. And when you are with them, they talk about their normal lives without much interest in hearing your foreign stories. And why? Because your stories have no connection with their lives or their experience.

Loneliness is a part of the expatriate condition and is part of the artist’s condition. My leaving home had everything to do with two things: wanting to know myself better and wanting to know how I would meet the world and react to it. Those two ideas are central to the artist’s personality, mind, and character. When you are home with the people you have known your whole life and with the burden of their expectations, no matter how benign, you are in a box. An artist wants out of the box.

At first, I didn’t know what kind of an artist I wanted to be or even what that meant. I had the impulse and I had a few notions. I thought I might want to be a writer and doesn’t a writer need something to write about? That was part of it. What I didn’t know then was that I had plenty to write about even if I went nowhere and that the endless rambling and questing for new experiences could be a distraction from that. But those ideas are distant from youth; they become clear with age.

My leaving home had everything to do with two things: wanting to know myself better and wanting to know how I would meet the world and react to it. Those two ideas are central to the artist’s personality, mind, and character.

Becoming an artist is a process and becoming an expatriate is a process; both can have a great deal in common. It’s important to distinguish between the working expat who always has home in mind and the expat who can’t go home and knows it, the one who has accepted that as a fact. And there is a distinction also between the person who enjoys art of one kind or another as a hobby and the artist who builds their life around it and makes it a priority.

Recently, a friend, who is a writer and a painter like me, published yet another book. They are good books but without getting the readership they deserve which is typical of the artist’s plight. In his book, he tried to steer aspiring artists from that path with advice about a “practical major” in college so that they might have a “practical career”. As a younger man, I might have seen this as a betrayal of the artist’s quest and calling but as an older man, I sympathise completely. The artist’s life is very tough, its rewards are measured against poverty and loneliness, two heavyweight enemies.

Expatriation also cuts out its pound of flesh when you leave your friends for the third or fourth time, friends who depend on you for

friendship, company, leadership, and many things. They tire of your inconstancy and turn their backs. Who can blame them? This is the steep price paid for the expat’s new experiences and for a deepening of one’s artist life. Yet, for me, there was never much of a choice and I am sure that is true for many others like me.

I grew up with a lot of privilege and luxury and all it did was bore me and make me feel like I couldn’t breathe. For me, there was no comfort in materialism. And if poverty has been a burden, at least it has finally made me appreciate what I do have which was not the case earlier on.

These lives, the artist’s life and the expatriate’s life, are ways beyond the metaphoric box in which most of us live. They point in a spiritual direction toward spiritual goals, and they are part of what ultimately is a spiritual path. To accept oneself as an artist, to accept oneself as a true citizen of the world, requires a deep exhalation, an acceptance, a letting go. When the supports of a “normal” life are taken away, humility, surrender, and trust fall on you whether you want them or not. Trust? What if you refuse to trust, just cannot do it? Then come the plagues of panic, terror, and depression.

But trust in what? Something, something to discover for you alone. Carl Sagan, referring to “that pale blue dot” of our earth from space said, “Every saint and sinner who has ever lived has lived on that mote of dust in a sunbeam.” Carl Sagan did not have a particular religious affiliation but his perception of creation, our planet, and our lives speak of humility and awe. Ernest Hemmingway, in his short Nobel laureate speech said this about being a writer: “For he does his work alone and if he is a good enough writer he must face eternity, or the lack of it, each day.”

IMAGE BY HELENA LOPES (UNSPLASH)

Unborn and Newborn Babies’ Organs at Risk from Air Pollution, Says Research

Air pollution particles contaminate the air we breathe in this world and are also alarmingly dangerous to unborn babies. As a foetus in the womb, long before they take their first breath, research has found that a foetus’ internal organs such as the lungs, liver, and brain have a chance of being infected by numerous black carbon particles due to the air inhaled by the mother during pregnancy. It flows through the blood vessels, towards the placenta, and eventually reaches the foetus.

When a parent-to-be is surrounded by poor air quality, this condition strongly equates to increased miscarriages, premature births which can cause neurological disorders and disabilities, low birth weights, and undermine cognitive brain development. The first 1,000 days are the most crucial period in a child's developmental progress, starting from the formation of the child's vital organs. At those 1,000 days, the brain begins to develop to be able to process visuals from images, process sounds entering through their ears, as well as recognise and remember languages and faces around them.

