In January 2020, after 10 years working in the hotel industry in both New York City and London, I decided to trade my high heels and pencil skirts for sandals and linen and move to start my dream job as Director of Sales & Marketing for Capella Ubud, Bali. Within three months of my move, the world was hit by a global pandemic, and Bali’s borders closed completely. Friends and family urged me to come home, to get out before I got stuck on a Southeast Asian island, but my intuition told me to stay. Bali’s tourism-based economy came to a screeching halt, and the local Balinese people struggled to feed their families. While most hotels closed their doors, we were lucky to have Indonesian owners who kept Capella, Ubud open and every staff member working, albeit on reduced hours due to occupancy levels plummeting below 10%.

Surprisingly, what I saw rise from this crisis unfolding around me was not catastrophe or despair but hope and love. Local communities came together to support each other and find new ways to survive, many going back to farming and relying on what nature could produce around them. Every day, Balinese women wake up at the crack of dawn to weave little baskets out of coconut leaves and fill them with flowers and incense. They put these “canang” or offerings outside their homes and pray to thank the gods for what they provide, from the sun rising, plants growing, births, deaths, and everything in between. The Balinese follow a traditional philosophy called Tri Hita Karana or “the three causes for well-being” which is harmony with gods, harmony with people, and harmony with nature. There is an overwhelming trust that what unfolds is for a greater purpose, and this mindset has been extremely inspiring to me.

My life has changed dramatically in the past two years, from working seventy hours a week to twenty. From living in a dark little city-centre apartment to an open-air villa flooded with nature and sunshine. From a stressful morning commute on the tube to a sunrise run through the rice paddies. I’ve had time to explore Bali and experience the vast and varied experiences that the island has to offer. Once I left the big resort-lined beaches I found the true magic here. I found it in the depth of the jungles of Ubud, dipping myself in a holy spring in front of a three-thousand-year-old temple. I found it hiking to the top of Mt Batur volcano, where you can feel the steam coming out of the ground as you watch the sunrise from what feels like the top of the world. I found it diving under the crystal-clear warm waters in Amed, discovering the untouched world of colourful sea creatures. I found it in the tiny village of Keliki, watching the old men create extraordinarily intricate paintings by hand, each telling a story from their past.

Reflecting on the pandemic now it would be easy to focus on what I didn’t have… no more business trips to exciting cities, dining at fancy restaurants, or buying shiny new things. But worst of all, no time with my beloved family. However, what I’ve come to learn from the Balinese people, has shifted my perspective completely.

I now wake up every day grateful to be alive, to be healthy, and to call this place home. I’m so happy that I’m now able to share this incredible island not just with my friends and family but with travellers from around the world searching for a bit of Balinese magic.

Experiene the best of Bali with PureLuxe when you stay at Capella Ubud. Members get access to Upgrades, Special Offers and More.