Bali is one of the Indonesian islands, part of the Malay archipelago. It is located between Asia and Australia. Today you can relax on the island at an affordable price, if you think about everything in advance. Housing in Bali, as elsewhere, is a fundamental factor for a good rest. To remove it yourself on this distant island is quite realistic, if you make some effort.
How to get there
The first thing a tourist thinks about when he decided to go to Bali on his own is how to get there from Moscow. You can get to the island using the services of airlines. Most flights are operated with transfers. Depending on the air carrier and the route, the duration of the journey is from 15 to 40 hours. Stops can be in Shanghai, Bangkok, Singapore.
Visa
Visa processing will not be a problem. It is issued at the airport at the border control and is valid for up to 30 days. To obtain a visa you will need:
- International passport.
- Paid receipt in the amount of $ 35.
- Migration card.
- Reservation with the address of future residence.
If the tourist plans to stay in Bali for a longer time, he can extend the visa (for up to 30 days). To do this, you need to contact the immigration service a week before the expiration of its validity.
Transfer
From the airport to the hotel can be reached in the following ways:
- By bus.
- Minibuses.
- Using a rented car or bike.
- by taxi.
It is clear that the bus will cost the least, but you do not have to rely on additional stops (if you suddenly need them). Taxis cost the most. Deciding to use a local minibus, you need to consider that a fixed cost is not provided there. Therefore, the driver needs to pay the amount that he asks for. A very popular option is to rent a car or scooter. For this, the tourist must have the appropriate international driver's license.
Housing Options
Having dealt with organizational issues, the turn comes to find and rent housing in Bali. I must say that anyone can find here a suitable option for their own pockets: both budget and more expensive. These include the following:
- Hostels
- The rooms.
- Guest houses.
- Bungalow.
- Hotels
- Villas
The closer the beach to the place of residence, the more expensive the accommodation in Bali. In addition, the cost is influenced by the presence of a pool, air conditioning, a beautiful view from the window. On the island you can live a month for both 200-250 dollars (if you choose a room away from the beach), and for 4500-5000 dollars (if you settle in a five-star hotel on the first line or rent a villa). Note that the currency of Bali is the Indonesian rupee, but the cost of housing for tourists is indicated in US dollars.
Many travelers prefer to stay on the island not for one - two weeks, but for a longer period - from several months to a year. In this case, housing in Bali will cost less (per month) than for tourists who rent it for a short time.
Hostel
One of the budget places to stay, which suits lovers to travel without much comfort, is a hostel. It is easy to make new friends from different countries to have fun and continue to travel together.
However, personal space will have to be abandoned. You also need to consider that a partial dependence on other guests will be created. For example, if most of them want noisy entertainment, then they are unlikely to get enough sleep during this period.
Guest House
This is another cheap accommodation in Bali, which is the middle option between a hostel and a hotel. In fact, the guest house is someone else's home, which was converted into a small hotel. Therefore, mostly near the owners live in a separate house. Guest houses are very common in Bali. Here, just as in the hostel, it is easy to make new friends. In addition, there is a private space with a bath and toilet. Hospitable hosts, as a rule, help residents to resolve any issues.
However, some tourists note an undesirable dependence on their neighbors. Despite the separate room, some residents may be lovers of a relaxing holiday, while others - fun people. Also sometimes cleaning questions arise, in which things are packed in the most unpredictable places.
Hotels
There are hotels on the island for everyone: for those who are relaxing with the whole family, and for those who like to spend time actively. In the latter case, the hotel occasionally hosts parties. Therefore, it is very important to determine the format of rest.
In this case, vacationers will be provided with comfort and personal space to the fullest. It is also a more familiar format for Europeans. Here tourists are guarded, rooms are serviced, reception is open.
Of course, compared to previous options, accommodation in Bali at a hotel will cost about twice as much. But many make the choice in the direction of such comfort, refusing to experiment.
Bungalow
This is another popular and affordable option for renting a house in Bali for the long term. A bungalow is a picturesque house with a corner of nature around. Each of them is equipped with a minimum set of everything necessary. Usually in the territory where the bungalows are located, there is a restaurant or a dining room, a barbecue area and Wi-Fi are provided. Here you can rent a bike or motorcycle.
Villas
Not every island has such a variety of villas as Bali. There are a lot of options for offers (including the range of prices).