Pollution is clearly very dangerous for human health, especially for toddlers as they breathe more air than their body weight. Some scientists explain that air pollution is the main cause of 920,000 children’s death under five. They contract asthma, bronchitis, and other respiratory diseases. As research develops, scientists have discovered that air pollution has a high possibility to spawn long-lasting health consequences. This is backed up by Prof Jonathan Grigg at Queen Mary University of London, who first detected air pollution particles in placentas in 2018, as reported by TheGuardian . Moreover, another piece of research published in the journal “Lancet Planetary Health”, reported by TheGuardian , discovered the examined lungs, livers, brain tissues, umbilical cord blood, and placentas all had air pollution particles, to which the scientists said: “The findings are especially concerning because this window of exposure is key to organ development.”

As agonising as these findings are, future parents need to understand how to look after themselves. Pregnant people tend to be more vulnerable with their immune systems. Further research states that air pollution can shorten life by years. Therefore, the higher the exposure to air pollution is, the greater the reduction in life expectancy.

Some risks that can occur due to exposure to air pollution during pregnancy include:

• Parents-to-be are at risk of hypertension.

• Parents and babies are at risk of lung cancer.

• Babies are at risk of ADHD and asphyxia.

More than 90 percent of the world's population lives in air pollution that exceeds WHO thresholds. A UNICEF paper released in December 2017 stated that the majority of 17 million babies under the age of one living in Southeast Asia were at risk of breathing toxic air. Alas, avoiding air pollution altogether is difficult and somewhat impossible to do, especially when living in big cities where mobilisation is at its highest.

The thought of staying indoors emerges to keep your family safe and healthy. Contrary to popular belief, staying indoors doesn't guarantee clean air being inhaled either. Indoor air can be two to five times worse than being outdoors. Unknowingly, our own activities are a source of indoor air pollution. For example, cooking fumes, using chemical-based cleaning agents, and even using perfumes can contribute to the poor air quality within your safe walls.

Parents and everyone else shouldn't be concerned over the toxic air circulating within their homes – the quality of air is within your control. Below are several simple steps for you to take control of the air you and your loved ones breathe:

• Avoid creating a lot of smoke from overcooking or smoking indoors. Instead, put indoor plants as a natural tool to replace carbon dioxide with oxygen.

• Change the choice of household cleaning agents from chemical-based to natural ingredients. The use of chemicals from cleaning fluids to clean floors, tables, glasses, and so on can evaporate into the air and be inhaled.

• Pollution circulating, in general, is invisible to the naked eye; don’t blame yourself for being unaware that pollution never stops moving. Using an indoor air purifier with an appropriate clean air value of five cleanings per hour can be the solution. HEPA filter-based air purifiers, such as Blueair, can clean 99.97 percent of the air from the smallest particles – even bacteria and viruses – down to 0.1 microns in size.

Regardless of where you choose to be indoors, remember that is where 90 percent of your time is spent. Blueair purifiers protect from the negative effects of air pollutants. The higher levels of clean air (high CADR) provided by Blueair are the safest environment to foster better growth, thinking, and learning as the lungs and brains of children are still developing. Moreover, worsening asthma and allergies are countered by the HEPASilent filtration technology which delivers a high clean air rate with low noise and high energy efficiency. Not to mention, you will see increased productivity and better sleep – both very much vital for a healthy functioning person.

Simple everyday actions and decisions can protect the well-being of your family. Just as important as the nutritious intake consumed by expectant parents is that they also need to be careful in keeping their environments clean. If cleaning the house feels burdensome, at least use a quality air purifier that cleans the air without the need for extra activities. Make positive adjustments in your home for your new bundle of joy!

The Searcher Who Cared and Shared

BY DUNCAN GRAHAM

Through special visas, Sandiaga Uno wants to open the wallets of foreign “digital nomads”, Gen Zedders with laptops in their backpacks and flawless WiFi by the pool.

The Tourism Minister thinks that once among Bali’s palms and paddy they’ll spend their overseas earnings on local services. Whether they’ll leave any positive legacy is another matter.

Before Bali was transformed from a relaxed, magical, and accepting culture to a money machine driven by outside investors, footloose creatives had embraced the island’s rich spirituality. One was Australian John Darling, a young man with a fine education and an assured career.

Despite these advantages, he didn’t have much idea of what he wanted to do and where to go. His university lecturer reportedly advised he’d make “a far greater contribution by increasing Australian understanding of Indonesia through living and researching Bali and other areas of the archipelago.”

As so often happens to open-minded seekers, the purpose found him and it came with a rare culture, an exotic environment and a cine camera.

Now thanks to admirers of John’s thoughtful films, we have a tribute to a contemplator who came to know Bali better than most, accepted what he’d found, and sought to share.

