AIS has some funky IP addresses it seems. I cannot access 2+2 on my AIS wifi. I get a message that my IP address is on the banned list. So probably the same issue with PS.

Cambodia you should be able to play, right?

I think depends on the provider. GlobalExtreme - as I know the best with it. Not blocking much.
I used to play Stars long time ago here. Gonna ask my friends about that.


Sure! Planning to stay here in September as well)

Yeah, earthquake was intense)
Got me up from the bed) I think was second strongest (and longest!) I have ever felt (even compare to colombian - being on 21st floor, and costa-rican - being on 7th floor).
I saw some pictures with really small damages in Nusa Dua, but nothing serious at all.

Hi, guys! Sorry for not posting for long time. Was busy surfing some nice winter swells and working.
Let’s get back to business and keep going with observing the island)
Wanna give you quick brief about Bali areas and ways to look for accommodation.

Bukit


South part of the island with amazing costline:
beautiful beaches, often you have to walk down from rocks (eastern part) to get to a beach, but it worth it! You can find a lot of hidden gems there)
Heavy surf - mostly reef spots - for sure not for beginners.




2 iconic Bali spots: 1st one - Uluwatu - can sit at some “rock-top” bar and watch guys getting biggest waves of their live + amazing sunsets. Just spectacular!
2cnd - Padang Padang - biggest and heaviest tube in the island)


First time visiting Uluwatu temple w friends in 2012.


With my ex-girlfriend this year.

Can find affordable villas, but its not that easy cos choice is quiet limited. There are also a lot of guest houses for surfers and some apartments, but with average quality in my opinion (maybe something has changed recently, don’t have a lot of information about Bukit rentals to be honest)

Nusa Dua


Is quiet place mostly for family holidays: luxury hotels, some restaurant, quiet beaches where you can swim without worrying about get caught in rip-current)

Have to mention that central part of Bukit is a bit “empty” and its almost nothing to do there.


So then we are heading to the north part of the island:


Kuta exists just for partying and has perfect beach, where everybody learns how to surf: first 1-2 classes usually you will take here. Many Australian tourists, many clubs, bars, restaurants, best shopping malls w clothes and other goods, overcrowded.
To be honest, I go to Kuta only if I really need something there, usually trying to avoid visiting)


Kuta streets


Seminyak is “luxury” version of Kuta. A lot of good restaurants, beach clubs, hotels, nice beaches ( with some surf as well). Can find apartments, villas and guest house with reasonable price/quality ratio. Also crowded.


Famous beach club in Seminyak named Ku De Ta. Lovely sunsets.


Canggu
Place for expats, surfers, hipsters, creative people etc etc - in my opinion most comfortable place to live in the island. Amazing range of restaurants with healthy food, good night life, perfect surf-spots for intermediate level.
Easy to find any kind of accommodation.


Denpasar - “capital” of the island - you go there only if you need some electronics devices (cos malls with such products located only here (if you looking for monitors, routers, laptops or whatever)), if you need to extend your visa or need to visit post-office.


How to choose where to stay:
So my basic recommendation will be “stay in Seminyak or Canggu”, then you can explore the island and take daily trips by bike or by car to different parts of Bali. But of course it depends on what you are looking for your holidays.
For example, if you just want “pure” beach holidays for 1-2 weeks in a 4-5 star hotel on a white sand beach - for sure you have to go Nusa Dua.

For expats, guys who want to stay for 1-3-6 months Seminyak or Canggu are good because have covered all the needs: reasonable monthly prices for rent, good internet, lots of sports activities (gyms, surf-schools, yoga classes, cross-fit classes, skate-parks etc etc), big supermarkets w western products, local markets, A LOT of restaurants/cafes. Close to Denpasar or Kuta if you need to buy something “special”.

Now about distances between this areas. From Canggu to Bukit - 40-50 min driving motorbike, 1-2 hours by car depends on the traffic.
From Canggu to Kuta 20-30 min by bike, same to Denpasar. Canggu and Seminyak are really close to each other, especially if you know some short-cuts and can avoid main roads with traffic.


About apartments and villas in Canggu:
I have been living in Canggu for 4 years and will try to give some recommendations and examples.

