Lifestyle

Inside Pulau Villas: Founder Michael Gor Talks The Ins and Outs of Investing in Paradise

Published

1 year ago

August 19, 2024

Photo courtesy of Pulau Villas

While Bali’s beauty is no secret, finding the perfect investment here can be challenging. Pulau Villas, a new development company, has mastered the balance of flexibility and stability in Indonesia’s thriving real estate market. Founder Michael Gor shares his insights on what differentiates it in Bali’s competitive property scene.

Q: First of all, thank you for letting us interview you. Can you share what inspired you to start Pulau Villas? How did the idea come about?

MG: Pulau Villas was inspired by a desire to combine luxury living and investment opportunities in one of the world’s most beautiful locations.

Bali has always been a popular destination for tourists and expatriates. Still, I noticed a gap in the market for high-quality, long-term residential properties that also offer strong investment potential. The idea was to develop a project that caters to both short-term tourists and long-term residents, providing a living and investment experience unlike any other.

Q: Can you describe the features and amenities that set Pulau Villas apart from other luxury properties in Bali?

MG: Our attention to detail sets us apart. Each villa is designed for privacy, featuring private pools, customizable spaces, and ocean views for the three and four-bedroom units.

Our architect, Nicolas Pototskiy, designed the villas so that residents could enjoy a serene and exclusive environment. Our villas are also fully furnished and ready for immediate occupancy, which means clients do not need to worry about interior design and decor.

We also offer comprehensive property management services for a 5-star living experience. Whatever the clients need, whether it is property maintenance, tenant acquisition, rent collection, or administrative tasks, we can provide it.

Q: How do European construction standards influence the quality and durability of your villas?

MG: These standards ensure high levels of waterproofing, mold resistance, and overall durability, particularly important in Bali’s tropical climate. Following these standards helps improve the long-term value of our villas.

Q: What makes the location near Melasti Beach so special, and how does it enhance the living experience for residents?

MG: Melasti Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, and we are located just two minutes from it.

The area is also surrounded by luxury hotels, such as Bulgari, Kempinski, and Alila Villas, as well as the renowned Savaya Beach Club. This location provides breathtaking views and places residents near the island’s best amenities and services, which enhances the overall living experience.

Q: How does Pulau Villas cater to both short-term tourists and long-term residents?

MG: The property is designed to be versatile. For tourists, our villas offer a private retreat with all the amenities of a top-tier hotel. For long-term residents, the villas provide a comfortable and spacious living environment that they can call home.

Q: Can you explain your flexible payment plans and how they make luxury real estate more accessible?

MG: Of course. When I started Pulau Villas, I wanted to make luxury real estate more accessible to more investors. This is why we offer a one-year installment plan with a 20% down payment, followed by multiple installments. This way, buyers can spread the cost over a manageable period, reducing the initial financial burden. In contrast, many other developers in Bali require a higher initial payment, typically around 30%.

Q: How do you see the trend of remote work influencing the demand for properties like Pulau Villas in the coming years?

MG: The remote work trend influences the demand for properties like ours. As more professionals work from anywhere, there is also more demand for long-term stays in beautiful locations like Bali.

We expect this trend to continue growing in the future. Should remote worker investors choose to work from a different place, they can easily rent their villas for passive income.

Q: What are the key benefits of the long-term leasehold security that Pulau Villas offers investors?

MG: Unfortunately, Bali’s estate market is notorious for shorter and less secure lease terms. However, our villas come with a 28-year leasehold, with a guaranteed extension of 25 years. We ironed this out early in the process to give our clients a more stable investment.

Q: What are your plans for Pulau Villas, and how do you anticipate its growth in the next five years?

MG: We have exciting plans for Pulau Villas. In the next five years, we plan to expand our portfolio by developing similar luxury properties in other high-demand areas in Bali and Indonesia.

We also plan to incorporate more sustainable building practices and green features into our developments. This is to respond to the growing demand for eco-friendly properties.

Paradise is no longer just a vacation destination. With Pulau Villas, it has also become a sensible investment choice. For investors wary of market volatility, the new development provides a tangible asset that can act as a revenue stream. Whether owners want to use it for short-term vacation rentals, long-term leases to expatriates, or personal use, these villas offer flexibility that adapts to changing market conditions and personal preferences.

