I met a lot of great people in Indonesia while there—many of whom were men. Nice guys who were both welcoming and helpful. I found a number of them to be exotic looking and quite handsome, too, and definitely enjoyed photographing them.
I’d now like to introduce them to you here—on the C Bus. Not as eye candy (which, OK, a few of them might be considered that), but as people. Locals. Cool guys who made my trip better in some way. I hope you enjoy making their acquaintance. I know I certainly did! 
(Although I may have a favorite or two, the order is random.)
1. Baim: the Sundanese Sweetie
Where We Met
Ubud, Bali
How We Met
I desperately needed ‘pulsa’—credit—on my telephone. It wasn’t a straightforward purchase, either, because I needed it set up for Internet. After visiting 5 stores, where no one was able to help me, I felt frustrated and ready to give up. I tried one more store and my luck changed. I met someone–a cutie named Baim—who was finally able to help me.
By the way…I thought he was Balinese at first, but I learned that he’s actually from Bandung. According to friend of mine who’s also from there, that means he’s technically ‘Sundanese.’
What Made Him Attractive
The batik shirt? Maybe. Really, I think I liked his eyes. I definitely loved his hair! My dad’s a hairdresser, so when I notice a cool haircut, I stop and take a look. I also thought Baim had a pleasant face. And most of all, a great personality.
He didn’t hesitate to help me and he treated me well. He got me what I needed without trying to up-sell or scam me and I truly appreciated it. And we chatted for a while…just because it was enjoyable.
This made me happy because I was in the center of Ubud, which is a bit of a tourist trap. Spending time in his store felt like a safe haven from the icky touts, etc. out on the street. I won’t forget his kindness any time soon!
2. Dilly–the Balinese Bad Boy
Where We Met
Amed, Bali
How We Met
I had left tourist trap South Bali and headed east to Amed. This was upon the advice of a really cool British woman named Emma who lived there (whom I met, randomly, on Facebook). She told me she was married to a Balinese man and that they had a baby together and that they were building some bungalows to rent out (still under construction, but almost ready.) When I showed up, I met her and the baby and then, that night, I met her husband—Dilly.
I stayed there for a few days—at his brother’s hotel—and got to know the family. I spent a lot of time with Emma and some with Dilly and his friends. I went to a party and to a local show of sorts and got to know the locals, thanks to him. It helped me see another side of Bali, which made me happy. After being in tourist areas for too long, I needed something different.
What Made Him Attractive
Dilly’s a nice looking man—and although I don’t generally like tattoos, they looked good on him. And he definitely has a certain ‘bad boy’ thing going on. There’s a certain intensity there. And the Balinese hat is pretty cool, too.
What I really liked about Dilly, however, was that underneath the ‘bad boy’ exterior, he’s a bit of a softy. When he’s with his baby, whose name is Dillon, by the way, it melts your heart. You can tell he loves the kid a lot (by the way…so did I!). And oh yeah…the baby looks just like him! Watch out when he grows up!
Dillon–one of the coolest kids ever!
Also, Dilly is a great cook. He made a fantastic meal for me and his wife while I was there—traditional Balinese fish. It was perfect! How cool is that?
3. Tiga: the Anti-Tout
Where We Met
Yogyakarta, Java
How We Met
I’d been looking for someone to give me a tour of Yogyakarta by motorbike or ketchek and I was having no luck. The touts were not bending on the price and it was hot and I was feeling frustrated. Ready to pay them whatever or to take a proper tour.
I spotted a couple of hotel workers near where I was staying and asked for their help. Tiga was one of them. He and his friends were nice and helpful; they connected me with someone who offered to take me around for a fair price. While standing there, I noticed that Tiga was nice looking–cute., actually I asked if I could photograph him for this post and he said yes.
Why I Found Him Attractive
He had a pleasant face—with nice skin and a warm smile. Also, there was something mellow and non-aggressive about him. I think he had that Javanese sense of clam. I mostly liked that he had no agenda. He just wanted to help. And in the midst of the chaos in Yogyakarta (there was a festival going on when I was there), that mini oasis was refreshing to me. Sounds a bit like Baim, right?
4. Debi: the Mild-Mannered Minangkabau Man
Where We Met
Payakumbuh Village, West Sumatra
How We Met
I was volunteer teaching (and doing teacher training) in a Minangkabau village at the middle school where Debi (‘b’ sounds live ‘v’) happened to work as a physics teacher. He was friends with (and is a coworker of) the woman I was staying with. He also ran the nearest Internet café, which I visited many times. A few nights, when it was after dark, he gave me a ride back to my friend’s house on his motorbike.