John Darling, an Australian filmmaker in Bali, is a collection of 21 essays assembled by Australasian academics Graeme MacRae and Anton Lucas. There are photos and a few poems:

‘In the mountains / I saw a river/ running rapid

For Buddha /a deep pool / ripples / out from centre

In a quiet place / a fat frog/ croaks content Trapping his needs / from a flying world.

John was born in Melbourne in 1946 and raised among the elite. His father James Darling was headmaster at Geelong Grammar, one of Australia’s most prestigious schools.

His son’s paved path was heading straight to an academic career, but capricious fate added turns. After uni, John lost his way; his mates suggested Indonesia. He disembarked in Jakarta, slowly bussed east, and then into Bali where serendipity intervened.

According to the book, a revelation came one dawn in a paddy where he met I Gusti Nyoman Lempad the famous Balinese sculptor and artist, then aged 108. He squatted and smoked with a restive Aussie 84 years younger, “seeking a place in which to develop my obscure talents.”

This required celluloid and a mate with technical knowledge. That was to be Lorne Blair, a filmmaker from the UK who became internationally famous for his TV series Ring of Fire, an Indonesian Odyssey made with his brother Lawrence.

Lempad died in 1978 and so began a prolonged set of elaborate funeral rituals that the two outsiders filmed. Because John was an accepted member of the community and could speak Balinese, he had open access to all preparations for the cremation.

Forty-three years later and online, Lempad of Bali has lost little across the decades. It could have been an ethnographic exercise of limited interest outside social anthropology courses, but it was made as a story of interest to all.

That quality helped the producers win the Documentary Award at the Asian Film Festival, and set John’s future not just as a director but also lecturer, writer, and poet.

I worked with him on one film and found him introspective – yet engaging. Some saw him as “shy and very cerebral… a latterday Romantic poet.” Others report a funny man with “good manners’, and a ‘dashing dandyish figure.”

Toby Miller, a student who became a friend and now teaches cultural studies writes: “Despite his fame, Johnny needed a lot of care – and was himself full of caring love. He was vulnerable and strong in equal parts.”

This assessment helps explain the sensitivity of his films shown on mainstream television internationally including Bali Hash, Slow Boat from Surabaya, Master of the Shadow, Bali Triptych and Below the Wind.

John’s final work came while he was sick with a genetic disease that took his life in 2011 when he was in Perth. His ashes were sent to Bali.

The Healing of Bali was shot after the 2002 Kuta nightclub blasts which killed 202. There was a rush of journalists to the island, focusing on the event. John’s production concentrates on the survivors and how they are coping with the overwhelming horror.

There’s no foreign voice-over. The people speak for themselves. The grief is raw. The viewer is there.

David Hanan, an Australian film-studies lecturer, writes that a major theme of the film “is the lack of discrimination, indeed the underlying warmth of the religiously tolerant Balinese people – including those most impacted by the events – towards local Muslim residents.”

Reviewer David Reeve concluded: “This film is about the healing of Indonesia too, and indeed the world.” His widow and coproducer Sara offers a moving account of the shoot and this tribute:

“John was a peaceful man who promoted harmony. He related to everyone, from priests to farmers. His films have helped make Indonesia accessible to the world, particularly Australians who so frequently distrust and misunderstand their northern neighbour.”

Digital nomads need this worthy book to appreciate their second home. So do all spellbound by Bali and not led astray by the superficialities of tourism, striving - like John – to see if they fit. And if so, where, how, and why.

Disclosure: The author is one of the contributors.

Top Three Strategic Sectors for Investors to Watch in 2023

The former Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, and arguably the father of modern science, Francis Bacon, died in 1626 and one of his most famous quotes, “knowledge is power,” is still widely used today. Fast forward to 2023. Motivational speaker and minister, Eric Thomas, argues “knowledge isn’t power, applied knowledge is power ” meaning it’s all about how you act or apply the knowledge that you gain.

At Seven Stones Indonesia, we advise our clients that the best way to do business in Indonesia is legally; from property acquisitions to going public on the stock exchange and being the next big unicorn. Regulations can, and do, change, as we’ve recently seen with the Omnibus Laws and the passing of the new Criminal Code. That’s why we spend time and energy researching and sharing content we think will help, not only on our own company website but also through the platforms we’ve recently acquired at Invest Indonesia and Bali Expat

We believe Indonesia is getting easier for foreign investors; systems are more transparent; procedures have been improved; and the time things take, arguably the most important aspect for any business owner, has been greatly reduced. We are here to encourage you to invest in Indonesia, guiding you through the process of doing so. And with that in mind, we’d like to start 2023 with the top three areas we think are worth learning more about if you’re a savvy investor.

