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Keeping It Paleo Whilst Travelling – Indonesia

I had intentions of being 100%, strict Paleo on my recent trip to Indonesia. However, it’s all very well deciding that in advance, but when I actually arrived in Indonesia, things didn't go quite to plan…

As I was travelling to lots of different, rural places in Bali, Lombok and the Gili Islands, food options could be quite limited. Most of the places I stayed offered breakfast options of things like pancakes (with banana or pineapple and topped with honey), fresh fruit (mango, papaya, pineapple and other tropical fruits) and toast and a boiled egg.

My initial approach was to order breakfast from the lunch menu – paying extra to get fish and vegetables, or eggs with a side of chicken and veg. This took quite some explaining and was met with some very baffled expressions. Unfortunately, after a few days I was struck down with the dreaded “Bali Belly” (if you don’t know, I'm sure you can guess!). It then occurred to me I was going against my first rule of travelling:

Eat what the locals eat!

I've travelled all around Asia following this rule and have never been ill. I've always noticed that the tourists who don’t try local food, but order Western dishes are usually the ones to fall ill. I guess because Western food that is rarely ordered, so it doesn't have such a quick turnaround. So, I prioritised “eating local food” above “eating Paleo”. In practice, this mainly meant including rice, as this is such a staple in Indonesia (and Asia generally). I also started to eat a lot of fruit – where as usually I only have one or two pieces a week.

Fortunately the food in Indonesia has a few important differences from a lot of Western food. Everywhere I went, the food was local. I had fish a few times, sitting by the lake or overlooking the sea that the fish came from. The rice came from the rice paddies next door. The eggs, from the hens that were roaming around next to where I ate. I was also very impressed to find that most food is cooked in coconut oil; but not shop bough coconut oil – home made coconut oil!

My Favourite Indonesian Paleo-ish Dishes

A great Indonesian dish that I had often was Satay. This is meat skewers, cooked over coals and flavoured with local herbs and spices and served in peanut sauce. So whilst the peanut (legume) sauce is not Paleo, the principles of the dish clearly are.

Soy is also quite strongly featured, as tofu or tempe – and whilst it is traditionally prepared (certainly not processed), it was easy for me to steer clear of it.

Despite the rice, I had Nasi Goreng (fried rice), several times, leaving the prawn crackers uneaten. Another popular local dish I enjoyed was Gado-gado, which literally means a mix. It contains lots of local vegetables and a peanut sauce with some delicate herbs and spices. I found quite a few dishes, such as Opor ayam, that were along the lines of a chicken curry – in coconut milk – a great Paleo option.

Whenever fish was offered, I found that a great option, as the whole fish was served, and they were locally caught instead of farmed and imported. Pepes Ikan is a great fish dish cooked in a banana leaf.

I really enjoyed the opportunity to try different fruit, that isn’t so readily available at home. Rambutans are a little like Lycees and were grown almost everywhere. I also tried jack fruit, snake fruit and fresh papaya.

So, my strategy of eating like a local worked well from a short-term health perspective in that I avoided food poisoning. But I found the change of diet hard going. On my Paleo diet, I can go for a long time before I get hungry, as my blood sugar levels remain stable. When I started to introduce so many (relatively) carbohydrates, I found that I would become extremely hungry and shaky – and have to eat every few hours – a clear indication of a drop in blood sugar levels. As much as I enjoyed trying so many local foods, it was good to return to my normal World, where I'm fortunate enough to be able to eat what I want to eat based on Paleo, rather than what is available.

Can You Really Stay Paleo While Travelling in Indonesia?

Travelling on a Paleo diet through Indonesia is all about flexibility, local knowledge, and a little bit of grace. While it might not be possible to stay 100% strict Paleo — especially when rice and fruit are such daily staples — making thoughtful choices can still support your health and energy.

