This is the story of how a bit of color turned an Indonesian slum into an Instagram sensation that can benefit locals…

The idea

Kampung Pelangi, now known as ‘Rainbow Village’, is located in Semarang, in Central Java, Indonesia – 300 miles (480 km) east of the capital, Jakarta. It was an ordinary low-income village until April this year, when a high-school principal, Slamet Widodo, came up with the idea to paint its houses, benches and bridges in different bright colors in an effort to attract more tourists to the area and improve the economic situation in his community. This plan followed the example of other Indonesian villages that have undergone similar colorful changes, including Kampung Warna Warni and Kampung Tridi.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BV3Y7PIBxL7/

The makeover

The local council decided to give 300 million Indonesian rupiah (around $22,000) to turn Widodo’s idea into a reality. In a month the 223 houses in the suburb were each painted with at least three different, bright colors. The Indonesian Builders Association in Semarang provided paint and workers for the refurbishment, while the residents themselves took part in the painting process, as did the mayor of Semarang.

Instagram tourism

After the news of the village’s colorful new appearance spread across the internet, it began to fill with tourists searching for some positive vibes in their day and that perfect Instagram shot. And since the makeover was made for that purpose, it is no surprise that Instagrammable murals can be found around every corner. About 7000 posts with the hashtag #kampungpelangi already exist and the number is growing every day. Among the most famous wall pieces are backdrops for people to pose with butterfly and angel wings, mystical creatures, balloons, umbrellas and even Kung Fu Panda himself.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BT9BD0LFAVB/

The pay-off

Residents are already feeling the positive economic effects that the new tourist attraction has had on their lives, increasing their income through markets for tours, souvenirs and street food. The village is now cleaner and more dynamic than ever – in fact, further plans for the project include removing waste from the local river.

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I do realize that a quick reminder of the political and environmental situation in the world right now may make this statement sound naive and crazy. However, let’s just for five minutes (that is the time you will need to read this article) try to concentrate on some of the positive changes happening right now. I’m talking about the increasing number of people trying to live mindfully – with practices like minimalism, mindfulness and the no-waste lifestyle gaining popularity – and now the travel trend of 2017: transformative travel.

The philosophy behind the trend

A survey conducted by Adventure Travel Trade Association shows that the main motive for traveling among adventure travelers is to gain transformative experiences, followed by expanding their worldview. That is the philosophy beyond this kind of travel – to constantly try to become a better version of yourself and bring about positive change in the world while using travel as the main tool to help you do so.

Change is the purpose

While ideally you should always come back from your trips a little changed – and not just spend your time blindly consuming tourist services – the most important thing here is that you embark on the journey with the purpose of transforming yourself. There are certain activities you can do to achieve that.

So what are those activities?

Getting out of your comfort zone, engaging in conversations with different people, taking some time every day to reflect on your experiences and keeping a journal all help serve the purpose of exploring your inner self. Books that combine travel and self-help like “203 Travel Challenges” also come in handy in provoking your inner curiosity and adventurous spirit.

To get a taste of this new type of travel, cross off some the following challenges:

1. Go out of service for 24 hours.
2. Start a journal or blog.
3. Get lost on purpose. 
4. Travel solo.

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