Number One: Renewable Energy and Electric Vehicles

The buzz around clean energy and electric vehicles (EV’s) is changing the world as we know it and Indonesia has made some pretty serious commitments to the cause. The government is looking to reduce carbon emissions by as much as 41 percent, offering some exciting opportunities for businesses specialising in clean energy. Climate investment funds, such as the Clean Technology Fund (CTF) have US$400 million available to assist initiatives in this sector, particularly in the geothermal space, according to Tetra Consultants

Mordor Intelligence research papers suggest that Indonesia currently has around 13 percent of its power generated from renewable energy resources, mainly hydroelectric and geothermal power, but the target is to get to 23 percent by 2025 with 31 percent of the country’s total electricity generated from renewables by 2050.

Reuters recently reported that Indonesia may allocate Rp5 trillion, that’s approximately US$320 million, from 2023’s budget to incentivise electric vehicle purchases, with special attention going to those vehicles manufactured domestically.

A number of foreign vehicle manufactures already have a significant presence in Indonesia including Toyota, Mitsubishi, Hyundai, General Motors, and Wuling. There have also been high-level overtures towards Tesla to produce not just EV batteries but also electric cars in Indonesia.

We recently posted an article from Antara News on our Invest Indonesia website saying that Bahlil Lahadalia, Investment Minister and Head of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) is in talks with automotive companies and manufacturers to participate in building an electric vehicle battery ecosystem in Indonesia including LG, CATL, Foxconn, British Volt, Ford, BASF, and Volkswagen.

Number Two: Health Care and Medical Tourism

Indonesia’s Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin was cited in a report published by Vietnam Plus in August 2022, that his ministry will set aside a budget of Rp88.5 trillion, approximately US$5.96 billion, for Indonesia’s health transformation in 2023. Big numbers for sure, but the bigger question is will Indonesia allow foreign doctors to work here, which would clearly be a game changer?

In a November 2022 report, Tempo suggests the Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI) shouldn’t be concerned about opening the doors to foreign doctors (which they are apparently) as it would not only improve public health services but could also bring about advances in the domestic medical sector.

This concern from the IDI is somewhat of a moot point because Indonesia has already signed a multilateral treaty with the Asian Economic Community, which allows for the entry of goods and services from 2025, and that includes doctors. Sandiaga Uno, Indonesia’s Tourism and Creative Economy Minister, also appears optimistic about the idea of developing Indonesia’s health and wellness sector, saying that “there are plans to cooperate with international institutions from several countries, including the Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins University to provide the best health tourism destinations, both for Indonesian citizens and foreign nationals who are on vacation in Indonesia.”

The IDI and politics aside, Bloomberg ran a story in November about how Sanur could put Bali on the map for medical tourism, with the development already taking place of a large medical facility on the 41-hectare grounds of the old Grand Bali Beach/ Hotel Indonesia, which will become a health Special Economic Zone (SEZ), the first of its kind in Indonesia.

A big driver here is the fact that Bloomberg suggests around two million Indonesians travel to countries such as Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, and the U.S. for medical treatment, which translates to Rp97 trillion, approximately US$6.2 billion leaving Indonesia with outbound medical tourism each year. That’s a big market to tap into with the right kinds of products and services.

Traditional health services are also being developed along with encouraging MSMEs to be involved with the production of medical devices as more than 90 percent of them are currently imported.

And from the sidelines of the recent G20 Summit held in Bali in November, CNN Indonesia reported that President Jokowi made a call for Indonesia and “other developing countries to be part of the global health supply chain. According to Jokowi, developing countries need to take part in order to erase the health disparity with developed countries, where the gap in health, especially in infrastructure, is very wide.”

Jokowi also urged developing countries (including Indonesia) to be part of world health manufacturing and research, which, he said, “can only happen if investment in the health industry is increased, research cooperation and technology transfers are strengthened, and access to production raw materials is expanded for developing countries.”

We’ve also been hearing talk around refunctioning some of the floors of Bali’s four- and five-star hotels and resorts, especially in the Nusa Dua area, to cater to clinics and medical tourism markets, which would be a perfect way to kick-start Indonesia’s medical tourism initiatives.

Number Three: All Things Digital

Indonesia has embraced all things digital with open arms and is above and beyond any competition in the region when it comes to financial transactions. In the Fintech (Financial Technology) sector, for example, Indonesia has seen rapid growth in all aspects of Fintech, including payments, lending, and investments. On its current trajectory, digital payments are forecast to grow to US$351 billion, digital loans look to reach US$35 billion, and Fintech investment AUM will hit US$28 billion by 2025 according to research from Google, Bain , and Temasek and reporting from AC Insights and Forbes Indonesia

Even though these figures are impressive, AC Insights suggest the opportunities in Indonesia’s Fintech sector are enormous, particularly because adoption numbers still constitute just a fraction of the total addressable market, which has a total of 47 million underbanked and 92 million unbanked adults.

