Moving to Bali

JonnyQuango

Hi there, I will be moving to Bali at the End of May indefinitely with my wife & two boys (4&3). We are currently looking at locations that best suit us, we haven't been to Bali but lived in SE Asia many years so like to think we are not totally naive to living in a country like Bali.We are currently looking at; Sanur, Ahmed & Flores as potential locations? We are looking for a 2/3bed house/villa in a good location prefereably by the sea. Trying to get a gauge of costs through long term rental websites but they all seem inflated. Is this the case? Or is this what you would expect to pay. We are covered for our first 3weeks so will be looking round places in person. Can anybody recommend any locations that best suit a young family & rental agencies or private landlords that are more realistic to expats needs?Cheers Rich

davita

Hi JonnyQ and welcome to the forum.Before you search for accommodation I hope you're aware of the immigration visas available to you for "Moving to Bali indefinitely". Indonesia doesn't offer indefinite visas to foreigners.Unless your spouse is an Indonesian citizen (WNI).....they all have time limitations.

JonnyQuango

Thanks for the quick reply, yes I'm 'up to speed' with visa requirements for Bali, we will be using tourist visas to begin with.Many thanks

davita

That's good because I've known many dreamers thinking they could just move to Bali when, in fact, immigration is difficult and can be expensive.In regard to accommodation .....your idea of coming here and investigating at the local level is a good idea. Sanur has many realtor offices and restaurants, bars and grocery stores usually have many adverts on the wall displaying what's available. Property here is a buyer/renters market...don't even think of the asking price...some owners are desperate and a negotiation to your price is achievable. Generally, however, it is necessary to pay the first year upfront...it isn't law but is practice.Here's a link to Bali Advertiser where private ads are submitted....[URL]http://baliadvertiser.biz/current-ads/real-estate-ads/[/URL]

JonnyQuango

Thanks for the advice, I'll certainly use it as a source when we start looking. In your opinion is Sanur a good all round place to live with a Young family? it sounds like a good all rounder for a young family, can you recommend any other places? I'm looking at Ahmed also.. Many thanks Rich

davita

If you mean Amed I've only driven thru'. Seems rather isolated and few expats actually live there. I believe Markit lives around there....he''ll be able to tell.Sanur would be the best area for your requirements...I live in Kerobokan but often wish I'd purchased in Sanur.

JonnyQuango

Great, thanks for your advice, it's appreciated. Many thanks

SamD

Hi RichAmed is off the beaten track, nice for a holiday but I wouldn't be setting up there with a young family. Sanur is probably a good compromise, at least you will have some options when it comes to schooling and will be closer to medical facilities if the need arises. If you pay for the extendable tourist visa on arrival (VOA) that will give you two months with the one month extension (that's $US 140 all up for the four of you). I'd recommend finding an agent to handle your extensions unless you enjoy visiting immigration offices and standing in queues, You will have to leave the country once the two months is up, as far as I know. I'm not really clued up on how you would convert your tourist visa to somethng else or if it is even possible. I have never tried it. Are you planning on putting your kids in school in Bali? That will be quite challenging I expect, and unless you are welll cashed up to pay for an international school you will have some problems I think. Forget about finding work here, if that is your plan.Markit will be along in a while to shoot your plans down in flames, so be prepared.Good luck.

davita

I believe SamD meant to say an extendable Visa on Arrival (VOA) will initially cost US$35 each thus (4x35 = $140). When applying for the extension 30 days it will cost another $35 each (4X35 = $140). So a total of US$280 for 60 days for a family of four..

JonnyQuango

Thanks for the advice guys! I've already done my visa homework and come to the same conclusion, we have to leave the country a few times through the year for work so it falls nicely, I budgeted approx $1500 for all of us for the year so I'm not far off.Work wise I'm fortunate I have a business that runs itself, I just need to check in via emails. As our boys are still young 3 & 4 we are planning on homeschooling and part nursery. Sanur definitely sounds like the place, but looking forward to going for a reccy when we get there. I'm a big diver and I see there is a shark sanctuary close by which could be the cherry on the top! Last question any advice ref car hire. How much would you expect to pay for a family car?Thanks again

Markit

Markit will be along in a while to shoot your plans down in flames, so be prepared.Good luck.[/QUOTE]I get a bad rap cause most of the rest of the contributors here are a bunch of pussies and want to do all "nicey" and help anyone into any kind of catastrophe, regardless of the usual outcome. If you've been around SE Asia you will have seen for yourself the situations I'm talking about so won't presume you are a naive, blue-eyed idiot "with a plan" that has no basis in what we laughingly call "reality". Sanur has a lot going for it, if you are a geriatric alcoholic with a standing subscription to a Viagra dealer. Usually filled with sodden, semi-erect oldies chasing the many semi-professional LBFMs (thanks again Davita) throughout the late afternoons until nap time. Upside is there are schools, of no use to you if you home-school. Amed is actually quite a nice place but fairly limited to what you can do if you aren't a 24/7 diver and the main drag is the only drag - a one trick pony or one street town. There are expats living there but most suffer from Stockholm syndrome and have forgotten their mother tongue and haven't learned Indonesian very well - makes for some interesting conversations.Have a look at Candi Dasa area or Jasri (also a reasonable surfbreak) by Amlapura. Ideal if you want to actually live in Bali, as opposed to just saying you do and then living in the south and spending all your time bitching about how shitty it is (traffic/electricity/water/traffic/drunks/drugs/hookers/etc/you know) as most of them do. I may be not the most objective person to ask cause I've lived here (Jasri) for almost 9 years now and just love it to bits!

mugwump

SamD

Last question any advice ref car hire. How much would you expect to pay for a family car?Thanks again[/QUOTE]I've rented by the month and paid about $AU 10 per day (manual), if I recall correctly. Haven't done it for a few years since we have our own car now. The rental cars in Bali are what I call "Pacific Rim" specification meaning the quality is sh*t. They have air-con and seatbelts but that is about all. I've never seen an automatic transmission there, maybe because Indonesians don't know how to use them as evidenced by a friend of ours here in Oz who drove her new car about 80 kilometres in first gear and wondered why there was a burning smell and a strange noise.