I didn’t mind at all. In fact, it was fun being on the bike with him.
Why I Found Him Attractive
While Debi obviously has a handsome face–nice eyes especially–he’s a really great guy. He is a Minangkabau man, part of a special tribe that I spent close to a month living with. He has the same values as the other people I met and the ones I stayed with. Kind, caring and helpful. Like the others, he really made sure I was comfortable and had what I needed as a guest in the village.
He’s also sweet and super conscientious as a teacher, which really impressed me. His work ethic simply blew my mind. He seems to be working all the time. In fact, on weekends, he often takes his students hiking and camping!
5. Hendrik—the Hot and Cool Batak
How We Met
I was in my hotel lobby having breakfast when I first saw him. My initial thoughts were—wow, he’s handsome! Is he an actor or a model?? Then, I confused him with a man a friend had mentioned who happened to have long hair. Anyway, I said hi, introduced myself and then learned that we already sort of knew each other—via e-mail contact from when I first inquired about the hotel.
After chatting off and on for a couple days, he invited me and another traveler, a Korean woman, to attend a couple of Batak weddings. We went and had a wonderful time. One of the weddings involved his very own family.
Why I Found Him Attractive
He’s good looking—not doubt about it. Some would say he’s hot and perhaps that is the case. But really, what it is (for me, anyway)…is that he’s cool. Not just his looks, but how he acts and what he does.
He’s not just a pretty face. He’s a talented musician (gave me a copy of his CD, which is excellent) and a bright guy who’s dedicated to preserving the Batak culture—and to exposing tourists to it. He loves his culture and his people. When we met, he was home on vacation (he now lives in Holland) and was working to promote tourism in the area via a website and his various connections. Looks like he was doing a great job, too.
PS: You might want to check out the photo essay I did about just Hendrik called ‘The Man I Couldn’t Stop Photographing.’
6. Ben: the Batak ‘Brother’
How We Met
I met him through Hendrik. I was looking for someone to take me around the island on a motorbike (I wasn’t comfortable driving one myself) and I wanted it to be someone who spoke English well. Hendrik said that Ben was ‘like a brother to him’ because he’d been there for him during some personal crises. I liked this endorsement and thought—sure, why not.
Ben, by the way, was part of the wedding day adventure I had. I was on the bike with him for the day and along the way, he explained the area, the Protestant tombs and answered questions I had. It wasn’t a tour—it was an invitation from Hendrik—but I did offer him money to pay for gas. We also shared a couple beers, too, with Hendrik and some others.
Why I Found Him Attractive
I loved the long hair—and his smile. While some of the men in this post are handsome, he was definitely ‘cute.’ I think that what I liked most was that he was a fun guy who was a natural tour guide. It came naturally to him. All he had to do was be himself and explain what we were looking at. He was pleasant to hang out with. Simple as that.
7. Dino—a Dashing and Debonair Dude
How We Met
An Indonesian friend of mine, Sysilia, was concerned that I was flying into Pekanbaru, a city that rarely sees tourists. She called Dino, a friend from her university days, and asked him to meet me at the airport. And sure enough, he was able to do it.
Although we didn’t hang out for long, we ended up becoming buddies. He helped me get a SIM card for my iPhone, took me shopping for a few things I needed. And then, we had a couple of beers at a classy lounge in his city.
Why I Found Him Attractive
I admired him for kindness and generosity—the fact that he would take time out of his busy schedule and help me just because a friend asked if he could. And he was bright, so I really enjoyed our conversations. We talked about Indonesia, politics, religion and relationships and it was all quite interesting. He shared a lot of his feelings and views on a wide range of subjects and I truly enjoyed that.
And when Singapore Airlines lost my bags for a few days, he was right on it—helping me every step of the way. Even once I was 7 hours away, he continued to help me. Great guy, huh?
I also thought he was handsome with his great smile and soulful eyes. He dressed well and had a certain sophistication, too. And yet he was a cool dude. All of this made him attractive.
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So there you have it—some of the cool men–nice guys who happened to be handsome–whom I met in Indonesia. Hope you enjoyed this post!
Your Reactions/Thoughts?
Which man or men do you like the most—and why? Is there a particular country where you happened to notice attractive men—one that stands out the most for you?
I must say that of all the countries I’ve been to, the one with the MOST handsome men was Turkey.
Can’t Get Enough?
Here are more posts about Indonesia that you may enjoy:
15 Highlights of Indonesia
8 Ways a Village Taught Me to Live in the Moment
And all of them on one page!
Note: All photos are ones I took except for the second one of Debi, which I borrowed from him, and the photos of Dino, which he allowed me to copy from his Facebook page.