Many people consider vacations as part of the life process. Recreation is a counterbalance to boredom due to busy work or an escape from the complexities of everyday life.
We often forget that our bodies and minds need rest too. One of the most common ways to fill the holidays is traveling, or taking a trip to refresh the mind.
A recent study published in the journal "Tourism Analysis" found that frequent traveling has a positive impact on one's happiness. People who traveled frequently were found to be 7% more satisfied with their lives overall compared to those who rarely did so.
This is universal, no matter what age, gender and income, frequent travel has the potential to increase one's happiness. Whether traveling domestically (within the country) or internationally (abroad), both have a positive impact on increasing happiness. The experience of visiting a new place, experiencing a different culture, and trying new things turns out to bring a greater sense of excitement and joy.
Everyone can enjoy traveling, from traveling alone (solo traveler), in a group, to with family or because of work such as a diplomat, flight attendant and businessman. Different from the daily routine, traveling is done with various purposes such as for sightseeing, business, adventure, seeking culinary experiences (foodie) and recreation.
The three figures below are people who love traveling in the midst of their busy lives as officials and entrepreneurs in various fields. Who are they?
Vivin Harsanto's Search for Happiness
In the midst of her busy life as an important person in JLL Indonesia, Vivin Harsanto never forgets to enjoy life by traveling to a country.
According to him, traveling is an escape to generate new energy so that the mind is fresher in every decision.
"Actually traveling is to learn the culture of the country, take the good side and apply it in life," he told SUAR in Jakarta, some time ago.
According to him, there are so many life lessons or values that can be taken from a country, starting from how to greet, respect elders and how to communicate. For example Japan, he told me how Japanese people always bow their bodies ojigi as a form of politeness or respect for each other.
"The bowing shows deep regret. Japanese people also take great care of hygiene and live a healthy lifestyle," he said.
Having a bucketlist, some of the countries she has visited that have made an impression on her include Japan, Korea, and Thailand.
"Korean culture that can be emulated is their very high creativity, and a very neat queuing culture. While the Thai culture that can be applied is to always sow kindness because Thai people believe in karma, what is reaped, that is what is obtained," he said.
Vivin said that she gained many new perspectives from traveling both for her personal life and professional work.
"Traveling is not only about shopping, trying food, but also mingling with the lives of local people there," he said.
He said, by traveling, the mind is more open, it turns out that the world is very wide, the human character is not the same.
She admits that the most tangible impact of her traveling hobby is that she has become a better person for her home life and work environment.
At work, he said, he strives to be a fair and wise leader, respectful of every decision and authoritative. "Traveling has become my main hobby, there is no other hobby that I have found that is as enjoyable as traveling," he said, adding that he is still curious about the cultures in South America and Africa.
Seeking Holiday Serenity in the Style of Amanda Felicia
In hall 10 of the Indonesia Convention Exhibition, BSD, Tangerang, Amanda Felicia Verdyanta looks busy. She checked her phone several times, which never left her hand. When a visitor approached her exhibition booth, she readily answered questions. In the middle of the conversation, Amanda introduced the products that her company was exhibiting.
That afternoon, Amanda's company PT Garuda Excavindo was one of the exhibitors at the Indonesia Agriculture Technology Expo 2025. The company, which is the only authorized distributor of the Xinyuan brand from China, brought three types of excavators to the exhibition, namely the C 80W, B 80S and C 130S. The C 80W and B 80S were parked at PT Garuda's booth , while the C 130S welcomed visitors at the entrance of hall 10.
Together with her husband, Amanda founded PT Garuda in September 2024 in Surabaya. She is the Chief Executive Officer and her husband is a director. At first, Amanda was only an individual importer and directly sold Xinyuan products to her clients. However, when she saw a more promising business opportunity, Amanda decided to create a company to become an authorized Xinyuan distributor.
As the sole distributor of Xinyuan, Amanda's customers are spread across Indonesia, both individuals and companies. In addition to the head office in Sidoarjo, East Java, PT Garuda also has two other offices in Makassar and Lampung, plus a warehouse in Tangerang. That's why traveling to many places is not a foreign activity for Amanda.
Amidst her busy schedule as a company leader, Amanda has her own way of unwinding. Almost every time she visits a branch or meets a customer out of town, she always takes the time to explore new places. For her, work trips also provide an opportunity to refresh her mind.
"Mycustomers are spread across many islands. So, while I'm traveling, I use the time for refreshing," he says. Makassar, Lampung, Denpasar, and Jakarta are among the areas he often visits.
In each city, Amanda tries to find time to soak up the local atmosphere before returning to her work routine.
Amanda does that because she likes quiet situations. She grew up in Surabaya, a hustling and bustling big city full of activities. Therefore, in every trip, she always looks for a different atmosphere. Quieter, more natural, and away from the noise.
He said that seeing rice fields or plantations in rural areas is a simple way to remind yourself not to rush.
"I like to explore, I like the fresh and quiet atmosphere of nature," she said.
While visiting quieter areas, she felt her mind cleared and her energy restored.
"When I go on vacation with my family, I look for places that are not too crowded. In a place like that, I can really get stress relief," she says.
One of her most memorable trips was a family vacation to Labuan Bajo. She went with her husband and two children who are now 12 and 8 years old.
