Newbie introduction

[Bernie]

Hi Guys, thank you for allowing me to join your forum, have had fun reading through a lot of the threads already even if the information is now a couple of years old lol.
Hubby and I are planning (with good management and luck) to move over in about 18months time , with our next visit next June first. As I don't like to do anything without being thoroughly researched first, I am hoping that you all will be able to answer all those boring, repetitive and tedious questions that I might have lol. So a couple first if that's ok.......

We are looking at Sanur, is it worth looking at a long term rental in say a hotel/bungalow type situation? What sort of rates would they charge? Would it be just as economical to just rent a furnished/semi furnished house? (yes, understand the rent in advance scenario), what sort of prices might we be looking at? My preference would be closer to the beach. (yes, understand prices may change in 18 months, however will give me a ballpark than the previous information of a few years old already)

Would I be permitted to do volunteer work in say an orphanage on any of the visas?

Thank you and apologies in advance

 

[Bernie]

I've asked the wrong questions right?

Lets start with, hi all how are you and where are you from? lol

 

[davita]

Hi Bernie and welcome to the forum.
Your questions have been asked and answered many times, and sometimes with different results, so don't worry...more answers will be forthcoming and perhaps be more up to date.
In general, nothing in Indonesia is simple for foreigners who wish to live here. Bali is probably easier than other Provinces as many expats have 'gone before'. That doesn't mean it isn't a fun place to live it's just that it can be bewildering and frustrating.

There are many areas of Bali that have differing styles of living for expats...you have already suggested Sanur which, depending on age and other factors, is imo a very good choice as it favors a more mature crowd..... although I don't live there..:tongue:.

Definately do NOT lease property from afar...you will regret. Much better to stay in a hotel for a few days and have a list of previously researched property ideas to process. The advertiser at the head of this page has many rental villas etc available and you should take time to research and ask questions to narrow down your ultimate search.

The concept of expat-volunteering is not well recognized here as most will believe, right or wrong, that you may be working under the table...so to speak. It isn't widely advertised if you want to 'do something'...best keep quiet and find 'how' after you move here.

Good luck and fire any specific questions....someone will have answers.

 

[spicyayam]

I read your post and meant to reply and got side tracked. Your questions are kind of difficult to answer. It is not easy to nail down answers to questions about prices, especially property. I was reading a post on Facebook today for example for a property and they were asking 700 million per are and someone replied, that is kind of expensive don't you mean 70 million per are.

Officially you cannot do any work on a social/tourist/retirement visa and generally you can 'help out' in a limited fashion but it can become a problem if you get too much involved. Sadly, some orphanages here are run as businesses.

 

[SquarePeg]

I don't know much about hotel/bungalow type accommodation in Sanur, other than you'll find options between less than $10 and many $100s per night. As regards, Sanur "beach side" house/villa type accommodation - anything from maybe Aus$5-7k per year for a 1 bed apartment, to Aus$40k and beyond for a large house on land. Depends what you want, how old/new you are willing to go with, pool or not, closer to beach versus shops or back streets, ...... You need to be there to understand what you get for how much and familiarize with the different parts of town.

 

[no.idea]

You are better off coming to Sanur within the next year and renting a room in a small western operated complex for a few weeks. You can then check out what is happening. About 5 members of this forum (eg Sguare Peg) have rented with us for a while and then checked out what is available in the area. People such as myself or Square Peg will happily introduce you to other expats and you will quickly learn a lot about the area.
You will meet people that you like and prefer to spend your time with. Generally we interact and try to assist each other. When Square Peg wanted to rent a villa a number of the expat crew offered ideas. They now have a nice house very close to the beach in Sanur, his wife plays golf with a group of expats and has befriended a couple of very nice female Indonesian friends.
I collect and distribute around 1,200 sets of second hand spectacles every year. We then distribute them into the poorer areas of Indonesia. In conjunction with Markit's wife I collect school books and educational material. She the passes them onto the poorly funded schools in the Karangasem region.
You could easily join in with the distribution of those. This way you are helping without endangering your visa plus you get to see various other regions that you would never know about.
I have assisted another 2 forum members set up small homestays in Sanur. Other forum members who live in the Ubud area have a get together every Friday.
We will show where to buy good quality food at cheap prices. I have just got onto an Italian guy who produces the best smoked ham I have ever tasted.
As a tourist you will not know all this is happening.

 

[ronb]

Welcome Bernie. no.idea gives good advice. Not much more I can add.

 

[Steve Rossell]

Hello Bernie, I'm newly arrived for an extended stay in Bali so I thought I'd throw in my 2 bob's worth.
I made a couple of trips over the previous 18 months to check out access' in and around the Ubud area not just prices. Was the place noisy, mosque, traffic, temple, parties etc..I came over for a visit during the wet season to check out areas that I liked to see if roads or tracks were cut off or if flooding might be an issue. Neighbours, security, local engagement, food shopping, bill paying and many other things that you can only just begin to get a handle on when you get on the ground here. The internet, and this forum have been a great source to gauge somethings and get somewhat of a heads up but for me it was vital that I made those trips before I came and I have travelled here since 1982 but have mainly hugged the coastlines and only visited Ubud on occasion. This is by no means all that you need to know but you can't know it all, ever! Sometimes you just have to take a leap and deal with the bumps as they appear. As my old mate Don Rumsfeld said, "There are the known known's and then there's the known unknown's".

I arrived 3 weeks ago after already booking 3 weeks access' at a hotel in an area that appealed to me and set about exploring the area in more detail on my mighty 100cc steed. I checked notice boards for rentals, I stopped at local warnings and got chatting, made contact with friends of people that I've met through the language school that I'm attending and just yesterday settled on a small place that has everything I need for now and somethings that I don't really need. It's quiet (ish), 1 bed studio style, open kitchen with a view over rice fields toward the west, indoor bathroom, undercover sitting area with day bed, access to a pool, fibre optic connection, electricity included and cleaning twice weekly as well as a sheet change once a week.
I negotiated 1 months access' for a test drive with the agreement that if I stay for 6 months or more the the monthly fee would be reduced by 10%. The price for my first month is 6.000.000Rp.,paid in advance of course.
I'll keep on looking around, meeting with people and exploring the area and as an old saying goes, 'Slowly slowly, catchy monkey'. Good Luck.

 

[Bernie]

Thanks for the reply guys, appreciate it will be working on my specific questions I do realise that they are hard ones, and as quoted on a post from a few years ago 'how long is a piece of string'

I had to start somewhere, you never know the answers that might come along

Have to go back and read the other replies cause I'm sure Ive got questions from them

 

[Bernie]

Steve, some excellent advice there, thank you. I havn't been over there in the wet season, though I know what one is all about having grown up in Darwin but wouldn't have thought of your other gems eg noisy areas etc.

 

[Bernie]

no.idea (Ron?) thank you, great advice too. What small western run place would you suggest? and perhaps a ball park price for the interim stay if known? We were in Bali last month, however hadn't come up with our thoughts of moving until we got home again. We will be back again next June so will definitely be looking much more closely on the options. I will get my brother to bring me over to meet with you, perhaps I can bring some glasses too, I think you mentioned even the chemist brought ones between 1-3 strength are helpful?
My last trip I brought colouring books, crayons and some toys to give out to the local kids, the year before brought my suitcase full of second hand kids books Just love seeing the joy on the kids faces. We have only stayed in Kuta the last 3 years, however been over to Sanur with Mike plenty of times. He is full of fantastic advice too, though helps to get more than one perspective.

I look forward to continuing to read all the posts on here, some being quite amusing lol and will post my questions as they come up

Thank you everyone again