I am back to Bali for the fourth time. And a thought struck me, what attracts me to Bali? Spoiler alert: it is not the beautiful beaches.

Bali is world-famous for its stunning beauty with its lush rice terraces flanked by cone-shaped volcanoes, which all exude peace and tranquillity. The colourful festivals and daily ritual connect people to the divine and the supernatural like no other place on Earth. The big ocean waves make Bali the surfers paradise.

Nonetheless, what really attracts visitors back again is none of the above. It is the ordinary people that are the biggest magnetising force of Bali. With their genuine, warm and welcoming attitude to outsiders, every visitor finds himself or herself feeling like a local, or as adopted into the family. I have mine too in Danu and Ketut, who own and run the Danu Guest House in Ubud.

In Bhutan, we often talk about our unique culture and unspoilt nature as the selling points. Yes, we have some colourful traditions. So do other countries – and each culture is unique in its own way. We have high Himalayan mountains, for sure. However, the peaks in Nepal are taller, while many in Switzerland are even more gorgeous. As for the unspoilt nature, tropical rainforests in our own neighbourhood are bigger and as pristine.

Then, what will make travels to Bhutan really memorable will be the people – the guide, hotel staff, locals in the streets and in the farms. It will be the spontaneity of our ordinary folks – the human element – and our genuineness. As the tourism industry undergoes fundamental transformation I hope the project leaders are not only focussed on the tourism industry itself, but the larger socio-cultural changes and traditions and any effect or impact from other sections on them.To get to the point, we should be careful of the mindless rules, myopic legislations, and knee-jerk public policies that are often implemented with little or no regard for the socio-cultural nuances. Any policy or regulations have wider socio-cultural effects than just addressing the problem they are aimed at. Sometimes they have a corroding impact on the very fabric of our society. For instance, the recent rule forbidding borrowing money was strange. In a community where we share everything, where we are encouraged to be altruistic, suddenly the rule forbids us from lending money to someone. The other rule, which has been now suspended but not repealed, is about the ban on feeding stray dogs. This is cruel and un-Buddhist to say the least. When did we become so heartless? 

It is these small straws that will ultimately break the camel’s back. It is these things that our authorities should be watchful for – instead of being enamoured or enraged by a social media influencer or a blogger who speaks the truth. 

We must never forget what is our collective essence – the narrative that makes Bhutan. It is the people – the real gem, as our King often told us in the national day addresses.

And so is Bali. The people are the undisputed gem. Whenever I have firmed up my dates for the Bali trip, Danu and Ketut are some of the first people I contact because I feel not only welcomed there but also loved and cared for. And then there is Shiwa Rudraksha from where I buy all my gifts of corals. And Mrs. Preme who runs a warung (dhaba). Plus all my Bali-planted friends from other countries like Dan, Lisa, Kristina, Robin and Scott.

This is what makes Bali special.