"The sea is purplish blue, it's not crowded, and the wind is cool," says the 33-year-old.
Amanda chose Labuan Bajo because she thought it was less crowded than Denpasar.
Besides the beach, Amanda also loves the mountains. During work visits to the East Java region, she often makes a stop at Bromo. The cool air and open views make her feel far away from the heat and crowds of Surabaya.
When her children happen to be along, she chooses to stay at a family hotel in the Bromo area that provides plenty of activities for children to keep the vacation fun for her two sons.
Every trip is a new exploration that brings a different atmosphere. On a working visit to Bondowoso, for example, he was hosted by a customer in a simple house in the middle of a garden. He enjoyed the genuine hospitality and simplicity of life that made him feel completely relaxed.
From that experience, Amanda has come to believe that serenity comes from a place away from the crowds. She enjoyed casual conversations with farmers, sipping warm coffee, and tasting durian straight from the tree. For her, it was a form of stress relief that she couldn't get in the city.
Her love for tranquility is also reflected when traveling abroad. Instead of choosing popular cities like Paris or Rome, Amanda is drawn to Scandinavian countries. Finland and Norway are her favorite destinations because of their peaceful atmosphere and less dense population.
During a winter vacation with her family, Amanda visited Rovaniemi and Helsinki in Finland. She told us about her experience staying inglass igloos in northern Finland run by an Indian-Finnish couple. Through the glass, she could see snowdrifts and a calm white sky, while her children played snowballs outside.
The vacation made her want to return to Europe next year when her children are on school vacation. Amanda plans to visit Iceland to see waterfalls amidst snowy landscapes, and then travel to the UK. There, she wants to take her two sons on Harry Potter tours and visit soccer stadiums.
"When I go, I always look for a quiet city. For example, if I go abroad, and I get off in a big city like Shanghai, I only spend a day there. The rest of the time I spend in quieter areas like Hangzhou, Nanjing, or Zhujiajiao. If the place is crowded, it's just like Surabaya," says the graduate of Shanghai Jiao Tong University's Faculty of Medicine with a laugh.
Diplomat Kekeru Fujiyama is enamored with Indonesia through stalls and forests
Kakeru Fujiyama, First Secretary-Justice Attaché at the Embassy of Japan, stepped lightly into the Suar Roundtable discussion room on migrant workers in Indonesia. As a diplomatic official dealing with legal and labor issues, coming to a forum like this is not just fulfilling an invitation, but part of diplomatic work: building relationships, understanding issues, and listening to the stories behind policies.
But Kakeru's life doesn't just revolve around embassy business. There's another side to his life that makes his eyes light up when he tells me about a hobby he's been pursuing since living in Indonesia.
The SUAR team chats in a corner of the JS Luwansa Hotel meeting room, first floor. In front of the coffee bar, she sits casually on a high chair, clutching her cup of drink with a warm smile. The topic of conversation shifted from migrant workers to something more personal: her hobby of exploring Indonesia.
He calls it a way to understand Indonesia from a more honest perspective.
"I learn about this country not from behind a desk," he says quietly, "but from the street, from the warung, from conversations with people in remote areas, and from the green tropical forests I pass through."
"I'm actually a boring person," he says with a chuckle. "But since coming to Indonesia, I love traveling, to cities, villages, mountains, and the sea."
As a Japanese government employee assigned to Indonesia, Kakeru says he found a new way to "live" in a foreign country. Whereas in the past his work involved policy-making for foreigners, he is now a user of Indonesia's immigration policies.
"So I want to really know what life is like here, in terms of the people," she says.
He said that every time he traveled with his family, Kakeru set one small rule: no eating at fancy restaurants.
"You can have breakfast at the hotel, but dinner has to be at a local warung," he says with a smile. "That's where I learned a lot about the daily life of Indonesians."
From Padang, Bukittinggi, Lampung, Bogor, Bandung, to Makassar and Pontianak, he has visited more than 30 cities. But the two most memorable places for him are the forests in Kalimantan and the beaches in Lombok.
"In Kalimantan, I slept on a wooden boat, sometimes without a signal, and was able to see orangutans in their natural habitat. In Lombok, I stayed four nights on Gili Trawangan, just playing and swimming. It was so peaceful."
One of the most memorable stories happened in Bukittinggi, West Sumatra. He waited for months just to see the Rafflesia bloom.
"I worked with a local guide for almost two months, waiting for word that the flowers would bloom. When the time came, I hiked an hour into the forest. Then there, in the middle of nowhere, I saw it for myself, the Rafflesia blooming. It was incredible."
A few simple moments also made an impression on his heart, even if it was just eating a bowl of chicken porridge on a Saturday morning, making him a legal citizen living in Indonesia.
"Every Saturday morning, I walk to a chicken porridge stall in Cikini. I eat there, then buy three packs for my family, complete with fried foods. That's my weekly habit, breakfast porridge," he said.
According to him, the balance between working and enjoying life is important.
"If I want to be able to travel, it means I have to work more efficiently. My vacation schedule actually makes me more excited to work," she says.
Despite his busy schedule, Kakeru still has one simple message for anyone immersed in a work routine: "Prioritize personal time. Sometimes, the best way to understand the world of work is to take a break from it, even for a little while."
