Anyone know much about the Marinas in Bali?

Webbysone

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Sep 10, 2017
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Hi, thinking of bringing a boat to Bali, with a view to living aboard for a few months or longer. Does anyone know if that's OK to do there? Google shows 3-4 Marinas south of Denpasar, does anyone know of any more? Does anyone know about any of them, or have any info on them? We'll be coming over in December but it'd be nice to know the "friendly" ones before then. Any info or leads would be much appreciated. Cheers
 

davita

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Mar 13, 2012
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Hi Webbysone and welcome to the forum.
As an avid boater myself (stinkboats) I wish I could give you good news but cannot. The facilities in Bali for boating are awful by your Australian standard and mine (Vancouver/Seattle).
The principle area for keeping boats is around Benoa Harbor, which is convenient, but there is no marina as we would understand. There are a few rickety docks and buoy moorings in the protected backwater, and some services, but I wouldn't recommend living aboard there.
Not only that but there is a restriction on how long a foreign registered boat can stay in Indonesian waters. Even the visiting sailboaters find it very restrictive....and to import, I think, would be taxed...best check that out as it could be costly.
I hate to burst your dream but bringing a boat to live aboard here, imo....isn't viable.
 

Webbysone

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Sep 10, 2017
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Queensland
hey davita,
- nice to meet you. yep i only trust an engine too. i get the difference between countries & facilities, but i thought if i can find somewhere for a few months it's take the heat off renting. plus i don't think foreigners can own a house in bali but a boat is still ours if you follow.
- think i will contact them anyway and just see what they say.
- would you know what govt dept handles the registration of boats? it might be worthwhile swapping the rego over to indonesia if we decide it's going to be home.
- i was going to bring her, and us, in on a business visa using the deck relaying and other woodwork being done locally as a way to stay a few months, spending money and hiring locally etc etc?
- we're flying up in december for 3-4 weeks to have a snoop around.
- thanks for the advice and anything else you can turn up would be appreciated
- be happy to buy you dinner for your trouble, cheers
 

davita

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Mar 13, 2012
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Happy to help a fellow boater but wifey says time to go shopping:rolleyes: so will get back to you later...where is your boat currently?
 

Webbysone

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Sep 10, 2017
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Queensland
haha, you gotta eat, she's right. i'm more of a coast hopper than a genuine boatie. we have bought our boats as houses more than boats, if you follow. currently on the sunshine coast, queensland. a 3 month trip to get her there but if it's right, then we'll do it
 

davita

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Mar 13, 2012
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Coastie...me too. Been cruising in my gin-palace from Olympia to almost Alaska but always within sight of land....and on a friend's vodka-palace from Miami to Boston but always on the Intercoastal. We hardly ever ventured into the ocean coz' the wave motion might spill the martinis.

When we moved from Vancouver to live in Bali we left our boat on a secure slip in downtown Vancouver. It was a perfect location and we lived aboard every summer from June-Aug for a few years...but, I added the cost of moorage/insurance/maintenance etc. and concluded I couldn't justify the annual expense just for 3 months of summer...so reluctantly sold her.
However, if your fees in Queensland were reasonable, I'd consider doing something similar....you could live in Bali cheaply for 6-9 months and live on the boat back home for your summer, which is the wet season in Bali anyway.

Most people rent scooters to get around Bali and taxis are dirt cheap, it's just the traffic is a nightmare. Anyway, when you get here head for Benoa Harbour and Pulau Serangan also known as Turtle Island...not far from the airport and Kuta or Sanur. That is where most guys keep boats and you should get an idea. There's a yacht club (?) on Serangan where anybody can lunch and they may have notices or, if a member, or someone in the office is present, can hopefully answer any questions you may have about registering boats, living aboard, etc. I hasten to add....prepare to be disappointed in what you see and learn....a Marina it is not.
 

Webbysone

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Sep 10, 2017
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Queensland
haha, a man after my own heart, you don't want to spill good vodka!!! the marina fees here, like everything else, are pretty vicious. for a boat our size it's AUD$20-30.000 a year, and that's after discount for paying 6-12 months up front. You're not supposed to live aboard when they're moored between the poles, and yes it's policed, so you either moor in a proper (and expensive) marina or stay mobile, but there's rules on how long you can stay in one place in most places you'd want to go to. So unless you know someone and can get into a fishing boat marina you're up for AUD400-600 a week, in most of the nice places. We don't mind "roughing it" if it means it's affordable and gives us a reason to be there for 6-12 months but I do get your point about "don't expect a proper marina" and thanks for the heads up. if we do bring her you'll have to come for a motor or just a drink. i have en electrical and gas ticket so if i can repay the favour, or if you need anything sent up please ask. thanks for the good info.
 