Few basic rules:
Further you go from the cost-line (to central part of the island) - easier to find good and chip place to rent (kinda obvious lol))
Further you go up north from Pererenan - less options for apartments available, but can find really chips villas/houses.

Will recommend to look for some options in following areas: Canggu, Pererenan, Umalas, Kerobokan - its relatively close to everything and basically you can name these areas just “Canggu”.




Will show you examples of apartments I was renting out in Canggu (all of these was renting monthly and spent 5-6 months in average in each, except last one)


Damai Residence
1 living room, 1 bedroom - around 1k/monthly + electricity, cleaning 3 times weekly is included.



Apple Villa Apartments
Small living room + 1 bedroom - around $700/monthly - everything is included.



Balissimo Apartments
Big living room w kitchen, 2 bedrooms (1 was using as my office) - would say it will be good for 2 people - around 1.1k/monthly+electricity+internet, cleaning is included.
Building is located close to road and its kinda noisy during day time, but still was pretty comfortable for me.



RimbaBird Guest house (just one room)
Around $500 monthly, everything is included, cleaning everyday



For sure you can find apartments with comparable quality for less price than I did, but I just get used to certain level of comfort.
(I think, you know the feeling, guys - you’re grinding like 6-10 hours daily at home, then just chilling cos tired - so you want your place at least looks fine for you))
But still, in average, prices for good apartments in Bali slightly higher than everywhere in Asia (maybe except Singapore and Hong Kong))


About villas in Canggu
Much easier to find good quality 2-3 bedroom villa than 1 bedroom villa - so sharing will help a lot)
Will show you examples of my friends villas, in some of them I was staying for quiet a bit.

1)
2 bedrooms, bathroom in each, super-nice living room+kitchen - $2100 usd/month



2)
3 bedrooms, good living room, quiet location and close to everything - 1500 usd/monthly (but guys pay upfront for a year)



3)
2 bedrooms not that big, small living - 1400 usd/monthly



4)
3 bedrooms - 1600 usd/monthly, payed upfront w yearly contract.




Ways to look for accommodation:

1. Web
https://www.facebook.com/groups/canggucommunityhousing/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/expatsbali/
(any group in FB w 5-10k of followers will be good - more you check, more chances to find option w good price/qualty ratio
airbnb.com (obv))
(ecepcially if you are looking for short term rentals)

2 real estate agencies, which I can recommend - mostly long term. Commission is already included in the price on these web-sites.
https://balitreasureproperties.com
https://bali-home-immo.com

Actually you might want to leave your request for few more real-eastet agencies, cos sometimes it could be slow and, anyways, you are going to pay to agent only if he will find you good option.
Average deal is 10% from total cost.

Find you “personal” real estate agent in FB/airbnb - if you start posting - for sure they will find you)

2. Just driving around the area and calling to phone numbers you see at gates.
3. Find some good local, who will do same type of “work” for fix price (Never used it, but heard stories from friends)
4. Recommendations from expats you meet in the island.

If you you are planning to stay for 6 months+ will recommend to book some hotel for week or two and check all the options above for some time.

So hopefully my post was useful for you, guys! Let me know what do you think about posts like that when I'm mixing up a lit bit of everything.
Maybe you prefer shorter version, but just w practical and useful information?

Everybody is welcome to share experience in this topic about finding accommodation in Bali)

Great post, thanks a lot!

What's the Visa situation? How are you staying there 4 years?

Quick question is Microgaming/party/ipoker blocked in bali ?

Bulgarian chicks like to take photos on bali to look like models

I am organizing a study house on August 5-17 in Bali. I am looking to study 6max for 3-4h a day and do lots of sports/outdoors. If anyone wants to join after August 5 or so let me know, mainly looking for people beating at least 200zoom online or similiar, but if you are serious MTT pro I am interested in studying MTT(mainly ICM pre/post).

You can get visa on arrival ( 1 month+1 month extension in Bali). You have to visit immigration office in Bali for extension.
Usually I use agency, which helps me with everything - super easy.
After 2 months you have to leave Indo, can come back same day for your next 1+1 stop.