One of the best things about eating in Indonesia is the freshness and origin of the food. Whether it's fish caught that morning, vegetables grown in nearby gardens, or eggs from chickens scratching around by the roadside, it's a far cry from the packaged and processed foods common back home. Cooking in homemade coconut oil is an added bonus you won’t find in many other destinations.

If you’re travelling in Asia and want to stay Paleo-ish, focus on eating local, avoiding seed oils and processed snacks, and keeping your meals simple. A few days of relaxed rules won’t undo the bigger picture of your Paleo lifestyle.

Have you tried to keep it Paleo in Bali, Lombok, or elsewhere in Southeast Asia? Share your experiences — and your best travel food hacks — in the comments below!

Nasi Goreng recipe Indonesian Fried Rice Bali Java Primal Diet-min

How to Make Nasi Goreng

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Are We Too Developed?

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I've just returned from an amazing trip to Indonesia (I went to Bali, the Gili Islands and Lombok), which turned out to be a great Paleo adventure. As a “developing Country” I was surprised how many differences I noticed compared to how things are done here, in the “developed” World. The surprising thing was how many of these differences actually seemed far better in Indonesia. Perhaps being “developed” in not such a good thing after all?

Pregnancy, babies and children in Indonesia

I spent all of my time in small villages, completely off the tourist track. In all of my time, I did not see a single pram/ pushchair/ stroller (whatever you like to call it!). Babies too young to walk were tied to their mothers side by a piece of material and their weight supported by the mothers arm. Whilst pavements aren't suitable for pushchairs (thanks to lots of open drainage holes), this does seem to be a far more sensible way of transporting a baby around, don’t you think?

In the “developed” world you always see mothers distractedly pushing along a pram. Often the pram is completely covered by a rain protector and you can’t even see the infant. The mother is busy chatting on her phone or rushing to her destination. I can’t help but wonder how much better it is for the Indonesian babies, who are constantly in physical contact with their family.

Whilst I don’t doubt a pram is very convenient and get for carrying shopping bags, is it best for the baby? I also regularly see rather old toddlers being pushed around, when surely they should be encouraged to walk.

The other striking difference I noticed was that the Indonesian children were given far more freedom then their counterparts in the developed World. They seemed to have a lot more free reign to explore, without being permanently attached to the apron strings.

I was impressed to see one young mother weaning her baby, by chewing up food herself, before feeding it to her baby. I didn't see a steriliser, jar of baby food, blender or piece of cutlery involved!

I had the opportunity to visit a maternity clinic, which has been set up as a charitable foundation and is supported by volunteers. Compared to a harshly light, sterile busy Western maternity ward, this clinic was far more homely and open planned. In the typical Indonesian style, the delivery rooms were all open at the top of the walls, allowing air (and noise!) to circulate freely. I was interested to hear that women in Indonesia are typically very quiet in delivery, rarely have drugs (epidurals and the like aren't available in the particular clinic I visited) and “100% of women breastfeed”.

Teeth

The other big contract was around teeth and face shape. Almost all of the locals I met had wide faces and the most beautiful teeth I've seen outside of Hollywood. Their teeth were naturally straight, with no crowding – and they were also very white. With a Weston A Price perspective, it seems clear how the right diet helps to form a proper shaped palate – and good teeth.

Food in Indonesia

For my whole trip I ate local (I’ll tell you more about the food in Indonesia in a future post). Everything the locals eat can typically be found within a few minutes walk of their home. Most families have a plot of land on which they grow rice for their family and perhaps a few other things. There were chickens everywhere and local markets in most villages for everything else. There are (or course) some Western snacks, but these didn't seem to purchased by the locals at all – and certainly weren't in the types of quantities we see in the Western world.

Happiness and Family

Another key observation was that everyone seemed happy, with very little stress! People would work hard to get food (i.e. on the rice paddies), but then they would also spend a lot of time sitting in the shade with their family, chatting. How many people get to do that in the developed world?

Indonesian Women

Oh – and you know some people say women shouldn't lift heavy weights? Try telling the Indonesian women that!