As of 2021, P2P loan book accumulation only reached US$20.4 billion from 103 Fintech companies officially listed by the Financial Services Authority (OJK). This, however, only covers around 26 million borrowers in a country with a population of more than 276 million (Source: World Bank). In addition, AC Insights suggests 63 million MSMEs are contributing over 60 percent to the country’s GDP, but less than two percent of them have access to financial products resulting in an estimated US$80 billion lending gap.

The number of retail investors has increased by 362 percent in the last three years but estimates suggest this only translates to a total of 7.5 million retail stock investors, which is only four percent of the total adult population.

Crypto investments have also seen astronomical growth, touching over 10 million investors, which is less than 10 percent of the total adult population in Indonesia, leaving a lot of room for phenomenal growth. Crypto transactions in Indonesia have experienced an increase of almost 1,000 percent from Rp64.9 trillion in 2020 to Rp859.4 trillion in 2021 according to CoinGape

There are, of course, other key sectors that savvy investors should be aware of; infrastructure, tourism, education, and property are among the most exciting, which you can read more about at www. sevenstonesindonesia.com and www. investindonesia.co.id

If you’d like more investment insights and you’re interested in investing in one of the world’s most politically stable and dynamic economies, get in touch with us via hello@ sevenstonesindonesia.com

Sources: BKPM, Mordor Intelligence, Tetra Consultants, Reuters, Bloomberg, Invest Indonesia, Antara News, AC Insights, Forbes Indonesia, Google, Bain, and Temasek, CoinGape, Vietnam Plus

IMAGE BY PIRO (PIXABAY)

Bali's Best Beach Clubs to Go to in 2023

BY EYUL TUNC

Sipping a coconut under the palm trees, watching the mesmerising ocean views, and swimming in the fancy infinity pools while listening to good music. When it comes to beach clubs, Bali is for sure the champion with plenty of options. You might even go crazy deciding on which one to go to, but don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!

Here are Bali's best beach clubs for expats to go to in 2023, including the new openings:

POTATO HEAD potatoheadbali

Situated in Bali’s fancy neighbourhood Seminyak, Potato Head Beach Club must definitely be on your bucket list. It has a very nice swimming pool and a pool bar where you can sip delicious cocktails while watching the sunset. Their food menu is also worth a try.

ATLAS BEACH FEST (NEW) atlasbeachclub

Located in the heart of Canggu, Atlas Beach Fest is Bali’s biggest beach club. It has an impressively big swimming pool overlooking the ocean, fancy sun lounges, and even a shopping mall with loads of restaurants and cafes.

FINNS BEACH CLUB finnsbeachclub

This oceanfront beach club is one of Bali’s most famous beach clubs known for its happy hours, parties, fancy pools, and light shows. Finns Beach Club has international restaurants offering foods from world cuisine such as Japanese, Western, and Italian, as well as bars with a good selection of cocktails.

MARI BEACH CLUB (NEW) maribeachclubbali

This beach club is not only so Instagrammable but also offers good times. As one of the newest beach clubs in Bali, Mari has mouthwatering food and cocktails, great music, and a cool vibe by the ocean. During the weekends, Mari also hosts parties with live DJ sets.

PALMILLA BEACH CLUB BALI palmillabali

This beach club offers powdery sand, turquoise-coloured water, and good vibes. Contrary to many beach clubs in Bali, Palmilla has direct access to the beach where you can swim in the still water.

KARMA BEACH BALI

karmabeachclubs

Situated on the breathtaking Karma Beach, this luxurious beach club will exceed your expectations. Karma Beach is one of the most beautiful and swimmable beaches in Bali. Another highlight of this beach club is, you reach the beach by a scenic small elevator journey.

LA BRISA labrisabali

Thanks to its sophisticated decoration, chic pools, and breathtaking pools, La Brisa is one of the top beach clubs in Bali. Not only a place to chase the sunset, but it’s also nice for a day to chill. On Sundays, they have a market where you can try many international and local foods and shop for designer clothes.

SUNDAYS BEACH CLUB

sundaysbeachclub

Sundays Beach Club has a beach with surreal colours, powdery sand, and comfy sun loungers. If you are looking for a good vibe, excellent service, and yummy food, don’t miss out on this one.

