For most people in the western world, the word paradise conjures images of small tropical islands with white sandy beaches and coconut groves (check out an image web search for paradise and take a look at the results if you don't trust this assumption).
But what’s it really like for the people living in the places we envision as paradise?
Where’s Paradise? is a series that puts these two notions side by side, the mostly undefined vision of paradise that we have when looking at images of small untouched tropical islands, surrounded by calm azure seas and the actual lives of the actual people that live in these often remote places.
Where’s Paradise? is a series that puts these two notions side by side, the mostly undefined vision of paradise that we have when looking at images of small untouched tropical islands, surrounded by calm azure seas and the actual lives of the actual people that live in these often remote places.
Episode 1 - Nusa Lembongan
Bali is a lot of people’s idea of a perfect tropical island, great landscapes, magnificent beaches, lush jungles, an intricate and truly exotic culture with a unique belief system and an elaborate set of rituals. The first lines in a Lonely Planet article on Bali’s top 25 experiences reads: The mere mention of ‘Bali‘ evokes thoughts of a paradise. It’s more than a place: it’s a mood, an aspiration, a tropical state of mind.
However at 5632 km2 (2175 sq. mi) and a population of almost 4 million, Bali is a bit too crowded and large to match that postcard perfect image of an isolated tropical paradise, and this without even taking into account the large number of expats that have settled there and altered Bali’s character in the last decades.
Nusa Lembongan, a small island of 8 km2 (3 sq. mi) and approximately 7000 inhabitants, about 20 km southeast of Bali, seems however to better fit the description of a small paradise island. Its inhabitants are ethnic balinese, thus it retains the allure of an elaborate exotic culture. Its shores are graced with impeccable white beaches and countless coconut trees, it features pristine coral reefs that host an incredible array of marine animals and it even has its very own mangrove forrest.
All these elements made it the perfect starting point in our exploration, to better understand why we associate the images of tropical islands with the notion of paradise and what’s it really like for the people living on one of these paradises.
The photos are part of the first episode of the Where’s Paradise?
The first episode also features a documentary film viewable on Vimeo.
If you like our project and have an iPad (or a friend with an iPad), the first episode also has a dedicated app, which besides the film and photos (viewable offline) also features more of our thoughts and observations of the places and people of Nusa Lembongan and a detailed, beautifully hand-drawn, interactive map. The app is available for download on the App Store.
To find out more about the project visit our website.
To find out more about the project visit our website.
