wemba
General question to all ex-pats.
What is the best and the worst of living long-term in Bali?
matsaleh
Best? - the weather :cool:
Worst? - non-stop construction everywhere, 364 days a year :mad:
harryopal
Best: People generally polite and friendly. Low cost of living and climate.
Worst: Traffic and Smoke from burning of rubbish with plastics..
wemba
I've travelled to Bali for the last 25 years but only stay a few weeks before returning to Australia. I've seen many changes over the years. The most obvious is the dramatic increase in the number of tourists like myself visiting the island. The number of hotels, resorts and villas have increased markedly. Legion was the quiet end of town when I first started visiting, then it became Seminyak. Now there are endless hotels along the beach and the congestion on Bali's narrow streets is very worrying. The tourist industry is very important for Bali but also very bad for Bali. Some balance needs to be found.
spicyayam
Like others I think the best is the relaxed way of life and climate. Worst is the traffic (at least in the south) and rubbish. At least an effort has started to ban plastic and while change is not going to come overnight, it is a start.
I think there has been a bit of a drop in tourism and there definitely has been a change in the type of tourists as Chinese now make up the highest number by nationality. It is easy to blame tourism for the congestion, but there is no way round the fact the population is exploding. Even the governor is encouraging people to have more children.
Markit
matsaleh wrote
non-stop construction everywhere, 364 days a year :mad:
Bali is a grand place. Full stop. Just make sure you do actually come to Bali - see attached map for geographic help. One of the main problems is those that live in "Not Bali" also think that's the entire island, don't they BeLanda
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Balifrog
Living happily in NOT BALI, in an area with no constructions, no traffic jams, and not yet seen any smoke from burnings.
Now of course things may be different on Legian street, area where I venture only twice a month....
At the top of the positives for me is the weather.
Near the top of the cons is the cost of alcohol and wine.
tel522
I live in "Not Bali" also , quiet but 15 minutes to all necessary facilities ,its a cool place .
PERtoDPS
I live approx 80% in Perth 20% in Bali with a view to retire in Bali later, I love Bali's fresh food, most people are happy and friendly. What I don't like? The overcrowding, bad roads that are in desperate need of an upgrade and the crazy amount of traffic (which could be to a degree resolved by fixing roads). The fact that bule can't legitimately work in Bali is also an issue for me as I have to sustain myself off foreign income.
wemba
Not Bali? Haha, yes I usually stay in "Not Bali" but I have also stayed in Lovina, Menjangan Island, Jimbaran Bay, Nusa Lembongan and Ahmed. On my most recent visit a few weeks ago I went to the Lakes and visited Lombok and the Gilis also. I'm tempted to stay longer in future and am interested in the difference between being a tourist (which I am) and actually living there.
Markit
All you living in Not Bali would probably be the first to laugh at Americans that don't know the difference between Austria and Australia but I always get a laugh when I talk to you lot because many have been living here for decades and never get farther north than Denpasar and have no clue about Besakih (Mother Temple), Lovina, Pemuteran or even Ubud!! Main thing is they can lay their hands on some Viagra and cold beer.
wemba
I can speak about twenty or so words of Indonesian Bahasa. That's about one word per year of me visiting Bali. Pretty poor really.
If I come to live in Bali will I need to speak Bahasa fluently? Do you?
Balifrog
wemba wrote
I can speak about twenty or so words of Indonesian Bahasa. That's about one word per year of me visiting Bali. Pretty poor really.
If I come to live in Bali will I need to speak Bahasa fluently? Do you?
Living here since 2 years without speaking a word of Indonesian.
Too old to be bothered to learn yet another language.
matsaleh
wemba wrote
I can speak about twenty or so words of Indonesian Bahasa. That's about one word per year of me visiting Bali. Pretty poor really.
If I come to live in Bali will I need to speak Bahasa fluently? Do you?
Learning to speak bahasa Indonesia certainly makes life easier here and helps when you can chat to your neighbours in a language they're more comfortable speaking. It's also better for negotiating prices that are closer to "local" than "tourist" prices.
JohnnyCool
Markit wrote
Bali is a grand place. Full stop. Just make sure you do actually come to Bali - see attached map for geographic help. One of the main problems is those that live in "Not Bali" also think that's the entire island, don't they Linda?[ATTACH type="full" alt="3294"]3294[/ATTACH]
Have you told all the Balinese that live in "Not Bali" that they're missing out on the "Real Bali"?
I thought not.
wemba
There's something about Bali that I really love. I find it hard to put my finger on it.
It's that elusive combination of beautiful weather, beautiful smiles and beautiful food.
But there's something else also.
And it's what keeps me coming back year after year.
wemba
A few snaps from my travels in Bali over the years. These were all taken 15-20 years ago on my first visit.
Markit
JohnnyCool wrote
Have you told all the Balinese that live in "Not Bali" that they're missing out on the "Real Bali"?
I thought not.
Funny you should ask that. Clearly you haven't been there either for a long, long time - most of those Indonesians living/working there are from Java and Sumbawa with dashes of Lombok thrown in for color.
JohnnyCool
Markit wrote
Funny you should ask that. Clearly you haven't been there either for a long, long time - most of those Indonesians living/working there are from Java and Sumbawa with dashes of Lombok thrown in for color.
Yeah, you're probably right.
I've only been here for nearly 24 years. Guess that's not a "long, long time".
PERtoDPS
I have to add one for worst, some of these uncleaned, unwashed (and even when they are washed they are hosed down only) Indonesian bucket toilets at the Indomart etc on the way back from the village to Denpasar are pretty gross.