EL KABRON elkabronbali

If you are a fan of an infinity pool, you should definitely add this beach club to your list. Located in Uluwatu, El Kabron offers panoramic ocean views and gourmet foods and drinks. Pick a cocktail or sparkling wine from their vast menu and enjoy the spectacular views by the pool.

ULU CLIFF HOUSE ulucliffhouse

Incredible cliff view, fancy and comfortable sun lounges, good view, and food - it is impossible to leave Ulu Cliff House without having a good time. Go early to sunbathe and enjoy the pool. Stay until late for the daily events.

IMAGE BY LONG TRUONG (UNSPLASH)

THE LAWN CANGGU

thelawncanggu

Who doesn’t like lounging under palm trees with a coconut in hand? The Lawn Canggu has comfortable sun lounges, cabanas for groups, and a swimming pool with an ocean view. A restaurant and bar is offering a great array of food and cocktails.

The Apurva Kempinski Bali Launches Gallery of Art and Music

Through a special event at the resort’s Pendopo Lobby on 1st December 2022, The Apurva Kempinski Bali has launched the Gallery of Music and Art. Seeking to showcase the talented artists of Indonesia, the Gallery’s first-ever presentation was an enigmatic collaboration between Raul Renanda and Truedy.

Renanda poured his creativity onto a blank canvas, expressing his thoughts in lines and colours while the young and talented musician Truedy translated each stroke of the brush into a melodious piano performance. Together, the two depicted the message of “Nusantara” and showcased their pride in Indonesia. The painting itself is on display until the end of February 2023.

The Gallery of Art and Music will feature different artists every three months, representing a diverse range of fine art categories, including painting. “This project also offers a sneak peek into our 2023,

BALI

Grand Mercure Opens First Property in Bali

The 269 rooms and suites range from 38 to 65 square metres, with the décor influenced by the traditional Balinese dancer’s headdress complemented by contemporary furnishings and state-of-the-art amenities, including a large LED TV, complimentary Wi-Fi, and a rain shower with a separate bathtub. Every Deluxe Room and Junior Suite features a balcony with garden views, and the Executive Suites offer panoramic ocean vistas.

‘Powerful Indonesia’ campaign, where we put more emphasis on the wonderful talents of Indonesia,” said Vincent Guironnet, General Manager of The Apurva Kempinski Bali.

When it comes to art, Raul Renanda has long been known in the scene. From designing hotels and resorts to participating in art exhibitions, his work features in various high-scale projects in architecture and interiors, as well as other artbased ventures. Meanwhile, Truedy is a talented Indonesian musician who has performed regularly at The Apurva Kempinski Bali. The Bali-based performer draws her inspiration from various genres, crossing over many styles of music and infusing her life’s journey to create her own compositions both in Indonesia and abroad.

Follow @kempinskibali on Instagram for more details.

Accor revealed fresh cultural perspectives and highlighted the rich heritage of Indonesia’s “Island of the Gods” with the opening of Grand Mercure Bali Seminyak. As the first Grand Mercure hotel in Bali, this hotel brings the timeless spirit of Bali to life through its elegant interiors.

“We are delighted to start welcoming guests to Grand Mercure Bali Seminyak. With its focus on local art, heritage, wellness, and cuisine, our new premium hotel is the perfect fit for this enchanting destination,” said Alessandro Migliore, General Manager of Grand Mercure Bali Seminyak.

Unwind in one of three shimmering swimming pools, surrounded by lush tropical gardens, or work out at the well-equipped fitness centre. The youngsters can have fun at the kids’ club and children’s pool. The spa is set to launch soon, offering a selection of body therapies. Batur, the premium all-day restaurant, serves authentic Balinese and international flavours, while the Lagoon Pool Bar is an inviting space to sip cool cocktails and grab light bites.

Grand Mercure Bali Seminyak is the destination of choice for event planners. The graceful and glamorous Pandawa Ballroom features 500

square metres of space for one-of-a-kind weddings and corporate conferences incorporating a tropical twist. Five function rooms also set the stage for business meetings, breakout sessions, staff training, media briefings, and more.

Whether travelling for business or leisure, every guest can wind down on Mesari Beach, also known as Double Six Beach – a stunning stretch of white sand lapped by the Indian Ocean, featuring spectacular sunsets. Seminyak Street is a great place to stroll and soak up the upbeat vibe, shop in the chic boutiques or rub shoulders with residents and fellow travellers at local coffee shops. For culture seekers, Petitenget Temple is over 140 years old and still hosts colourful festivals and ceremonies. Grand Mercure Bali Seminyak is merely a 25-minute drive from Ngurah Rai International Airport.

