Indonesia

Indonesia stays with you long after you leave. With over 17,000 islands, it feels like a world of its own—a place of volcanoes, jungles and beaches where the ocean glows in shades of blue you never imagined. Every island is different, every moment feels like stepping into another world. One place that stays in my heart is Bali.

Bali is famous. Maybe too famous. People think of beach bars, infinity pools and smoothie bowls, but the real Bali is something else. Away from the crowds, the island breathes. In the rice fields of Tegallalang, farmers move slowly through the green, their work part of an ancient rhythm. Small offerings of flowers and incense rest on doorsteps, on sidewalks, even on scooters. The scent of frangipani drifts in the air. Spirituality is everywhere, not loud, just present.

Ubud is where I felt it the most. Monkeys rule the moss-covered temples, banyan trees stand like ancient guardians and holy waters flow at Tirta Empul. I watched locals step into the pools, pressing their hands together, letting the water wash over their faces. There was something pure about it, something real. Bali is not just a place. It is a feeling.

But if Bali was peaceful, Mount Ijen was like another planet. Deep in Java, this volcano hides something strange and beautiful. We started the climb at midnight, walking in silence, our headlamps the only light. The air smelled sharp, heavy with sulfur. The path was steep, the ground loose beneath my feet. Then, at the crater’s edge, I saw it—blue fire, flickering in the darkness like ghostly flames.

The blue fire of Ijen is not fire at all. It is gas, burning as it escapes from the earth. The sight was hypnotizing, unreal. As the night faded, the fire disappeared and another wonder appeared—a turquoise lake, steaming in the morning light. The colors were shocking, unreal, almost too bright to be real. In the middle of it all, sulfur miners worked, carrying heavy baskets of bright yellow sulfur up the rocky path. Their strength, their endurance—it was humbling to see.

Indonesia is not just a place to visit. It is a place that changes you. From Sumatra’s deep jungles to Java’s ancient temples, from Komodo dragons to the coral reefs of Raja Ampat, this country is full of wonders. No matter how long you stay, it is never enough. A piece of you stays behind, lost somewhere between the waves, the mountains and the endless sky.