Long Story Long
In the beginning was the Dream
But where does the story really begin?
Was it when we found our land on the remote, wild coast of East Sumbawa? Or was it during those years we spent searching — across five countries and hundreds of beaches, knocking on doors and asking, “Are you selling that piece of land?”
Maybe it started earlier, back in 2015, when we began running retreats, treks, and expeditions. Or maybe it was in 2014, when we first met, connected by the question, “How do you create something like this?”
Or maybe it’s all about those strange coincidences. Just when we were ready to give up, we stumbled upon more than we’d ever imagined — a wide bay, white sands, a cliff rising above azure waters, and almost 360 degrees of pure, uninterrupted ocean view.
No, it started long before that — with a vision.
A wild idea. A big, beautiful plan.
One day, we — Olesia and Mikhail Vlasovs — decided to create one of the world’s best retreat centers and freediving hubs, where people from all corners of the globe could unwind, recharge, and dive deep into life-changing practices. And that’s where it all began — with a single step.
The perfect storm
In 2018, we formalized our investment company in Indonesia, made the first deposit for the land, and started putting together the mountain of documents. By the end of 2019, it felt like we had everything in place to bring our dream to life. We had a perfect piece of land, approved by every government agency. We had our personal savings and $100,000 from a crowdfunding campaign —double what we aimed to raise, thanks to our incredibly generous community. And we had the fire to build, with one motto driving us: “Faster, faster.”
But a storm was already brewing.
The village wasn’t going to welcome us with open arms (so what if you bought the land?). The authorities weren’t going to hand over the building permits or land certificates within the promised time (so what if you’d paid for everything and had all the paperwork?). And the world wasn’t about to let us settle on the most beautiful land in the region without testing our resolve (so what if you had a dream?).
Inside, a local businessman launched a lawsuit, challenging our right to the land. Outside, the pandemic struck. Borders closed, travel was impossible without expensive tests, and quarantines stretched endlessly. Vaccinations became mandatory just to move between islands.
It felt like everything was collapsing. The perfect storm.
It would be a lie to say we didn’t feel discouraged. Or that we didn’t think about walking away. That became our new normal. Every time we thought we’d hit rock bottom, things somehow got worse.
By New Year’s Eve of 2021, we wondered if it was time to stop. COVID-19 was raging through Indonesia, and the country’s entry requirements had reached absurd levels: a 7-day quarantine in Jakarta hotels, double vaccination, three PCR tests, and an expensive business visa. International tourism? Forget it.
That night, as the year changed, so did we. All our ideas of how things were “supposed to be” went up in flames. We let go and embraced a new reality.
In early 2022, we even wrote to our crowdfunding backers: “Guys, this is dragging on — take your money back.” But that’s when the surprises started. Half of them refused, flat-out:
“We believe in you. Keep going.”
Who else but us?
The year 2022 didn’t arrive quietly.
On February 24th, the world changed forever, casting a shadow over us for months. Through that pain, we were reminded of our dream — to build the international center we had always envisioned. But at the time, we weren’t ready to make any decisions.
Then, in April 2022, as if out of nowhere, we received incredible news: we’d won our Supreme Court case in Jakarta. Suddenly, we had all the legal documents for the land and construction. Was it coincidence? Or just another one of the strange twists that have shaped our journey? From that moment, everything began to shift. Bali, once suffocated by the pandemic, started to open up.
Restrictions eased overnight. Tourists flooded back. By summer 2022, Bali was running out of rental homes and cars. Demand shot through the roof. Businesses were booming. You could plant a stick, and it would grow into a successful restaurant. Asia was awash in people and money.
And we started asking ourselves more and more: Who else but us?
We had everything: permits, certificates, an invitation from the village, written consent from the locals, and trusted connections with lawyers who had proven themselves in the toughest of cases. If not now, when? And really — why not?
But we knew we couldn’t follow the same path. Past strategies wouldn’t work anymore, and we had to face that truth. The mistakes we’d made in the past had taught us well. Now, everything had to change — the concept, the business plan, the vision. We needed more money than we’d planned to raise, and partnerships we hadn’t even considered before.
We had to let go of the old rush and adapt to a pace that fit the land, the people, and the place we were building in.
Who else but you?
In late 2022 and early 2023, we took two crucial steps: we began searching for active partners and finally returned to the land after nearly a year-long break due to quarantine. Both steps led to unexpected, yet transformative results.
We discovered that among our readers and program participants, there were people eager to invest in our project. And, for the first time in years, we were truly welcomed back to the land. We could build.
It felt like a miracle. After four years of battling constant resistance over even the smallest details, we were almost in disbelief when we heard the only demand from the village: “Faster, faster.”
“Come, get started, we’ll help. Let’s build the road. When will you begin?” And these were official statements — coming from people who, until now, had been distant, if not outright opposed.
It felt like we had been given the green light, both literally and in ways we couldn’t quite explain.
We realized the most natural next step was to answer the call from our community. They had offered to support us not just with words but with investments. So, we opened the door to those who wanted to join us as business angels — or rather, retreat angels.
Because truly: who else but you?
Impossible is Possible
By the end of 2023, 37 Invest Angels from around the world had joined the Ocean Mantra Village project. The vision we’d fought for was finally coming to life. In October 2023, we built the road, and by December, the first foundation stone was laid.
February 2024 saw the completion of our restaurant, and by April, the yoga hall will be ready.
It’s no longer just a dream. It’s happening.
Something different is coming…
O M
Olesia & Mikhail Vlasovs