I travel to explore new cultures, fresh perspectives, and the countless ways people find beauty and balance in their lives. I’m drawn to stories that inspire, whether it’s through architecture, agriculture, or how a community gathers around a table. Travel has always been how I recharge my creative energy—it opens my eyes, fills my heart, and pushes me to grow both personally and professionally.
This winter, I traveled to Bali with my husband Philippe, my partner in life and adventure for the past 29 years. We met on an expedition off the coast of Vancouver Island and have shared a passion for meaningful travel ever since. For this trip, our focus was on eco-conscious exploration—seeking out sustainability in design, food, and community living. We also wanted to reflect on how travel can be both impactful and intentional, and what it means to support the places we visit.
What struck me first in Bali was how beautifully intertwined the Hindu religion is with daily life. Everywhere you go, there are offerings of flowers and rice, smoky incense drifting through the air, and vibrant ceremonies that seem to spring up everyday. It’s not performative—it’s deeply felt and lovingly lived. The reverence for nature, spirit, and beauty infuses every aspect of life on the island, from how people greet one another to how homes and temples are built.
Ubud: The Cultural Heartbeat of Bali
We began our journey in Ubud, often considered the cultural and spiritual center of Bali. It’s a place rich with tradition—home to artists, healers, craftspeople, and ceremonies. The streets hum with life, color, and a rhythm that invites you to slow down and really take it all in. It’s a place that reminds you to move with presence and curiosity. Between strolls through the rice paddies, vibrant markets, and temple visits, Ubud offered a grounding beginning to our journey.
Bambu Indah: Where Sustainability Meets Artful Living
Just outside of Ubud, we stayed at Bambu Indah, an eco-resort that feels like stepping into a living work of art. The property was founded by designers and visionaries John and Cynthia Hardy, and is dedicated to regenerating the environment while honoring and preserving Balinese culture.
Each bamboo villa is crafted to blend into the jungle, built with reclaimed materials and surrounded by natural swimming pools and lush gardens. Their on-site Tembaga Restaurant serves up plant-forward dishes using ingredients grown on the property or sourced from nearby farms—every meal felt like a reflection of the land and the love behind it.
John Hardy, originally known for his handmade jewelry, had been living in Bali since 1975 when he decided to shift gears. After selling his company in 2007, he turned his focus toward sustainability and education. He saw bamboo not just as a resource, but as a movement—something that could inspire change on both a local and global level.
What makes Bambu Indah truly special is that it’s not just a place to stay—it’s a living, breathing example of how design, ecology, and culture can work in harmony. The resort follows a zero-waste philosophy, integrating composting, recycling, and regenerative practices into daily life. Ducks maintain the rice paddies, a mushroom farm flourishes on-site, and spring-fed swimming pools are accessed by bamboo bridges. Every element is intentional, creating a place that not only sustains itself—but gives back to the land.
Bamboo Pure, Green Village & the Green School
Curious to see how this vision had evolved, we toured Bamboo Pure, the design and fabrication workshop led by Orin Hardy, John + Cynthia’s son. Here, they produce some of the highest quality treated bamboo available for building. Their passion for sustainable design runs deep—and it shows in the different products they create and new upcycling initiatives they are implementing.
From there, we visited Green Village, a riverside community made up of 18 custom-designed bamboo homes. Each residence, crafted by IBUKU—the architectural firm founded by Orin’s sister Elora Hardy—is built using roughly 60% bamboo and is designed to merge seamlessly with the jungle. These homes are so unique and beautiful. They’re bold examples of how traditional materials and modern design can come together to create homes where beauty and sustainability live side by side.
The roots of all this innovation lead back to the Green School, founded by John and Cynthia Hardy in 2008 as a way to reimagine education for their children. Constructed entirely of bamboo, their vision was to create a learning environment where community, sustainability, and creativity come together to shape the next generation of conscious thinkers and doers. The Hardy’s aimed to move beyond the traditional classroom and immerse students in a natural, holistic educational experience rooted in the natural world.
Jatiluwih: Timeless Landscapes and Ancient Wisdom
Next, we visited Jatiluwih, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its expansive rice terraces and the ancient Subak irrigation system.
Rooted in the Balinese philosophy of Tri Hita Karana—harmony among people, nature, and the spirit—Subak is more than just water management; it’s a spiritual and communal way of life. It’s incredible to see how these systems have sustained agriculture and community for over a thousand years, offering wisdom we’d do well to carry forward.
Nusa Lembongan: A Model of Sustainable Seaweed Farming
From Bali’s interior, we journeyed to Nusa Lembongan, a small island where we stayed at Morin Resort, a family-run eco-hotel with sweeping views and deep roots in local sustainability.
Their restaurant, The Playful Table, offers a truly intentional dining experience—celebrating slow food, regional ingredients, and meaningful conversations over the table. Everything, from the plating to the sourcing, reflects care and connection to the land and sea.
One of the most inspiring parts of our visit was exploring the island’s seaweed farms. Seaweed farming is a traditional industry here—sustainable, low-impact, and integral to the island’s economy. It requires no freshwater or fertilizer and naturally absorbs carbon from the ocean.
Watching farmers wade through the shallows at low tide, stringing seaweed to dry in the sun, was a reminder that powerful environmental practices can be rooted in simplicity and tradition.
Uluwatu: Where Beauty and Over-Tourism Collide
Our final stop was Uluwatu, known for its dramatic cliffs, world-class surf, and iconic temples.
We practiced yoga and joined workshops at Alchemy Yoga, where the light-filled bamboo shala—designed by Ibuku—offered a space of peace, flow, and architectural brilliance. We surfed along the southwestern coast, where sharp reefs meet waves that roll in gently one day and crash with force the next.
Uluwatu is breathtaking—but it’s also where I felt the sting of over-tourism most sharply.
The water and shoreline were littered with plastic. New resorts and villas are being built at an alarming pace, often with little regulation or planning. It was hard to reconcile the raw natural beauty of the area with the environmental pressure it’s under. It made me think: how can a place so rich in culture and ecology be pushed to the brink in the name of progress?
Traveling With Heart, Awareness—and Intention
Bali gave us more than just a beautiful escape—it offered a powerful lens into the intersection of tradition, innovation, and sustainability. From bamboo villages and seaweed farms to sacred temples and handwoven textiles, we experienced a living reminder that true beauty is created with care—care for the land, for one another, and for the stories we carry home.
But it also showed us how fragile that beauty can be. And it raised an urgent question: how can we, as travelers, help protect the very places that inspire us?
I believe it starts with small, conscious choices. Stay in accommodations that prioritize sustainability. Support local businesses that give back to their communities. Eat what’s grown nearby. Skip the single-use plastics. Learn a few local phrases. Ask thoughtful questions. Tip generously. Travel with humility and curiosity. And above all, respect the cultural and ecological systems that make each place unique.
As travelers, creatives, and global citizens, our choices matter. Let’s be the kind of visitors who give more than we take—who leave behind cleaner beaches, stronger communities, and a little more love than we arrived with.
Because the world doesn’t need more tourists.
It needs more thoughtful humans.
If you enjoyed this exploration of sustainability in Bali, you can read more about our travels here!