JonnyQuango

There certainly is no "one size fits all" solution. As an individual you have both needs and wants as you have revealed by citing your experience.Have been living here for 15 years and can honestly say how subjective your search will be and despite my happiness to be in a small community in West Bali by the ocean wouldn't be presumptive enough to endorse it for anyone else. Realistically would advocate making a list of wants and needs then weighting each item. That way you are certain to give up something but gain also something of greater importance to yourself and family. But take time to look around and be willing to homestay at particular places long enough to know the fit.[/QUOTE]I've rented by the month and paid about $AU 10 per day (manual), if I recall correctly. Haven't done it for a few years since we have our own car now. The rental cars in Bali are what I call "Pacific Rim" specification meaning the quality is sh*t. They have air-con and seatbelts but that is about all. I've never seen an automatic transmission there, maybe because Indonesians don't know how to use them as evidenced by a friend of ours here in Oz who drove her new car about 80 kilometres in first gear and wondered why there was a burning smell and a strange noise.[/QUOTE]

JonnyQuango

That's what we intend to do, we have parents coming over with us initially to look after the kids whilst we go exploring round the island. I agree - personally I would live somewhere quieter & more traditional by the sea, but it's more about what is better for my wife and kids it's more important for her to meet friends and get a support network. I'd like to think we are well balanced in we like to emmerse ourselves in the culture and get on with it but do enjoy some trappings of western life. I like the idea of homestays, I think we'll look at this. Cheers

davita

Ok, great. If I budget around 250 a month I can get something. I'm assuming renting a car should be pretty easy to do with some rental companies offering insurance? Is insurance worth it? Most places I've lived don't have it and work on a the rule if you are responsible you pay for all costs. Is this the case in Bali?[/QUOTE]Depending where you decide to reside it could be renting a car may not be advisable. You don't need one in Sanur and taxis/uber/grab car are all available and dirt cheap. A Blue-Bird taxi between Sanur and Legian, on transfer of hotels, just cost my friend Rp120,000 and the hotel car would have been Rp180,000. I told him he could have hailed an Uber for about Rp80,000 but his Uber App roams to Canada...sillbilly...he should have re-applied for Uber on his Bali sim-card.Driving in Bali is hell...and parking is hell-squared. It is possible, if travelling around the island to rent a daily car and driver...then you just need your GPS and maybe a street-map. Car/driver costs around Rp350,000/day. If you night-stop anywhere.. a little extra for his Kost is applied.

davita

Ok, great. If I budget around 250 a month I can get something. I'm assuming renting a car should be pretty easy to do with some rental companies offering insurance? Is insurance worth it? Most places I've lived don't have it and work on a the rule if you are responsible you pay for all costs. Is this the case in Bali?[/QUOTE]Depending where you decide to reside it could be renting a car may not be advisable. You don't need one in while in Sanur and taxis/uber/grab car are all available and dirt cheap. A Blue-Bird taxi between Sanur and Legian, on transfer of hotels, just cost my friend Rp120,000 and the hotel car would hve been Rp180,000. I told him he could have hailed an Uber for about Rp80,000 but his Uber App roams to Canada...sillbilly...he should have re-applied on his Bali sim v card.

JonnyQuango

I get a bad rap cause most of the rest of the contributors here are a bunch of pussies and want to do all "nicey" and help anyone into any kind of catastrophe, regardless of the usual outcome. If you've been around SE Asia you will have seen for yourself the situations I'm talking about so won't presume you are a naive, blue-eyed idiot "with a plan" that has no basis in what we laughingly call "reality".Sanur has a lot going for it, if you are a geriatric alcoholic with a standing subscription to a Viagra dealer. Usually filled with sodden, semi-erect oldies chasing the many semi-professional LBFMs (thanks again Davita) throughout the late afternoons until nap time. Upside is there are schools, of no use to you if you home-school.Amed is actually quite a nice place but fairly limited to what you can do if you aren't a 24/7 diver and the main drag is the only drag - a one trick pony or one street town. There are expats living there but most suffer from Stockholm syndrome and have forgotten their mother tongue and haven't learned Indonesian very well - makes for some interesting conversations.Have a look at Candi Dasa area or Jasri (also a reasonable surfbreak) by Amlapura. Ideal if you want to actually live in Bali, as opposed to just saying you do and then living in the south and spending all your time bitching about how shitty it is (traffic/electricity/water/traffic/drunks/drugs/hookers/etc/you know) as most of them do.I may be not the most objective person to ask cause I've lived here (Jasri) for almost 9 years now and just love it to bits![/QUOTE]Ha thanks for your comments & observations I can vividly picture the old geriatrics shmoozing in bars sniffing for meat! Take on board about Amed, looking forward to checking out Candi Dasa, Jasri & Amlapura. I think I have everything answered for now, it's a case of getting there and figuring it out for ourselves. It helps we are seasoned travelers, this being said, I'ts fantastic to get true accounts from you guys - Thank you!Sanur sounds like the best all rounder for kids and my wife. 'Happy wife, happy home' and all that.Thanks for the help. Rich