Discover Bali with a special offer of Rp1,679,480 nett per night in a Deluxe room inclusive of daily breakfast for two, for stays until 31st March 2023. Visit resa@grandmercurebaliseminyak.com, email Info@grandmercurebaliseminyak.com, or contact +62 361 9342900 to learn more about Grand Mercure Bali Seminyak.

Waterbom Bali broke ground in December 2022 on stage one of a massive park expansion set to open in April-May 2023, coinciding with the park’s 30th anniversary. Waterbom’s expansion comprises 1.3 hectares of sustainable fun to the park. Expect a new tropical, lagoon pool and sunken pool bar, sun lounges submerged in the water, poolside gazebos, new restaurants, a winding slide tower centrepiece with a cantilevered viewing platform, and new slides. A larger family and dedicated kid’s slide area slated as stage two is scheduled for the end of 2023.

The COVID-19 pandemic had however hindered Waterbom’s original plans to launch new slides and a pool area. Instead, the land beside the park was transformed into a farm and garden area to provide vegetables and fruits at ultra-low prices to the 300 staff employed during the pandemic closure.

Architect Conchita Blanco of Blanco Studio is working closely with Waterbom. The focal point of the new space will be the sustainably-designed 20-metre-tall slide tower, an impressive monument featuring a cantilevered viewing platform allowing guests to enjoy a tree-top view over the park and new pool area.

"I designed a tower which is intertwined between the slides and through the trees as one unified piece. I wanted to create a sense

of continuity by designing an experience of moving in a circular direction as you would when you are inside the waterslides. We want the guest's journey to the top of the tower to be a sensory climb through nature while winding around the slides,” said Blanco.

New slides will take centre stage with four new thrills to experience, as well as locally-made poolside bamboo gazebos and group spots within the gardens. The open-air 80-seat restaurant is added featuring new Pan-Asian, Indonesian, and Western favourites. Furthermore, is a new tree-house-style coffee spot featuring beans from Pupuan and other regions in Bali and Flores.

Aligning with the Balinese philosophy of Tri Hita Karana (harmony with nature, people, and spirituality), the design team consulted with a local Hindu priest and Waterbom staff to design a new temple as part of the expansion, adapting elements from temple designs from different regions in Bali and symbolising the ties to the island, while showing appreciation for the happiness and abundance the park generates for guests and staff.

Follow @waterbombali on Instagram for more details.

BALI

Expat Advertiser

JAKARTA

Automotives

We are moving from Jakarta and selling our car. It looks and drives like new. Low mileage car, only 29,000 kilometres. Asking Rp. 198mil obo. Toyota Kijang Innova 2014 - G Luxury AT - White. Please call or message: +628119555806.

Jobs Available

NEEDED ASAP – LITTLE SUN SCHOOL (SPK) in East Surabaya is looking for a native/expat teacher for the PRIMARY level.

Requirements: 1. Bachelor's degree in English education. 2. Possessing TESOL / TEFL / any other teaching certification is a plus. 3. Able to operate a computer – minimum office programs. 4. Communicative, hardworking, outgoing personality. 5. Has creativity, initiative and willingness to teach children. 6. At least 2 years of working experience in the related field is required. Email your CV to primary@ littlesunschool.sch.id

Services

Health Insurance – Asia and beyond. Annual contract. Addons (co-pay): dental, outpatient, maternity. Discuss the best plan for you at +6289614099800.

Private Piano Lesson by Patricia Marissa.Online/ Home Private in South Jakarta area.FREE TRIAL. WA:+6287885728595.

Hello, I am a professional English teacher and have more than 12 years of teaching experience. I am looking for a suitable opportunity related to my experience. I would love to send you my CV. thank you. Email: nazakat454@gmail. com . Contact or WhatsApp: +6281234617676.

Property

FOR RENT Houses in Kemang.

450m 2 , US$3,800/ month. Bangka 900m 2 , US$3,300/ month. Jeruk Purut 1,300m 2 , US$3,000/month. Cipete 450m 2 , US$3,000/month. Antasari main road 1,074m 2 , US$5,000/month (Antasari House permit is for foreign Government office, hotel, house, school & commercial). Citiloft office USD60 m 2 , US$950/month. Contact: +628129088286.