What do you think about how they do things in Indonesia? Do you think we’re too developed?

When “Progress” Isn’t Always an Improvement

Travelling through rural Indonesia was a powerful reminder that being “developed” doesn’t necessarily mean being better. In fact, from a Paleo perspective — where ancestral health, connection, movement, and nutrition are central — many traditional ways of life seem far more aligned with human wellbeing than our so-called modern alternatives.

From babywearing and instinctive weaning to beautiful natural teeth, chemical-free births, and locally sourced whole foods, the simplicity of village life highlights just how far the Western world has drifted from its roots. And while conveniences like supermarkets, prams, and smartphones have their place, they also often come at a cost — to our health, our connection, and our sense of calm.

If we took just a few cues from the way Indonesians live — slowing down, eating locally, maintaining physical closeness, and working with rather than against our bodies — we might all be better off.

Have you noticed this contrast when travelling to less industrialised countries? What aspects of “modern life” do you think are worth questioning or even ditching entirely? I’d love to hear your thoughts — especially if you’ve also had a Paleo travel moment that made you stop and rethink what “developed” really means.

Rethinking Modern Life Through a Paleo Lens

Travelling through places like rural Indonesia often shines a light on the disconnect between modern convenience and ancestral wisdom. For many of us following a Paleo lifestyle, it’s not just about what’s on our plate — it’s about how we live, move, raise our families, and connect with our communities. And in those respects, many so-called “developing” nations may actually be far ahead of the game.

Think about it: in the West, we've normalised processed baby food, sitting for hours under artificial lights, and ultra-sanitised everything. Yet in many Indonesian villages, babies are physically carried, not pushed; toddlers explore barefoot rather than being strapped into prams; food is homegrown, seasonal, and shared communally. It’s a world that fosters natural movement, connection, and real food — the very principles Paleo was built on.

One of the most striking differences is how people move. While we debate the merits of kettlebells or deadlifts, Indonesian women carry heavy loads on their heads daily — without fuss or injury. Children climb, squat, and run freely, without structured “exercise.” It’s a lifestyle that incorporates movement naturally and frequently, in stark contrast to the sedentary patterns of urban living.

The contrast in oral health is equally telling. The broad facial structures and straight white teeth observed by Weston A. Price are still visible in communities eating traditional diets — diets free from refined sugar, seed oils, and ultra-processed snacks. No orthodontics, no fluoride toothpaste, just nutrient-dense whole foods and strong chewing from early childhood. It’s an everyday testament to the power of ancestral nutrition.

Community is another area where Western society often falls short. In the villages of Lombok and Gili, families live close to one another, share meals, and support each other through daily tasks. There’s a deep social fabric that promotes mental wellbeing and reduces stress. In contrast, the fast pace of modern life, digital distractions, and isolated living can leave many people feeling disconnected and overwhelmed — no matter how “developed” our societies claim to be.

And then there’s childbirth and parenting. Seeing a maternity clinic where women give birth calmly, surrounded by community, without drugs or fear, and then breastfeed as the default — it’s a reminder that our bodies are designed for this. Contrast that with our overmedicalised birth system and the widespread struggle to breastfeed, and it’s hard not to ask: have we complicated something that should be instinctive?

None of this is to romanticise hardship or overlook the very real challenges in developing countries. But perhaps there's a middle ground — a way to blend the best of both worlds. Could we embrace the nutrient density of ancestral diets, the benefits of natural movement, and the strength of tight-knit communities, while also enjoying the advances of modern medicine, sanitation, and technology?

In Australia and other developed nations, maybe it’s time to stop assuming that more technology, more convenience, and more processed choices are always better. Instead, we might look to simpler lifestyles not as primitive or outdated, but as deeply wise and worth learning from.

Have you travelled somewhere that made you question your lifestyle back home? Did you notice any health habits that seemed more intuitive or effective than what we’re taught in the West? Share your thoughts in the comments below — I’d love to hear how your own Paleo journey has intersected with travel and tradition.

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