Experience New Kind of Digital Detox with 6S

These past couple of months have been a difficult time since most of the people have to work from home and seek their mind refreshment from none other than their gadgets. It’s not uncommon for them to experience digital fatigue due to this phenomenon. Luckily, the cure is simple: a trip of ‘digital detox’, where one can simply travel and put their gadget away for the sake of wellness.

As a country with countless wonders, Indonesia is just the perfect place for your digital detox trip. In this article, we will recommend ways to do digital detox in Indonesia through 6S: Sight, Sound, Savor, Scent, Style, and Secret.
 

1 | SIGHT: Spend an amount of time on an uninhabited island

This might be the most obvious choice for a digital detox for some people. There are many uninhabited islands you can visit in Indonesia, but we strongly recommend you to go to Lihaga Island, which is located north of Likupang, North Sulawesi.

Spanning an area of approximately 8 hectares, Lihaga Island has a coastline with soft white sand and crystal-clear seawater. Although it’s uninhabited, Lihaga Island has provided adequate toilet facilities. Furthermore, you are also allowed to spend the night on this island by bringing your own camping equipment.

You can also do some snorkeling and diving and you will be blessed with the stunning underwater views around this island. Bear in mind that since this island is uninhabited, there are no cellular facilities or internet connection here. However, isn’t that the purpose of your digital detox? To become unreachable and to be completely immersed within nature for a while.
 

2 | SOUND: Listen to the sound of traditional harmony

If you’re tired of listening to the same songs that remind you of daily work, go to Karangrejo Tourist Village in Magelang, Central Java. Here, you can listen to the sound of gamelan and you can also learn to play it yourself.

Wherever you first arrived in Indonesia, especially in the area of Java Island or Bali, you must have heard the sound of gamelan along your way. Gamelan is a set of percussive instruments such as xylophone, drums, and gongs which are played harmoniously to create a non-diatonic sound of traditional ensemble music. It originated in the roots of ancient Hindu culture in Indonesia and, therefore, makes the cultural identity of Javanese, Sundanese, and also Balinese.

In Karangrejo Tourist Village, you can savor the stunning view of Borobudur Temple from far away while also enjoying many cultural activities offered, including gamelan music training. For a while, let the distinctive sound flow into your ear and calm your heart.
 

3 | SAVOR: Taste the uniquely mouthful satay variations

There are no destinations better than West Nusa Tenggara if you’re seeking the ultimate satay variations in Indonesia. Head to Lombok Island and find the dishes called sate rembiga and sate bulayak. Sate rembiga is one of the culinary icons of Lombok. It uses beef tenderloin marinated in a plentiful variety of spices to make the dish.

Meanwhile, sate bulayak uses chicken, beef, or intestines with chili sauce as the condiment. However, the other main ‘attraction’ of this dish is the bulayak, a rice cake wrapped in palm leaves that are served as a side dish. Savoring them both simultaneously will give you a distinctive culinary experience that will completely distract you from your gadgets.

Either you go to Kuta Mandalika area or Gili Trawangan area, you can always find these dishes easily, so don’t worry about missing them out. Just ask around for local’s recommendations on the best restaurant that serves Sate Rembiga and Sate Bulayak.
 

4 | SCENT: Breathe the fresh air of Lake Toba

Different scents bring different experiences, and that is why you should definitely go to Lake Toba for a digital detox. It’s not just the stunning view of the gigantic lake and its lush surroundings. It’s also the plentiful scents created by the combination of natural richness and preserved cultural heritage.

Aside from the fresh air of the lake, you can also try to indulge your olfactory senses by exploring the villages around Lake Toba and Samosir Island. There, you will find that many of their main dishes such as arsik (stir-fried spicy carp) and saksang (spicy pork stew) use a kind of spice called Andaliman peppercorn, which is endemic in the area of Lake Toba. A whiff of distinctive spiciness of roasted Andaliman peppercorn will give you a one-of-a-kind olfactory experience that is worth putting your gadget away.
 

5 | STYLE: Enrich your traditional fashion preference with tenun

If you love to distract yourself from work by looking for aesthetic things, go to Lombok Island in West Nusa Tenggara and you’re in for a good treat. Visit Sukarara Tourist Village, which is located north of Kuta Mandalika area, and learn their traditional fashion culture by engaging in woving tenun fabrics with the local women here.

It’s going to be fun learning about tenun because the fabrics are produced with distinctive techniques. They combine weft threads with synthetic threads for decoration, usually with golden or silver colors. Furthermore, they always use high-quality materials to produce the fabrics. Buy some and bring them home to enrich your clothing style.
 

6 | SECRET: Discover the hidden gems of the East

Reach penultimate holiday satisfaction by unlocking the new sensation of traveling. Head to Komodo Airport in Labuan Bajo and go southeast to visit Denge Village in Flores Island - East Nusa Tenggara. There, continue to hike south for about 3 - 4 hours and reveal the stunning Wae Rebo Traditional Village in front of your eyes.

Situated around 1,100 meters above sea level, Wae Rebo is a small and secluded village completely surrounded by panoramic mountains and the dense Todo forest. Therefore, you can find orchids, different types of ferns, and many songbirds chirping around the village. There is no mobile coverage in this village, and the electricity is only available from 6 to 10 pm. The air is relatively cold, especially in the dry season, so don’t forget to bring your jacket if you’re planning to visit.

Everything in this village completely accommodates your need for a digital detox. Immerse into the daily lives of the community, blend in with the locals, and try to find new philosophies that will make you value this life more.

Now you've got everything it takes to start a digital detox trip. Whichever way you choose, remember to always be a responsible traveler along the journey and comply with the CHSE (Cleanliness, Health, Safety, and Environmental Sustainability) protocol for your own convenience. Lastly, we wish you a quiet, peaceful, and unbothered digital detox for the wellness of your own being.