For Rent - Villa Hanging Bandung. Awarded Silver Design Award winner in the 2018-2019 Architecture, Building and Structure Design Award Category. This tropical architecture villa is at the mountainside, surrounded by deep valleys and a forest conservatory in Bandung. The building mass comes from the idea of stacking boxes which are rotated 270 degrees to allow users to have a different experience in different rooms and have an almost 270-degree view of surrounding valleys. The building is oriented to take full advantage of the sun's position and perpendicular to the wind direction to maximize the wind entering the building while the extensive use of glass openings allows natural cross ventilation and maximizes natural light to enter the building. Facilities:2 spacious bedrooms with en-suite bathroom. Huge space living room equipped with sofa and large screen LED TV. Rooftop, Kitchen, Jacuzzi pool, Staff room. Please Contact: Meidy: +6281291090912 or Juliany: +6281210136700.

Personal

We are selling our extendable dining table and six chairs. Can seat up to 10 people when extended. Excellent condition. Price Rp9 million o.n.o. Please contact: melferson@gmail.com

Household Staff Available

I am seeking a younger nanny with strong English skills, confidence, a love of children and a willingness to learn a different approach (active parenting, positive discipline) to child care. I prefer she does NOT have much nanny experience however, some form of professional or school reference is required. Please contact me on WhatsApp for more details at +61 (0) 421115508 or message +62 82121171300.

Looking for a stellar maid who will clean everything beyond your wildest dreams and keep your family healthy and well? Our former pembantu, Lina, is seeking employment. Lina worked in the Save the Children guesthouse for many years, and then one of the Save staff requested her personally. Contact: +6282113102638.

Friendly, great, trustworthy, live-in maid available. Please contact her directly at +6282119491543.

BALI

For Sale

Looking for Good Quality purebred puppies or Premium mixed breed Cavapoo puppies? Please explore my website: https:// dogsocietykennelbali.com (Beagle specialist) Whatsapp only: +6287760382821.

Property

close to anywhere from cozy cafes to famous restaurants and gyms. With a lush garden whose tropical vegetation is reflected in the infinity pool, this luxury three-bedroom property is built on a 500 sqm plot of land. The villa features 3 bedrooms, spacious en-suite bathrooms, an enclosed living room, a fully equipped kitchen, garden, and pool. The kitchen is equipped with a 2-door fridge, 4-burner stove, an oven, and a microwave. The property is ideal for both investment and personal purposes. Leasehold Price (22 years until May 2044): US$315,000. Please contact for inspection to :+62857 92610109.

LEASEHOLD - Superb Off Plan Villa Surrounded by Rice Field. This off-plan villa is located beautifully surrounded by rice fields and the beach a short walk away. Designed to embrace natural light as creating upstairs terraces to take in the views of surrounding rice fields and ocean breeze. The villa will be built on 157.7 sqm land and will be a 2-level building and will feature 3 beautiful bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, enclosed and bright living and dining area, and private swimming pool. It will come unfurnished, so feel free to furnish it according to your own liking!Price : US$ 249,000/23 years (extendable) More details please contact : +628113987663.

House and Restaurant for sale. This property is located on the main road Seririt- gilimanuk, Banjar Yeh Panas, Buleleng Gerokgak. The property has 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms with hot and cold water, 3 terraces, and a big living room with an open kitchen, It is suitable for homestay-style holiday rentals. The property also includes a restaurant with a total area of 140m 2 , including a 50m 2 kitchen, a toilet, three washbasins, and two terraces. This property is perfect for business! Price: Rp 2,800,000,000. If you're interested, please get in touch with us for more details: +6281337745772.

Brand new stylish modern contemporary villa looking out rice field views and close to famous Echo Beach. Details : 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom, 2 floors, land size 293 sqm, building size 189 sqm. Openenclosed living and dining space.Year of built: 2022. Fully furnished, swimming pool with beanbags. rice field views, parking area. Leasehold price IDR 7.5 billion / US$485,000 (24 years until Jan 2046). Please contact +6289635857492.

For sale: 2 BDR villa | Umalas | leasehold. Located between Seminyak and Canggu, just steps away from trendy cafes and restaurants, stores and international schools (French School, Montessori, Sunrise). The beaches of Berawa and BatuBelig are only a few minutes away. Built on a 312 sqm plot, and 126 sqm building with 2 bedrooms, each equipped with an ensuite bathroom and an air conditioner. A fully equipped kitchen and a large open living room with a relaxation area. The outdoor space includes, a beautiful private pool. For more information contact us on WA : +6281399594112.

Brand new luxury 3 bedroom villa nestled in only a few minutes away from Canggu’s best beaches. It’s also situated in a strategic area which is

Brand new super luxury villas 4 bedroom in Umalas. 4 bedroom villa, 6 bathroom, security 24 hours non stop, big swimming pool, big garden, Pet Allowed, kitchen, enclosed large living room, large swimming pool, large garden, located in the heart of Seminyak, IDR 350 million / year. For Inspection please WhatsApp: +6281335268787.