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Being an Amanaska traveler
While there are many travel sites for leaving comments, reviews, and star ratings for hotels or travel agencies, there is not yet a platform for rating travelers. It would, however, be interesting to get to know you better, to read feedback from our colleagues, and to take into account your strengths… and your weaknesses. But anyway, that is not currently on the agenda.
At Amanaska, we have particular travelers who often resemble us in their way of traveling. Far be it from us to rate them; they are beyond competition. Instead, we have chosen to tell you about them. We have taken the time to introduce ourselves, to describe the unique philosophy of our travel agency, the spirit that drives us, and what we want to share with you about Bali and Indonesian culture. But what allows us to be different, to simply exist, is above all our travelers.
Amanaska, personal travel companion
To tell you about our travelers, it seems right to start by telling you about our first steps—those that led us to rethink travel and to understand what travelers coming to discover Bali truly desired.
In the beginning, the encounter was timid. We wanted to offer another form of travel, more personal, and we wished to have a genuine exchange with you. Our goal was not to sell you a destination—that already exists—but rather to accompany you in the creation of your trip to Bali, by providing a real added value that is easily measured and identified. So that you might end up saying to us: “Oh, I didn’t know that! I actually thought the opposite…”, or: “I read on a forum that it was a must-see, but actually it’s a tourist trap,” or even: “Thank you for this clear answer; honestly, we didn’t really know what to think anymore.”
We wanted to accompany you from the very start, in the reflection phase, and then throughout the preparation and organization of your trip. We wanted to give you direct access, without intermediaries, to the country’s current news and validated information, saving you from searching for hours only to end up not knowing what to think. Quite simply, we wanted to prevent you from making mistakes or unwise choices just because you read it in a guide, on a forum, or because your friends recommended it.
Living in Bali gives us the ability to provide concrete answers, to explain the reasons behind our own choices, to warn you in case of changes, and to react in real time. Amanaska does not simply create tailor-made programs or customizable tours in Bali: we are, above all, travel companions present to make your life easier. And of course, this is built on legitimacy and trust.
Unique trips for Amanaska travelers
We have written new programs with you, always taking your feedback into account. Our trips were born through the desires of our travelers. This is how the Sumatra tour came to be, in response to an (insistent) request from you. We did the scouting for you, tried it, tested it… and now it is ready.
We ventured toward other islands and other discoveries. We sometimes pushed ourselves, covering 3,500 kilometers by scooter and ferry between Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa, and Flores. This little adventure is one we shared with you day after day, to inspire you to set off and join us.
We questioned our relationship with you to be closer, to be a source of inspiration that brings a real plus to the organization of your trip. Together, we also developed an ecological conscience, with the feeling of being your travel companion. As time passes, we recognize ourselves more and more in you through your desire for the “real” and your expectations of an authentic journey. But who are you, then?
Portrait of the Amanaska Bali traveler
With the passing years, it is now possible for us to draw a profile of our traveler—as more than 75% of programs are organized by women. The Amanaska traveler is organized, well-informed, and independent, yet wishes to benefit from guidance for destinations that require a specific approach, as is the case for Indonesia. They are aware of the cost of a program in Indonesia and, like us, they prefer a fair price over just a price.
They are between 28 and 70 years old; they seek authenticity, encounters, and immersion above all, but always with deep respect for the local population. They are curious, adventurous (they enjoy testing spicy dishes), they like taking the time to share, they marvel like children, and they are easily surprised (the Balinese call the French the “Olala” because every time they want to express their wonder, they often say: “Oh là là, it’s beautiful,” “Oh là là, it’s delicious!”).
Far from the stereotype of the inconsiderate tourist who speaks loudly and criticizes what they do not understand, the Amanaska traveler is benevolent. They are there to discover another way of life; they ask questions, interact, and are very polite (at least according to our partners, who are surprised by how many times they are thanked).
Between the backpacker, the search for authenticity, and letting go
The Amanaska traveler does not like mass tourism, ready-made holiday packages, tourist traps, or artificial activities. This works out quite well, because neither do we: we have even developed a kind of allergy to this form of tourism.
Our traveler appreciates off-the-beaten-path discoveries; they are playful and enjoy challenging us to find unusual hotels or great excursions in remote corners. They want to get lost (reasonably). And to use their own words: “We aren’t going to travel 12,000 kilometers to eat Western food and sleep in high-rises…” — something with which we entirely agree.
They are fully aware that, depending on their program, there may be unforeseen events, less comfortable accommodations, or “very local” meals. But for them, this is part of the journey. To quote another phrase: “If we had wanted a catalog version, staying among tourists and sleeping in 4-star rooms, we would have gone to a resort.”
Of course, the Amanaska traveler is not always an adventure lover ready to set off for 28 days across 4 islands to meet the traditional cultures of Sulawesi, discover the endemic Komodo dragons, the giant bats of Flores, or see the last wild orangutans in the world in Sumatra. Our traveler may simply want an authentic trip to Bali, with charming hotels, bike rides, snorkeling in the Menjangan Nature Park, visiting temples and unusual places, or simply meeting a Balinese family… in short, to recharge and regain their strength.
The particularity of our traveling families
Families (averaging 5 participants) represent 60% of our travelers (to be honest, we are very proud of this), and the majority of parents aim to offer their children a different perspective on the world and to enjoy it together.
For families traveling with Amanaska, it is not about a simple tourist program, but about living exceptional moments together, creating or recreating a strong bond and true complicity, and stepping away from a daily life where time is scarce to reconnect with the family spirit. Many parents express the need to enjoy their children, to amaze and surprise them, but also to pass on different values by allowing them to share another culture, other essentials, and to have access to different points of reference.
We also have families who are used to traveling with Amanaska, who already know the pleasure of having nothing to organize on-site, who have their travel habits, and who often give us carte blanche to organize their stay, which will in any case be approved by the whole family before departure.
Of course, before becoming a true Amanaska traveler, we must first get to know each other. This is the time for the courtship dance.
