Damar, one of the best surf guides on the Indonesian island of Lombok, feels right at home taking tourists out to sea. With his fluent English and effortless banter, you would never guess what was his childhood fear: foreigners.
When I was 10 or maybe seven, I used to cry - I used to just pee in my pants when I saw white people, Damar, now 39, tells the BBC. That diffidence waned as the laidback island he calls home slowly found its popularity among Western travellers.
Just east of Bali, Lombok boasts the same azure beaches and stunning views as its famous neighbor, but without the exasperating crowds. Lombok's beaches are still a hidden gem among surfers, as is Mount Rinjani for hikers. Travel sites still liberally use the word untouched to describe the island as they offer reasons to venture beyond Bali.
So it should come as little surprise that the Indonesian government has sensed the opportunity to create another lucrative tourist haven on the sprawling archipelago. The mission is to create more Balis - and Lombok will be one of them.
For islanders, this promise of Balification is a welcome opportunity but they are also wary of what it brings.
The drive to transform Lombok is part of a wider effort to lure travellers away from Bali, which has for decades played an outsized role in Indonesia's tourism industry. The island makes up less than 1% of the country's land area and less than 2% of its 280 million-plus population. Yet last year it accounted for nearly half of all visitors to Indonesia.
But increasingly Bali's unrelenting traffic and pollution - a direct result of its success as a top tourist pick- are leaving those very tourists disappointed with what has long been touted as the last paradise. As it turns out, that elusive paradise lies just an hour's boat ride away.
For many locals like Damar, who have been evicted from their homes for new developments, the transition is bittersweet. They are caught between the allure of new economic opportunities in tourism and the loss of their traditional lifestyles.
As Lombok undergoes rapid transformation with the arrival of glitzy resorts and modern amenities, many voices express concern about loss of cultural identity and environmental degradation. The government has invested heavily to attract tourism, yet the impacts on the community and environment raise important questions about sustainable development.
New investor Andrew Irwin, co-owner of a surf camp in Lombok, sees potential for upliftment in local communities. However, he acknowledges the existing tensions and challenges facing Lombok as it attempts to balance economic growth with preserving the unique character that has drawn tourists in the first place.
As tourism continues to expand in Lombok, the community grapples with the question: How can they reap the benefits of development while safeguarding their way of life and natural environment?