JohnnyCool

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Jan 10, 2009
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Sanur
Hi Webbysone
I don’t think you can easily do what you plan to in Bali. At least, not for an extended period of time.

I had an American expat neighbour seven years ago who claimed to be sailing around the world. He reckoned his boat was being repaired and leased a house near us. He stayed there about six months then skipped without paying his rent (not sure how he got the Balinese owners to agree to let him stay without paying up front). Of course, his whole story might have been a load of crap in the first place.

If it were possible to live on a boat in Bali, I think some of us long-term expats would have considered doing just that, given the high costs of leasing properties here. ($5,000-$10,000/year would be considered relatively “cheap” around Sanur, if you could find one for that.) “Buying” a property, i.e, the building on the land not the land itself, is very expensive.

The so-called Royal Bali Yacht Club is not really a yacht club in the conventional sense, but you might meet some true yachties amongst them. It’s more of a sailing club promoting/teaching basic sailing skills on dinghies/lasers.

https://www.facebook.com/The-Royal-Bali-Yacht-Club-180490465340799/

Good luck.
 

Webbysone

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Sep 10, 2017
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Queensland
hi jc, cheers for that. yes you would think someone would have done it as you say but i can't find anyone who actually has. i'm currently living in aus so $5.000 - 10.000 a year is give away in comparison. depends on your income i guess. i'll go check them out when i come over in december. cheers again
 

davita

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Mar 13, 2012
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- i was going to bring her, and us, in on a business visa using the deck relaying and other woodwork being done locally as a way to stay a few months, spending money and hiring locally etc etc?

The Business visa may not be suitable for your project.
It is designed for foreign business persons to conduct business negotiations, short term work assignments or training assignments. It requires the foreigner to submit info of his business abroad and the relative business in Indonesia that will sponsor the visit.
You may be able to swing it but immigration doesn't try hard to help foreigners.
 

Webbysone

New Member
Sep 10, 2017
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Queensland
yeah, read about that last night. as i'm now officially an "old bugger" i will apply for the retirement kitas type visa i think. i seems the best one. from what i read it seems best/easiest to get a agent to do it for you?
 

Webbysone

New Member
Sep 10, 2017
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Queensland
The Business visa may not be suitable for your project.
It is designed for foreign business persons to conduct business negotiations, short term work assignments or training assignments. It requires the foreigner to submit info of his business abroad and the relative business in Indonesia that will sponsor the visit.
You may be able to swing it but immigration doesn't try hard to help foreigners.

heya, speaking of business. this boat we have (we're not rich, we "stole" it at an auction) is 26 years old, all steel, built under survey, 24 meters x 6 meters and she has 3 double and 5 single berths, 3 full bathrooms, full headroom throughout. she was neglected for 12 years. it took us a year to make her weatherproof and get rid of the water damage inside. we've done most everything but the galley/kitchen, which works fine it's just a bit "tired", and the decks which need more labour than materials. she'd make an excellent charter or floating b&b or other accommodation. know anybody/anyway that might be interested in a "venture" or at least discussing the prospect?
we're not greedy, just enough to have the easy life........ with beer & peanuts haha
 

davita

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Mar 13, 2012
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yeah, read about that last night. as i'm now officially an "old bugger" i will apply for the retirement kitas type visa i think. i seems the best one. from what i read it seems best/easiest to get a agent to do it for you?

When we first came to Indonesia it was to use as a holiday home and we used different Sosbud visas but, when eventually we sold-up in Canada and moved permanently, we used a retirement Kitas and now 5 year Kitap.
It is mandatory to use an agent to apply for the retirement visas as your sponsor. I can recommend my agent.

However, before you make that commitment, because the visa is relatively expensive for two people, I'd suggest you come on a Visa on Arrival and take time to appraise what your desire is....and work from there.

The Visa on Arrival (VOA) is free for 30 days (day of arrival is day 1) or, if you need longer, there are 2 other methods.

1. Join the paid VOA line at the airport on arrival and pay US$35 (or equivalent in AUD) and, before the first 30 days expire, go to immigration and pay another US$35 (AUD) for 30 days extension....then leave.
2. Check the nearest Indonesian Consul to where you live and apply for a Visit visa for 60 days total. Once issued you must enter RI within 90 days otherwise it expires. In Bali, if you subsequently find a sponsor, this visa is often extended monthly up to 6 months for a fee...then leave.
 

Webbysone

New Member
Sep 10, 2017
12
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1
Queensland
you've been a wonderful help mate, thank you. we are flying up december we hope, so will check everything out, with an eye to moving early/mid next year. cheers