Image by sektordua

** This post was written by Andy Hayes. Find out more about Andy at the bottom. **

Today we have a special guest telling us about a new destination for your LIP roadmap: Bali, Indonesia. Telling us about this sun-drenched party paradise is Mike Henry, the brains behind the website Bali Expat, a fantastic resource for all-things Bali.

Mike also runs the blog Retire Young and Wealthy while on the road so he has plenty of free resources to check out.  Did I mention that not only a Bali expert, he’s from Australia and spent 10 years in Japan and elsewhere before hitting the road and working for himself?

So, let’s start talking about Bali, shall we?

Why don’t you introduce yourself and tell everyone a bit more about you?

I am from Melbourne, Australia. I started blogging and making websites around 2005 and quit my job at the end of 2006 to travel and work on my websites. I make money from building websites and finding advertising opportunities like Google adsense and affiliate programs for those websites.

You’re based in Bali. What made you decide to relocate there? Do you find it a “difficult” country to be productive given the great weather and party atmosphere?

I was living in North Sumatra with my girlfriend, which was interesting for a while, but not somewhere I wanted to live long term. I thought there would be better chance to find business potential business opportunities there, as Bali has a lot of foreign interest.

I now live in the north of Bali, not far from Lovina in a small village. There are a few quiet bars in central Lovina, but there is not much of party atmosphere like in the south of Bali. It’s very peaceful which is conducive to getting a lot of work done.

I have been in Bali for around 2 months now, and have spent most of this year in Indonesia.

As a business owner, how has your experience been living in Bali so far?

I love living in Bali so far. I have had a couple of negative experiences, but I think you get that anywhere. For example, one time we took a bemo (something like a public bus, but actually just a small van). There is no fixed price. Locals of course know the right price to pay. My girlfriend asked a local how much the fare was and we paid that much. We were the last ones off the bus, with one other passenger.

We got off the bemo and about 10 minutes later he came back again demanding more money. We had paid the same fare as the other passenger who was last off the bus, but he said we had ‘chartered’ the bus. He wanted an extra 20,000 rupiah (around US$2) which isn’t much, but the guy was screaming at us. In the end I just gave the money, it was already late and I just wanted to get home. Like traveling anywhere, you need to confirm the price before buying anything.

Regardless, I have met some great people in a short time. Everyone in our area is very friendly and they really make you feel welcome.

You do need to be a patient person living here. People are very relaxed and it can take a long time to get things done. We had a bit of trouble getting the internet connected. It stops working pretty often, then there are frequent power cuts, which can be frustrating, but you do start to adapt to the slower way of life.

The people can be a little vague when you ask about something. If you really need something done, paying someone a bit of money usually works. There are official fees for most government services in Indonesia, like getting a driver’s license, visa and getting electricity connected. The problem is that getting the official fee can be a lot of work. Like getting a drivers license you have to wait all day and take a written test. If you pay the police or an agent a little more money, you can get it done in a fraction of the time. Similar to getting a visa and getting visa extensions. It saves so much time just using an agent.

Of course no-one wants to support corruption, but that is just the way so many things work in Indonesia.

Image by rollanb

Is Wifi readily available?

Wifi is widely available in tourist areas like Seminyak and Ubud.  There are a range of internet providers depending on the location.  Internet is generally faster and more accessible in the south of Bali

What’s the best way to get short term accommodation?

There are lots of villas for rent in the south of Bali, like in Seminyak. Many come with wifi, but they are not cheap. Ubud is also a good place for expats to stay and most guesthouses have pretty decent Wifi.

There are several places around Seminayak and Ubud that have notice boards where people post advertisements for accommodation. Any place advertised on the internet is usually overpriced. The best way to find a good house to rent is just asking around, like in the local warung. A warung is a kind of cafe/budget restaurant. Local warungs typically sell local dishes like nasi goreng (fried rice) and fried noodles and are a social hub. Everyone there has a brother/uncle/friend/cousin with a house for rent or sale.

As a tourist, what’s been your best experience so far?

This is going to sound like a bit of cliche, but living in a village outside of a tourist area has been in an amazing experience. Our neighbors have really been fantastic and they are such lovely people. Everyday they have some kind of ceremony. How many cultures can say they have something different to celebrate every day? There is an amazing community spirit, something which I think we have lost in the west, where many people don’t know or even talk to their neighbors. Even though we are not local to the area, the people have been very welcoming.

Image by sektordua

Any other insider tips for things to do while in Bali? Is it easy to get in/out/around?

It depends on your interests. There’s so much to do here, whether you like surfing, diving or want to learn to cook some Balinese dishes. I haven’t been yet, but I have heard some great things about Lombok and the Gilli Islands. I think it is interesting to try and spend at least a little bit of time outside of the tourist areas and even better to experience living in a village in Bali.

It only takes a couple of hours to get to the north of Bali from the south, so its pretty compact. There is so much to do, whether it is just relaxing on the beach or visiting new places, you will never feel bored!

Yes, it’s pretty easy to get around. There are shuttle bus services that go to different parts of the island. Most people opt for hiring a motorbike. Be sure to wear a helmet though, as accidents are common.

For other LIP’s considering a move to Bali, any words of wisdom or advice?

Learning to be patient is important and accepting that things operate different here. Like anywhere I suppose. Be respectful people’s religion whether they are Muslim, Hindu or otherwise. Religion is taken pretty seriously in Indonesia. People will sometimes charge more for things because you are a foreigner. Learning a little bit of the language and making local friends can help you to get local prices.

Andy Hayes is professional travel writer & photographer. For more Location Independent locations, head over to his blog, Sharing Travel Experiences.

For a range of travel guides, specifically created by LIPs for LIPs, check out our Little LIP Guides directory to find out more about your next location independent destination!

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