Last years I made social visa.
Valid for 6 months, but you can not leave Indo for this time, otherwise you visa will be expired and you would have to renew it or get visa on arrival (as you wish).
You have to apply for it in different country. I flew to Kuala-Lumpur. Possible to make by one day trip, if you are using agency (also they provide "sponsor" letter which is necessary): 9-10am you are in KL, around 3-4pm you get your passport back, 11-12pm you are in Bali w you social-visa.
After you have to visit immigration office in Bali once, then you will get extensions "automatically" and can forget about visa-runs for 6 months.

lol!) Not only bulgarian, man) Not only)

Yea me either, it's seems nice place to relax

So happy to see this thread, all the best bro!



Sasa

Hey Sasa, nice to see you here and thanks for feedback! When are you going back to Bali?
Heard from Ivan that we will be waiting for you for long time(

Got couple of DM's with question about grind-houses - feel free to communicate in this topic as well, guys. Can leave requests here, so it will be easier to find like-minded people and get together.

Also would like to offer for everyone who's here already to meet for a sunset beer/dinner/surf-session) Can organise something on Friday this week.

And one short story about Bali live.
In the begging of August had really small scratch on my leg, looked like nothing serious at all. I kept surf and doing other sports activities, then I noticed that it got red a bit, but still didn't pay attention.
After one more week decided to stay away from salty water and let it heal, but this scratch already looked like a proper wound, went deep and redness spread more. And I still though that it is going to be ok without proper medicine (so naive lol))), but when some random guy in my guest house told me "Dude your leg looks shiiit" (and he was 4th or 5th person "in the queue" after my friends") I decided to go to hospital.
I went to first hospital I found nearby in Canggu and doctor scares the **** out of me)) He cleaned the wound, took forceps and stick inside, then told me "you need to make surgery RIGHT NOW, you have to cut you leg, clean everything inside etc etc.. and you should hope that infection didn't affect you bone otherwise you have really serious problems, jokes are over, I saw once leg was amputated because of this" ...
(I have to mention that scratch was right on the bone on my foot)
Right away I went home, took some stuff with me and went to bigger/better hospital, where I supposed to have surgery. Waited for an hour for doctor...it was such a looong hour lol)
I end up only with 2 types of antibiotics as a 7 day course, then was continuing to drink just one type for 5 days more and right now almost healed.

So my 2 advices: dont mess with tropical infections and dont mess with random doctors in Indonesia)

In the future rub lemon or lime on any scratch that may have been caused by coral. My friend had a tiny scratch turn into a staph infection.

How does you lifestyle look during the wet season in Bali?

I've visited Bali for a few weeks during August and was really impressed with the local culture, the laid back lifestyle of locals and expats which revolves around being active outdoors. Island itself is beautiful

The Balinese people I met at the restaurants and the temples were very friendly, but I did experience the crime caused by local thieves at the streets. The other things I was afraid are the taxi mafias and unregulated roads

What a great journey! Bali is always a beautiful place to me

Would anyone like to get a villa together for a month in Canggu?

I went to Gili Island last week, the taxi cartel around the port is something really next level.

The taxi cartel vs GoJek in general is something interesting in Bali.

I went there meet 2 of my local friends and sometimes we would have some beef with the tourist industry people. Somehow they don’t believe local can have white friends. One of the two is from Jakarta and was as tourist as me in Bali, but those cartel would argue that he’s a guide I hired... if it wasn’t that my best friend is he king of Kuta I would probably never visit Bali again. Actually next time I’ll probably just ask him to meet me in java or Lombok.

Really not a big fan of Bali overall, traffic is chaotic and the island is over crowded by Aussies

Oh for the reg of this sub, I had great experience at Flame Spa

Did à sessions with 3 and a session with 1. Both experience were amazing good value. YMMV.

That video above was a ridiculous joke. I stopped at the 1:35 mark because of how dumb it was.

1 - two months in a place is not "living" there with a "day-to-day life" LOL! That's just a long vacation, champ.

2 - #5 best thing about Bali is the western amenities and entertainment. Really soaking in the local culture and people, right champ?

GTFO with that nonsense!

I mean he’s right about Canggu and Kuta

Hi Vitaly!
Amazing post man, you have done most of the things that I'm planning to do (even the colombian wife ). I would like to have your contact to ask you some questions about how to set up in Bali after all this covid 19 **** ends.

up

Uluwatu is great