Visit Pulau Villas to learn more.

Lifestyle

Confronting Propaganda: Street Smart Documents Honest Reactions to Gaza Indoctrination Footage

Published

3 hours ago

November 6, 2025

Michelle Langton

Photo Courtesy of: Street Smart

Byline: Michelle Langton

In a recent project, the Street Smart team gathered 20 strangers and presented them with propaganda footage from Gaza that has circulated widely online but remains largely unfamiliar to many audiences. The aim wasn’t to provoke outrage or test media literacy in a classroom setting. It was to capture raw, unfiltered emotional reactions to material that reveals how narratives are formed at the source. The resulting video offers a candid look at how people process shocking content and how their perceptions shift when they see what is rarely shown on mainstream platforms.

The Structure of the Experiment

The format was simple. Participants were seated and shown a series of clips from Gaza, including children’s programming and broadcasts containing intense ideological messaging. No background information was provided, and viewers were not instructed on how to interpret what they were seeing. After watching, they were asked for immediate reactions.

The footage elicited a wide range of emotions. Some viewers were stunned by the content, admitting they had never seen anything like it before. Others expressed disbelief, questioning why this kind of material isn’t more widely discussed. A few were visibly shaken, saying the experience fundamentally altered their understanding of the situation.

By presenting the footage without narration or added commentary, Street Smart allowed participants’ genuine responses to emerge. The experiment revealed how propaganda can affect an entire generation. It can shock, unsettle, and force people to reconsider their assumptions.

Why This Project Matters

Sage Fox and Dorani aligned the purpose of this experiment with Street Smart’s broader mission of challenging prevailing narratives and encouraging critical thought among younger audiences. In an environment where footage spreads rapidly across digital platforms, propaganda can shape public opinion long before context catches up.

By showing the Gaza Indoctrination footage in a controlled setting and recording uncoached responses, the team aimed to expose the emotional and cognitive impact of this type of content.

“The first reaction is often the most revealing, because it shows how powerful images can be without context.”

The Range of Reactions

While each participant brought their own perspective, several themes emerged. Some expressed sympathy with the imagery itself, saying it was emotionally powerful.

One participant said, “It makes me question what I see online every day. How much of it is shaped this way?”

Their comments highlight how propaganda resonates differently depending on prior knowledge and exposure. Many viewers have simply never encountered such footage directly.

Street Smart’s Approach

This project continues a pattern established by Sage Fox & Dorani’s earlier videos. Rather than relying on experts or lengthy analysis, Street Smart focuses on real people and their honest reactions. The approach is simple but effective. Present potent material, listen to what people say, and share those moments with a wider audience.

The Gaza Indoctrination footage experiment fits this model. It doesn’t attempt to draw final conclusions or offer political commentary. Instead, it documents how people respond when they’re exposed to narratives that are usually filtered through intermediaries.

Implications for Media Literacy

Beyond its viral potential, the video raises broader questions about how people interact with powerful imagery online. Propaganda operates on emotional reflexes. As this experiment shows, those reflexes are often unexamined until they’re brought to the surface.

Sage Fox & Dorani hope that projects like this push audiences to think more critically about what they see and share.

“The purpose is not to tell people what to believe. It is to remind them that every image comes from somewhere, and that source matters,” they said.

Next Steps for Street Smart

As Street Smart’s platform grows, Sage Fox & Dorani plan to conduct similar experiments in different contexts. They intend to use their direct, street-level approach to highlight how people react when presented with challenging material.

The Gaza footage project is one piece of a larger mission. The team uses simple methods to shed light on complex issues. By focusing on authentic reactions, they continue to build a unique space in online media that blends cultural investigation with raw human response.

A Window into Unfiltered Thought

“We showed 20 strangers real propaganda footage from Gaza — and filmed their unfiltered reactions” is not a dramatic exposé or academic study. It is a clear, unmediated record of how individuals respond when confronted with material designed to persuade. In that restraint lies its strength.

By documenting these moments, Street Smart shows how awareness can begin with a pause. A brief space between seeing and believing.