Just arrived and need advice.

[finy]

Hello everyone, ive just arrived in Bali and im in need of some advice.

Im here at the moment for 2 months to get a feel for the place so if I enjoy living here I can come back in the future.

When I pitched up it has been all very overwelming and ive just booked myself into a hotel for a few days. What I really want to find is a kos to rent for 2 months to keep costs down. I know it probably wasnt the best idea but ive been looking for one in kuta, legain and selmarik(sorry i dont know how to spell it) but everyone is either full or is only for balinese.

Where on the island would it be easier for me to find a nice kos to stay that accepts foreigners. I will rent a motorbike so it doesnt really matter where although 30 mins drive of selmarik(i want to go to the gym there above the supermarket) and a decent surfing beach. I dont care if its not near kuta as its very tempting just to go crazy.

Another couple of quickies

Can anyone recommend another gym maybe further away from tourist place and closer to good area for kos?

Is it best just to rent a bike and go looking round your suggested areas to get a kos?

Is there any healthyish food that maybe comes with steamed rice? i dont wanna eat fried rice and noodles for 2 months

Thank you, I could really do with the help.

[MiSO]

Finy, I am a newbie just like you, I'll be arriving this Saturday so I don't know zero about Bali in real. But as I am in more or less in the same situation as you I found this website about guesthouses (which is cheaper than a hotel, and could be even more economic when you stay there for more than a week)

http://www.baliblog.com/guest-houses
http://www.baliblog.com/travel-tips/acc ... ombok.html
(I just read Mimpi Manis -a forum member- is also mentioned)

Regarding to food:
Everytime I eat from the stalls (am in Bangkok right now) or restaurant I get sick, so
when I don't have my own kitchen this is what I do:
I eat a lot of fruit and raw edible veggies from the supermarket. Think of lettuce, carrots, sprouts, avocado.
Proteins: nuts, boiled eggs, tofu, fish
I only buy cooked rice from the stall or restaurant.
Sometimes I buy my own ingredients and ask the stall owner to prepare them the way I like it. It this is too much, I think salads are easy to find. Oh! Try Gado Gado, veggies all over your plate!

And..familiar with sprouting? It's very easy. There are many seeds you can sprout, but when I travel I sprout mung beans.
Dried fruits and oatmeal can also be very handy.

Food...I think I get some... :)

[mimpimanis]

I just read Mimpi Manis -a forum member- is also mentioned)

Unfortunately we are a bit far from Seminyak. Our homestay is located on Lombok.

For only two months I think you would be better staying in a cheap losmen or homestay.

[calitobali]

Just keep looking for a kos, they are everywhere. Don't get a kos in Kuta if you can help it, the security there will be a little less...try to move inland a bit or something. I live in a kos and am a foreigner, they can be found just keep looking.

As far as places that sell steamed rice or "nasi putih", they are literally everywhere. Just look for any restaurant that displays their dishes in the front window and when you go inside they give you a plate of white rice and you just pick which dishes you eat it with. Nasi Putih then becomes nasi campur.

[spicyayam]

This place is in Seminyak and has budget rooms for a monthly fee and has free wifi.

I have no idea what it is like though.

http://www.galaxyhotelbali.com/

[noodles]

Xmas high season is coming...Everything in Bali is full till after New year's holiday.

[finy]

Thanks for your help, I will try to keep looking.

What is a losmen and homestay and how would i go about looking for them?

Im sure the food thing will fall into place, maybe just take a few days.

Kuta is annoying just now, feel like ive been picked up and landed in a package holiday resort which it probably is anyway lol

[MiSO]

I received a tip via email, maybe this something for you (see PM)

[Pa_Yan]

You could have a look at wikimapia, google maps etc and search for a place to stay. I remember that a friend stayed in a kos close to Jln Imam Bonjol. It was 1 milion a month with aircon, but cold water. It was at Prapatan?? There are many more around this area http://wikimapia.org/#lat=-8.7031611&lo ... =0&m=s&v=9

Good luck in finding a place.

[calitobali]

This place is in Seminyak and has budget rooms for a monthly fee and has free wifi.

I have no idea what it is like though.

http://www.galaxyhotelbali.com/

Just to add a bit to this, I know where the Galaxy Hotel is, it is right on Dhyana Pura. That street is really nice and quiet during the day, great place to hang out, but at night it turns into Bali's gay stretch. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against gay people and am not homophobic at all, but a drive down the section that has the Galaxy Hotel at night, will show you about 100 half naked men, local and bule as well as ladyboys everywhere. Again, not homophobic, but I could pick a better place to come home to every night, especially because the music there will be very loud and the ladyboys are always known for causing trouble.

There are vacancies at my kos-kosan right now, but all of the cheaper rooms like mine are taken. I think the cheapest for what is left is 1.5 million per month, but it is much nicer than your standard kos, most Indonesians refer to it as an "apartment" although their definition of the word varies from ours. It is in the West Gatot Subroto area of West Denpasar. Let me know if you want to check it out.