Conversation

What 25 centimeters of hair can teach you

Handewi Pramesti

At a salon in South Jakarta, I watched a woman cut her hair for someone she’d never meet, reminding me how simple acts could carry so much care.

The Neighborhood

A choir of strangers: The Jakarta singing club where everyone belongs

Aqraa Sagir

No auditions, no pressure, just voices rising together. At Nyanyi Bareng Jakarta, group singing creates a sense of community.

Culture and Entertainment

I wasn’t into nationalist orchestras, then Satoe Indonesia surprised me

Josa Lukman

What started as a rainy-night obligation turned into a nostalgic reminder that the songs of our childhood never really leave us.

Culture and Entertainment

Agak Laen returns funnier and warmer, but don’t call it a sequel

Reza Mardian

The team behind the highest grossing film of 2024 returns with a completely new world, this time with bigger mischief and deeper meaning.

Conversation

Exploring stories and their reasons with Xu Xi

Josa Lukman

The Chinese-Indonesian-American author reflects on who gets to tell a story, what makes a 'real writer' and what fiction is really for.

Culture and Entertainment

‘Dumplings and Dreams’: What a 14-year-old author can teach us about feminism and power

Sheena Suparman

At just 14, author Hillary Aimee Srijaya is showing girls what it’s like to reach for your dreams, both on and off the page. 

Culture and Entertainment

In Ratih Kumala’s 'Koloni', the revolution is tiny and female

Reza Mardian

Inspired by national struggles and everyday exhaustion, the Cigarette Girl author writes a story about ants that feels deeply human.

Away We Go

72 hours in Labuan Bajo: Everything you want in a quiet, luxury escape

Sheena Suparman

Katamaran Hotel & Resort Komodo offers the combination of peace and luxury that’s getting harder to find in increasingly crowded Bali. For now, at least.

Culture and Entertainment

Why ‘nonton bareng’ might be the future of indie cinema

Aqraa Sagir

In an era of solo streaming, a global project is bringing people back together through film, dialogue and shared meaning.

Culture and Entertainment

Claresta Taufan and her long road to an ‘overnight’ success

Reza Mardian

From martial arts to movie stardom, Claresta Taufan proves that perseverance pays off in its own time.

Away We Go

A sweet, private escape at Umana Bali

Josa Lukman

In the southernmost tip of the Island of the Gods, pampered seclusion from the hustle and bustle is all but guaranteed.

Culture and Entertainment

Retro resurgence: Why Gen Z is falling for digicams and Walkmans

Georgina Subianto

As everything turns AI and algorithmic, my generation is turning to digicams, cassette tapes and Walkmans in search of something real.

Arts

Sun, sea and sculptures: A weekend at the Island of the Gods’ newest art fair

Josa Lukman

Set in Bali’s up-and-coming Nuanu Creative City, Art & Bali’s inaugural edition felt more like a festival than a fair, celebrating the arts in all its forms.

Culture and Entertainment

So, do you really know Oslo Ibrahim?

Felix Martua

The alternative-pop musician’s new EP, Top 5, is less about reinvention and more about reintroduction.

Conversation

The life of a tropical snow girl: Zazi Landman’s Winter Olympics dream

Sheena Suparman

At just 13, Zazi is aiming to be something that doesn’t exist: a professional snowboarder from Indonesia.

Away We Go

Sleeping between sea and trees: A stay at Oshom Bali

Aqraa Sagir

A beachfront sanctuary in Bali’s budding Nuanu creative city balances seclusion, comfort and creativity.

The Neighborhood

Turning Jakarta’s overlooked sidewalks into common ground

Zhafa Yuda Rehema

In a city built for cars, sidewalks often feel like an afterthought. But revitalized stretches in Jakarta are proving that these in-between spaces have the power to shape not just how we move, but how we connect and belong.

The Neighborhood

Courts, clubs and connections: The rise of community sports apps

Siti Syafania Kose

From billiard tables to padel courts, community sports apps are helping turn strangers into teammates, and sometimes even friends.

Culture and Entertainment

Tinggal Meninggal: How Kristo Imanuel dares moviegoers to laugh at death

Reza Mardian

Kristo Imanuel didn’t expect this film to be made. But now that it is, it might be doing exactly what he hoped: Helping people laugh at things they’re too afraid to talk about.

Conversation

#KaburAjaDulu? Why some are saying ‘no thanks’

Adelia Anjani Putri

While many dream of life abroad, others are choosing to stay, for family, for familiarity or for a future they still believe in.