Rating the Regencies of Bali

[mugwump]

Those of us among the expat community find a particular place that we decide for whatever reason appeals to us more than others. Why is that? Certainly we all have our preferences and we all have different priorities.
Let us suggest a poll and select based upon our individual preferences. If you don't choose these priorities then please set up your own rather than bastardizing this one.
1.climate
2.pleasant neighbors (the traditional concept)
3.available markets
4.low crime rate
5.access to good roadways
6.reasonable price of land and/or home building
7.good environmental response to nature
8.acceptance of others
9.employable staff availability
10.favorable access to those of influence
11.immediate security
Rate them:
Badung
Bangli
Buleleng
Denpasar
Gianyar
Jembrana
Karangasam
Klungkung
Tabanan


Ok, rate from one to ten based upon your experience, and 10 being best. This is only a survey based hopefully on your experience not some imagined bias. Don't
rate if you don't wish to rate a particular regency. If you prefer a different selection of choices do your own thing rather than try to .... up this one.

 

[geedee]

A bit disappointing not any posts here
Was looking forward to opinions

 

[Steve Rossell]

A bit disappointing not any posts here
Was looking forward to opinions

I for one have not lived here for long enough to experience different Regencies in any depth.

What are your thoughts geedee?

 

[mugwump]

Ok, it was probably too expansive. Inspired by all the ludicrous political polls in US, the opportunity inspired me. Also being pissed off at the total lack of legal governance in one particular regency provided motivation to obtain the feelings of others perhaps to seek allies or learn if I was overly critical.

 

[Markit]

Guys who is gonna vote for a regency where they don't live and probably don't know - people here are astonishingly insular, and if you live there it's a forgone conclusion that it's the best so "nuf said"?

Pretty much all of the criteria are met for the entire bloody island although some will quibble about 7 and 10.

 

[spicyayam]

I will have a go at Buleleng, (even though it is a large area).

ranking: great/good/average/poor

1.climate - great. pretty much similar to the rest of Bali
2.pleasant neighbors (the traditional concept) - (mostly) good
3.available markets - good
4.low crime rate - great. honestly never really hear about all of the problems in the south like bag snatching.
5.access to good roadways - average
6.reasonable price of land and/or home building - great (compared with rest of Bali)
7.good environmental response to nature - poor
8.acceptance of others - great
9.employable staff availability - great (available yes, but quality...)
10.favorable access to those of influence - great. easy to get stuff done. permits etc.
11.immediate security - ? not sure what you mean by this. if you mean safety, then I can say it's pretty safe. There are areas however you do need to be careful (but property prices are cheap)

 

[mugwump]

Guys who is gonna vote for a regency where they don't live and probably don't know - people here are astonishingly insular, and if you live there it's a forgone conclusion that it's the best so "nuf said"?

Pretty much all of the criteria are met for the entire bloody island although some will quibble about 7 and 10.

The point is that people have settled in a particular place for particular reasons as you yourself have so often mentioned. My question is have things changed?

 

[Markit]

The point is that people have settled in a particular place for particular reasons as you yourself have so often mentioned. My question is have things changed?

Oh! OK, the road towards the south has changed from 2 lane to 4 but more traffic on it so change - a bit better.

Road towards Singaraja also regularly paved so that's better.

In short can now go anywhere I want, faster, but choose to stay home, more cause (whispered) East Bali is bloody lovely.

 

[ZoomBali]

This is my personal opinions based on your criterias:

Badung - 8/10
Bangli - 7/10
Buleleng - 9/10
Denpasar - 7/10
Gianyar - 8/10
Jembrana - 9/10
Karangasam - 9/10
Klungkung - 8/10
Tabanan - 9/10

 

[geedee]

I for one have not lived here for long enough to experience different Regencies in any depth.

What are your thoughts geedee?

I haven't lived there at all Steve so that's why i was interested.
P.S. Every time i pass Pearces Corner I think of you
Isnt that sweet

 

[mugwump]

Ok, I am going to cave. Jembrana is where I live after being in Gianyar for 3 years. The climate here is what I presumptuously think is the best climate in Bali, but am close to the beach.
The economy here has fewer opportunities for employment for the locals who spend their time digging up the black sand from the beach and selling it by the tons totally discouraged from anyone.
The availability for provisions is limited, but not the infrequency of cramped locally intrusive traffic. Yeah, that ignores the death defying trips south to obtain certain necessities unobtainable here.
Just today bought three kilos of grouper fish off the beach for 80k rp., which after filleting is enough for eight meals. That beats the hell out of Carrefour both for quality and price.
The population of expats is meager and committed without any influence with officialdom for better or worse.
It is for certain that each of us has our particular and sometimes peculiar set of priorities, and though highly individualized we don't all seek the same things. For me this suffices, and forget the paradise illusion.
If anyone of the existing or potential expat community has questions I will answer truthfully and subjectively. Hell, who can be objective about such a thing?

 

[Markit]

Muggy I'm slow, ok, but I still don't get what it is you were after?

I read it as you originally wanted the reader to rate his/her regency AND the others to make it possible to compare them on some sort of level playing field?

Apples with apples, durian with durian.

You say you've moved from Gianyar to Jembrana and mention the climate - excuse me but if it's 30C in Gianyar then it's 29.5 in Jembrana so that can't really be the deciding factor.

If you are looking for a good reason to move then I can give you dozens. East Bali fresh fish is a good price too.

Good luck

 

[mugwump]

Muggy I'm slow, ok, but I still don't get what it is you were after?

I read it as you originally wanted the reader to rate his/her regency AND the others to make it possible to compare them on some sort of level playing field?

Apples with apples, durian with durian.

You say you've moved from Gianyar to Jembrana and mention the climate - excuse me but if it's 30C in Gianyar then it's 29.5 in Jembrana so that can't really be the deciding factor.

If you are looking for a good reason to move then I can give you dozens. East Bali fresh fish is a good price too.

Good luck

Believe me there is no debate. It is all in the eye of the beholder. There are advantages and sacrifices and we measure them on our own scale.
The exception is climate. When i must go to the south for provisions it is a sacrifice. Not only is the traffic and pollution intolerable,it is a hell of a lot hotter. There exists a wind here that permits comfort w/o AC when sleeping at night. To me that is a great blessing. Certainly I live near the sea with the prevailing winds in my bedroom at night, but my neighbors further away also enjoy the same blessing despite temperature and humidity that are seemingly not available elsewhere. In the east my experience has been limited to Amed. What is your experience? Have also been to Candi Dasa and it was nothing compared to Jembrana, but perhaps it was an unseasonable time of year.
Perhaps this is best left to a climatologist?

 

[Markit]

Well we have pretty much 24/7 seabreezes here too which disappear at about 300m from the ocean or the first serious line of trees, luckily we're before all that so ditto no A/C.

Also agree about the south - horrible place and I leave my portion to all the Ozzies that seem to love it - I guess they haven't traveled very much?