IT all started with a casual scroll through social media Instagram. One day, as I was doom-scrolling past sunsets, smoothies, and cats in sunglasses, I stumbled upon a hashtag: #HiddenParadiseVillage. The picture showed a serene little hamlet surrounded by lush rice fields, a rustic bamboo bridge over a babbling brook, and a caption that read, “Escape the noise, find yourself in Bliss Village.”
Sold. I booked a weekend stay faster than you can say “double-tap.”
Arrival in Bliss Village
The journey there was like something out of an adventure movie. The GPS went offline halfway through the winding forest roads, leaving me to rely on an old signpost that pointed to a dirt path marked “Bliss (Trust Us, It’s Real).” After an hour, I finally arrived at what seemed like a postcard brought to life.
The village was idyllic. Chickens wandered freely, the smell of freshly harvested crops filled the air, and the locals smiled warmly as they passed by. I could already see the captions forming in my head: *“Unplugged and Living”, “Rice Field Realness”, “No Wi-Fi, Just Life.”
But there was one thing nobody mentioned online: the village had fully embraced social media as a way to boost tourism.
The Mayor-slash-Social Media Guru
I was welcomed by Pak Made, the village head, who was not what I expected. Dressed in traditional garb, he also sported a Bluetooth headset and a selfie stick.
“Welcome to Bliss Village!” he exclaimed, thrusting a handcrafted lei over my head. “We’re so glad you’re here! Don’t forget to tag us @BlissVillageOfficial.”
I blinked. “Uh, thanks?”
“Follow us on TikTok too,” he added, handing me a QR code on a banana leaf.
It turned out the village had a dedicated “content team,” led by Made’s teenage nephew, Kadek, who taught everyone how to pose naturally for candid shots. As a guest, I was expected to participate. “We make tourism immersive,” Made explained. “Also, you’re our 100th guest this year, so you’ll be featured on our Instagram stories!”
Content Overload
I spent the first morning learning the village’s traditional crafts, like weaving baskets and grinding rice. But every step was captured from three different angles. “Turn the pestle a little slower,” Kadek instructed. “The algorithm loves slow, satisfying movements.”
Next came a photo op at the village’s famous bamboo bridge. A small queue of influencers had formed, each waiting their turn to strike a yoga pose. One even brought a portable ring light. “Is this…normal?” I asked a fellow tourist.
“Completely,” she whispered. “Just wait till the drone arrives.”
And arrive it did, buzzing like a giant mosquito over the rice paddies. “Wave!” Kadek yelled. We all waved.
By lunchtime, I had posted five stories, gained 30 new followers, and learned that chickens are surprisingly photogenic. But it wasn’t all smooth sailing. The village Wi-Fi was powered by a solar panel that went kaput whenever clouds rolled in. We had to resort to editing posts offline and scheduling uploads during sunny breaks.
The Grand Finale
The highlight of my stay was the “Bliss Village Sunset Parade,” a tradition invented solely for Instagram. Locals paraded through the rice fields in traditional attire, carrying torches and singing folk songs. “This is stunning,” I told Kadek.
“Thanks! We got the idea from Pinterest,” he replied.
When the golden hour hit, drones took to the skies while Made stood on a rock, directing tourists like a choreographer. “Remember, no one moves until the sun dips below the horizon! We’re going for maximum glow.”
The Plot Twist
Just when I thought things couldn’t get more surreal, Pak Made approached me with an offer. “You’re good with hashtags,” he said. “Would you consider becoming our honorary Social Media Ambassador?”
“Uh…what does that involve?”
“Mostly captions, a little influencer outreach, and occasional cow-herding for TikTok.”
Against my better judgment, I agreed. My followers skyrocketed after I shared behind-the-scenes shots of chickens “dancing” in the village square. Bliss Village became an overnight sensation, and I became the accidental face of rural tourism.
Moral of the Story
Bliss Village may have been tiny, but it taught me a big lesson: no matter how far you travel to unplug, someone will always find a way to monetize your experience. But hey, at least the captions were fire.
