Guardians of Bali: The Tide of Change

Day 1: Arrival – The Contrast

Stepping off the plane in Kuta, my friends and I were hit by Bali’s humid embrace, a stark contrast to our air-conditioned college libraries. After checking into our hotel, we wandered the bustling Local Market, mesmerized by vibrant batik fabrics and the scent of satay. But beneath the stalls, plastic wrappers clung to drains like ghosts.

Paradise shouldn’t come with a price tag of trash,” I muttered, snapping a photo of a vendor’s toddler playing near a pile of discarded bottles.

That night, as we lounged by the pool, Samina scrolled through her shots. “We need to do something,” she said. The seed was planted.

Day 2: Waves and Wake-Up Calls

We surfed Kuta’s turquoise waves, laughing as Ali wiped out spectacularly. But between rides, I spotted a straw lodged in the sand. Later, snorkeling near Turtle Island, Maya tugged my arm—a coral reef, bleached and brittle, stretched beneath us.

That evening, as neon lights pulsed in clubs, Lily pocketed a stray beer can. “Small acts matter,” she shrugged. We toasted to that with Bintang beers, our resolve simmering.

A Bhutanese Sojourn with Family – Read More

Day 3: Uluwatu’s Lesson

At Uluwatu Temple, our guide Ketut shared a legend as cliffs roared below. “Dewi Laut, the sea goddess, once cursed fishermen who polluted her waters. Now, tides spit trash back onto the shore.” His words hung in the air like temple incense.

That night in Seminyak, I journaled: “Are we the curse or the cure?”

Day 4: Ubud’s Call to Action

In the Sacred Monkey Forest, a macaque snatched a tourist’s chip bag, tearing into it hungrily. “Stop!” I yelled, startling everyone—including the monkey.

We’re here to admire nature, not exploit it,” I declared, rallying a group of tourists to pick up litter.

By Tirta Empul’s sacred springs, we washed our hands, but Samina fished out a soda can. “Let’s organize a cleanup,” she urged. That afternoon, we teamed up with a local eco-group, hauling trash bags through rice terraces. Sweaty and sunburned, we felt alive.

Day 5: Kintamani’s Clarity

Overlooking Mount Batur’s smoldering peak, Nyoman, a farmer, served us kopi luwak. “Volcanoes destroy, but they also renew,” he said. “Bali needs balance.”

As clouds swallowed the crater, I realized: We’re the renewal.

Alice’s 6-Day Luxury Corporate Retreat in Malaysia: Team Bonding, Culture & Five-Star Surprises – Read More

Day 6: Farewell – Not Goodbye

Back in Kuta, we posted our journey: #GuardiansOfBali. Messages flooded in—even our professor praised our “field research.” At the airport, Ketut appeared, pressing a seashell into my palm.

“Dewi Laut smiles,” he whispered.

Adventure isn’t just where you go. It’s what you leave behind.