14 Days in Bali

What do you get when you put eight students from different backgrounds together, send them to Bali for 14 days, add ethical business, cultural experiences, early mornings, a lot of food and perhaps a little too much iced coffee? An unforgettable experience.

I had the opportunity to take part in Think Pacific’s 14-day Ethical Business Programme in Bali, where I not only learned about ethical and sustainable business practices, but also had the chance to experience Balinese and Indonesian culture, meet inspiring local businesses and make friendships that I will remember for a long time.

Our group consisted of eight participants. Most of us were from different parts of the UK as well as the different backgrounds, with one participant from New Zealand, which made us a wonderfully multicultural group. One of my favourite parts of the programme was getting to know everyone, hearing about their different culture and perspectives, and learning from each other as much as we were learning from the programme itself.

Arriving in Ubud

Our first stop was Ubud. After checking into our hotel, I met my roommates and had some free time to explore the city. That evening, we had our first group dinner, which gave us the chance to properly introduce ourselves to the other participants and our two group leaders.

The following day, we had our team briefing and the programme officially began. At this point, I was excited, but I also had absolutely no idea what the next two weeks were going to look like.

From Ubud to the Jungle

On the morning of our third day, we travelled approximately an hour from Ubud to our jungle camp.

Before arriving, none of us really knew what to expect. Were we going to be thrown into the jungle and left to fend for ourselves? Would we be sleeping in tents? Would we be sharing our accommodation with some very enthusiastic wildlife?

Thankfully, my imagination was slightly more dramatic than reality.

The jungle camp was more like a jungle resort, with incredibly friendly and welcoming staff, great food and plenty of activities. We spent our time taking part in team-building challenges designed to encourage communication, trust and collaboration.

Some of these activities pushed me outside my comfort zone. After all, we were still a group of strangers who had only just met. But one of the biggest lessons I took away from those first few days was that sometimes you must silence that little voice telling you to stay comfortable and simply immerse yourself in the experience.

Living and Learning in Mass Village

After two days in the jungle camp, we travelled to Mass Village, where we stayed at Wismaya Homestay for six days. Living in a traditional village was a completely different experience from staying in a hotel. We followed a village dress code out of respect for the local community, wearing long skirts or trousers and keeping our shoulders covered.

During our stay, we visited several local businesses and social enterprises, including Made Tea, Kopernik and Black Hand Gang. These visits gave us the opportunity to learn about how businesses can combine commercial activity with social and environmental impact. We learned about sustainability, community development, responsible business practices and the challenges that businesses can face when trying to create positive change. We also had opportunities for hands-on experiences, allowing us to understand the work of these organisations from a more practical perspective.

One organisation that particularly stood out to me was Kopernik. The work they do with communities, developing creative and practical solutions to local challenges, really opened my eyes to the potential of business and innovation as tools for social change.

It made me realise that ethical business is not simply about making a profit while doing a few environmentally friendly things on the side. It is about thinking carefully about people, communities, resources and the long-term impact of business decisions.

More Than Just Business

Although ethical business was at the heart of the programme, our time in the village was not all business meetings and presentations. We had the opportunity to experience many different aspects of Balinese culture. We watched traditional Balinese dance, had a go at learning traditional dances ourselves, played traditional musical instruments, visited rice fields, took part in a coffee tasting, attended a yoga class and learned how to cook traditional dishes. And yes, we ate a lot. I am definitely not complaining.

One of the most memorable mornings started with a 4 a.m. wake-up call as we travelled to Kintamani to watch the sunrise. I will be honest, getting out of bed at 4 a.m. was not the highlight of my morning. But once we arrived and saw the views, I quickly decided it had been worth it. Watching the sunrise over the landscape, followed by breakfast and a perfect iced coffee, was one of those moments that makes you stop and appreciate where you are.

The experience also made me think more about the connection between tourism, local communities and sustainability. When travelling, it is easy to focus only on what we get from a destination, but ethical tourism also means thinking about the people, culture, environment and businesses that make these experiences possible.

East Bali: From Business to the Ocean

After our time in the village, we headed to East Bali and stayed at a beautiful hotel right by the beach.

Our first afternoon was spent doing exactly what you might imagine when someone says "Bali": relaxing by the beach and pool, catching some sun and spending time with our newly made friends.

The following day, however, brought another first for me - snorkelling.

I was slightly nervous at first, but once I got into the water, I realised just how incredible the experience was. It was another reminder of how easy it is to let fear stop you from trying something new.

We also visited Tenganan Village, one of Bali's traditional villages. Around 600 people live there, and the community continues to preserve many of its traditional customs and ways of life. Visiting places like Tenganan helped me understand that culture is not something that only belongs in museums or history books. It is something that is actively lived and protected by communities.

That was one of the things I appreciated most about the programme: we weren't simply visiting Bali as tourists. We were given opportunities to learn about the communities and traditions behind the places we were visiting.

Why Sustainability Matters

On our way to our final hotel, we stopped at Goa Raja Waterfall.

Seeing the waterfall and surrounding natural landscape in person was incredible. Moments like this make you realise just how beautiful our world is and why protecting it matters. This was something that connected strongly with what we had been learning throughout the programme.

Sustainability can sometimes feel like an abstract concept when you read about it in a classroom. But seeing the environment, communities and businesses around you makes the importance of responsible practices much more tangible.

Whether it is how a business uses resources, how it supports local communities or how tourism affects the environment, business decisions can have consequences far beyond the balance sheet.

The final stop: Sanur

Our final hotel was in Sanur, and it was gorgeous. After almost two weeks of travelling, learning and constantly doing something new, we had some time to relax by the pool and enjoy our final moments together.

Our last evening ended with a farewell dinner and a small awards night. I somehow managed to win Best Dressed and Most Tanned, which I am choosing to consider two very important professional achievements.

But behind all the jokes and awards, the evening was also quite emotional. The next morning, we had to say goodbye. Suddenly, there would be no more evening walks to the coffee shop, no more UNO games, late-night conversations with my roommates or spontaneous moments by the beach with the group. It was strange to think that just two weeks earlier, most of us had been complete strangers.

What I Took Away From the Programme

Looking back, the Think Pacific Ethical Business Programme taught me much more than I expected. Of course, I learned about ethical business, sustainability, social enterprises and the importance of considering the wider impact of business decisions. But I also learned about cultural awareness, teamwork, communication and the importance of stepping outside my comfort zone. Most importantly, I learned that business does not exist in isolation. Businesses are part of communities, environments and cultures, and the decisions they make can have a real impact on the people and places around them.

Experiencing this first-hand made the idea of ethical business feel much more real to me. It showed me that successful business and positive social or environmental impact do not have to be opposites. With the right approach, business can be part of creating meaningful and sustainable change.

I feel incredibly privileged to have had the opportunity to experience Balinese culture, meet local businesses and learn directly from the communities we visited. And, of course, I also met some amazing people along the way.

I came home with new knowledge, new perspectives, countless photos, a slightly more tanned complexion and a lot of memories that I will carry with me for years to come.