The villa is suitable for those who wish to retire and fully enjoy their personal space. Those who wish can spend their whole vacation here without worrying that someone will disturb their peace. You can also organize a luxurious holiday and not worry that it will hurt someone.
A villa is often chosen for a long stay in Bali. Then rent will be cheaper, but much higher than when choosing other options.
Housing Search Options
There are different ways to find a suitable accommodation in Bali for the long term. The main ones are the following.
- Through social networks.
- On-site inspection upon arrival.
- Services Airbnb, Booking, Agoda.
Social housing search
It’s best to pick a house in advance. If you have time, it’s worth adding to all the available groups on social networks and posting a request about what kind of housing is needed. It is advisable to describe it in detail, including the area, price, number of residents and amenities.
At the same time, you need to prepare to receive many negative answers that say that for the specified price nothing good can be found. You should not pay attention to such messages, since they are mainly written by agents who are interested in renting inexpensive housing in Bali as profitable as possible and getting their commission. There is a chance that in addition to the agents, the request will be seen by the owner of the house or a Russian tourist resting in Bali. Perhaps he will provide the required information.
In rental groups among landlords you can often meet Russians. Therefore, the opportunity to negotiate with them an acceptable cost is increasing.
There are also rental groups based on areas of the island, such as Ubud Rentals, Bali Prorerty Rentals, Bali Long Term Villa Rentals and so on. In this case, it is worth giving preference to those options where there are a lot of photos, and beware if there are only 2-3 photos. In this case, there is a risk that housing can actually be much worse than in the photo. Thanks to the groups there is a chance to rent a house in Bali cheaply. The option is good because on these sites a lot of ads are given by the locals themselves. In order not to be disappointed in the rest, before renting, you must definitely arrange a meeting at which to specify all the details in detail.
Search for housing on site
Another way is to find accommodation after arriving at the island. A reasonable option is to check into an inexpensive hotel for a few days and go in search of a suitable haven. Usually there are many vacant houses in Bali. This method is good because before you rent a house in Bali for a long time, you can clearly see it, get to know the owner and bargain.
To do this, you can just go into the courtyards and ask about whether the house or room is for rent. Balinese people are friendly. If they themselves do not rent housing, they can advise neighbors or friends. The more you communicate, the more likely it is to find a suitable housing option. The easiest way to do this is if you rent a bike first. Then the search can be successful in the first 2-3 hours. When renting low-cost housing, it is customary to conclude contracts on the island only when renting for more than a year. If you plan to live here for several months or less, then you can take a receipt from the owner about receiving money. She is always ready to provide.
This method is very interesting. Its disadvantage is that tourists do not particularly carefully choose a hotel, which is rented for the first time on the island. But in vain. Often they overpay a lot because of this. In addition, for inexperienced tourists, there is a high risk of overpaying for long-term rental housing.
Search for housing by special services
There are special services for finding a house, villa or other accommodation in Bali. The main ones include the following:
"Booking" is considered the most famous service. Here are options for both expensive villas and the most budget hostels. The Agoda information platform is also popular, where offers of various levels are also found.
AirBnb usually presents options for expensive villas for a short period of time. However, if you wish, you can rent a house in Bali for a month or longer for an adequate price. The advantage of the service is that a discount is provided upon booking.
There is another information platform called Trivago. Here you can find the cheapest accommodation option in the hotel of the desired category.
The nuances of living in Bali
The cultural center of the island, loved by many, is the city of Ubud. It recommends paying attention to the Penestanan and Sayan areas. The most tourist areas include Uluwatu, Canggu, Nusa Dua. Rent in Kuta will cost cheaper (although the beach there is not the cleanest).
It also happens that housing in Bali for a month can be free. Or rather, not quite so. You can agree, for example, to look after a dog or give English lessons. True, in this case it is worth being very careful, as there is a risk that the tourist will be accused of something illegal, or other people will be the owners of the house.
When choosing any type of housing in Bali, one should not forget that your rightful neighbors can be ants, geckos or rats. If you can protect yourself from ants with a special crayon, from rats with a mousetrap, then you can save yourself from geckos only with a mandatory net over the bed.
Conclusion
As can be seen from the article, on the island you can find housing for any wallet. Bali is a tourist destination. Therefore, everything is provided here so that travelers feel good. In addition, the island can and should bargain. An important feature of a holiday in Bali is that they will not be asked to leave a deposit. This is a pleasant trifle, as it speaks of confidence in visitors.