He Had $670 Left. He Bet It All on Bali.

Bali is one of the world's most visited islands, so it's easy to end up doing the same itinerary as everyone else. Many guides naturally stick to the places most travellers expect to see, like the crowded Bali swings with long queues for a photo.

But not Justin. Instead of taking travellers up the usual Mt Batur trail packed with hikers, he leads them along a secret route. He's not trying to show you the Bali everyone has already seen. He's sharing the real Bali he knows and loves.

Justin grew up in a low-middle income family, drowning in debt

Growing up in Jakarta, Justin watched his parents work around the clock just to survive. A close relative’s drug addiction had pushed the family deep into debt, and there were times they even had to pawn their belongings to make ends meet.

Home never really felt like home. Everyone was busy surviving — working, working, and working. There was hardly time to sit down for a meal together.

"Sometimes I feel like the world and life are not fair to our family."

But every few years, his family would save just enough for a nearby trip.

And for a few precious days, everything changed. The stress disappeared. The arguments faded. They were simply a family — the only time they had quality time together.

Those trips changed the way he saw travel.

He realised the best memories weren't made by ticking off famous attractions. They came from talking to locals, learning about their traditions, and seeing how they lived. To Justin, travel was healing.

Years later, despite everything, his parents managed to put him through university, where he studied art and design, majoring in 3D animation.

"My parents worked so hard to give me a good education. So I keep doing the right things. I make sure every day is progress."

But he realised that he couldn't imagine spending the rest of his life behind a computer. So every weekend, instead of resting, Justin travelled across Bali. He went searching for hidden places, learning Balinese from friends, reading about Bali's history, and meeting local guides and villagers wherever he went.

As he explored more of Bali, he noticed something. Most tours were taking travellers to all the exact same places.

"Why are all the tours showing the same places? I wanted to show people the real Bali - the Bali locals love, the Bali I know."

So he took a leap of faith.

After graduating, and with just 12 million rupiah (US$670) in his bank account, Justin started his own tour company. His parents objected. They were worried and hoped that he would return to Jakarta to continue the family business. They said that if he insisted on going, they wouldn’t help him.

But Justin wanted to give his idea a real shot. His vision was simple: create the kind of travel he wished existed in Bali — slower, more personal, and rooted in local communities rather than tourist hotspots.

At Mt Batur, where hundreds of hikers climb the same route every morning, Justin worked with a local family to reopen an abandoned village path. Today, only a small number of travellers take this secret route, creating an additional source of income for the family who helps maintain it.

In Nusa Penida, instead of rushing visitors through the island in a single day, Justin brings them on a slower journey over two days — meeting seaweed farmers, hidden cave temples and ending the day at his secret sunset spot.

Slowly, word spread. Within six months, Justin had earned enough to buy his own car. His mum, who quietly had his bank password and checked it regularly, called him one day. "Are you selling drugs? How is your account growing like this every day?" He just laughed. 

"Travel gave me my life. I hope I can encourage more locals to be creative, help them earn a better living, and share the hidden places they're proud of."

Come and see the real Bali through Justin's eyes.

Most people who go to Bali see the touristy version — beach clubs, cafes and crowded IG spots. They don't see the version Justin would love to show you — the real Bali, the Bali he grew up in, the places he actually loves visiting in his free time, not just what's popular on social media.

Justin and his team run a handful of Seek Sophie experiences that reflect this — from a quieter Mt Batur hike via a secret route, to an off-beat jeep sunrise, a slower two-day Nusa Penida adventure, and private day tours tailored around the kind of Bali you actually want to experience.

Book your Bali adventure with Justin and his incredible team here!