Have you ever heard the saying, “Tak Kenal Maka Tak Sayang”? It means, “If you don’t know, then you wouldn’t love.” This is where Bumi Journey comes in! We connect people with nature through experiential learning trips involving mangrove and coral planting with local communities.
We’re thrilled to share an incredible milestone for our founder, Jessica Novia, the driving force behind Bumi Journey and CarbonEthics, has been honoured as a finalist at The Blue Water Heroes Awards during Blue Water EduFest 2023! This amazing event, hosted by ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove in Singapore, celebrates individuals who have made substantial contributions to marine and coastal conservation in Southeast Asia.


“I was born and raised in a coastal town in Indonesia, called Pekalongan – which is predicted to be 90% submerged by 2035 due to sea level rise and land subsidence,” said Jessica. Her personal connection to the ocean and the threats it faces sparked her passion for conservation. In 2019, Jessica co-founded CarbonEthics with a mission to conserve blue carbon ecosystems and uplift coastal communities. Fast forward to 2021, she founded Bumi Journey to take this mission further by providing regenerative travel experiences that leave destinations better than we found them.
With Bumi Journey, you can go on trips that let you get your hands dirty—literally! Plant mangroves, restore coral reefs, and learn about the incredible impact you can have on our planet. Up until now, CarbonEthics and Bumi Journey have planted 265 thousand biotas, including mangrove, seaweed, seagrass, and coral across Indonesia, absorbing more than 10 million kg of CO2e and benefiting over 280 coastal communities in Indonesia. We have also reached more than 1 million people through climate education initiatives.

At the Blue Water Heroes Awards, Jessica stood alongside other environmental trailblazers, including:
- Tom Peacock-Nazil, Founder & CEO of Seven Clean Seas
- Man Jing Kong, Co-founder of Just Keep Thinking
- Alvin Chelliah, Chief Program Manager of Reef Check Malaysia
- Chu Xian Oh, Founder of Magorium
- Gary Bencheghib, Co-founder of Sungai Watch
- Anna Oposa, Executive Director and Chief Mermaid of Save Philippine Seas
- Made Mertaekales (Pak Eka), Founder of Mina Bhakti Segara Lestari
- Swietenia Puspa Lestari, Founder and Executive Director of Divers Clean Action
- Mathilda D’silva, CEO & Founder of Ocean Purpose Project
The judging panel included some heavy hitters in the marine conservation world:
- Dr. Toh Tai Chong, Senior Lecturer at National University of Singapore
- Dr. Winston Chow, Associate Professor of Urban Climate at Singapore Management University
- Christine Amour-Levar, Founder & CEO of HER Planet Earth
- Janet Shum, Sustainable Investing Specialist at Citi Global Wealth
- Paul Foster, entertainment personality and environmentalist
- Arthur Tay, Chairman and CEO of SUTL Group
- Chong Seow Wei, Regional Senior Editor at Tatler Gen.T
Being a finalist at the Blue Water Heroes Awards is more than just an award—it’s a call to action and a sign of hope. Jessica and the entire team at Bumi Journey and CarbonEthics are more motivated than ever to keep protecting our marine ecosystems and helping coastal communities.
Join us on this amazing journey! Let’s make a positive impact for the planet through regenerative tourism. Learn more about our work and how you can get involved at Bumi Journey. Together, we can make a difference for you, the people, and the planet.