My Story — Why Indonesia?

For more than 25 years, I’ve worked in hospitality and food & beverage. That experience taught me that a good journey is made of details: a welcome that feels considered, food that has a story, and service that works when plans change.

It shapes how I look at places to stay, food experiences and the practical side of travel. I ask how something feels for the person arriving, not only how it looks in a photograph.

Indonesia drew me in through its people, cultures, food and extraordinary variety of landscapes. Bali, in particular, is much more to me than a holiday destination or a business opportunity. I want to keep learning about its traditions, everyday hospitality and the different rhythms of the island.

I’ve been exploring Bali by road to understand how its regions connect and what a journey between them really involves. A route on a map does not tell you everything about travel time, changing conditions or the pace of a day.

That curiosity became the starting point for Bali Nusantara Ventures: a project I want to grow over time in Bali and Indonesia, through local collaboration rather than simply selling tourist products.

I begin by exploring an experience myself. I listen to local people and potential partners, consider the welcome, quality, context and logistics, and only then decide whether it belongs in a journey. The work is ongoing; nothing is included just because it looks attractive on a list.

Working respectfully with local partners matters to me. Their knowledge and perspective are part of what makes a visit meaningful, and the culture we encounter is theirs to share on their own terms.

I hope travelers leave room for people and conversation alongside culture, nature, food and the ocean. A slower morning, a meal with context or a change of landscape can be as memorable as a planned activity.

For me, a deeper connection with Bali begins with curiosity and respect, not with a checklist or a party itinerary. That is the spirit I want this project to carry.