Bali is one of the most desirable places in the world when it comes to ‘living the digital nomad life’. With its beautiful beaches, diverse landscapes, tropical climate, it is easy to find a reason to move to Bali to work and live there for a couple of months, or even to migrate to Bali permanently.
If you need any other reasons as to why you want to live in Bali (for example if you need to convince your partner or family to come with you) read the blog that we wrote about this topic.
Now you are convinced about wanting to move to Bali – we applaud you for that! – this blog will guide you with everything you need to know in order to living the digital nomad life in Bali.
Start up you digital nomad business
Living the digital nomad life requires a job or business that can be done remotely. Unless you already have enough (passive) income to fund your desired lifestyle, then you can skip this part and move to the section to find a great place to stay in Bali.
First, you need to consider if you can work remotely with your current job or business. If not, there are plenty of options to start a digital nomad life and biz.
Here are some ideas that might help you to start your digital-nomad-proof business:
· Online coaching or mentor business
· Digital marketeer
· Photo or video editing
· Travel blogger or vlogger
· Copywriter
· Virtual assistant
· Graphical designer
· Developer (programming)
· Translator or English teacher (or any other language)
· Writing a book
· Freelance jobs (lawyer, accountant, or any other job that can be done without going to an office and requires internet and a laptop)
Get creative. More and more employees choose for a digital nomad life for a couple of months a year.
Since Covid19, some bosses have become more flexible to allow employees to work from home.
If you can do your job from your home entirely, and still achieve great results, why not change your environment up to a tropical place you love, and enjoy the perks of living the digital nomad life?
Find a place to stay
Canggu and Ubud are the most popular locations in Bali for remote workers. You can work online from almost any café. Internet comes free with your meal, so bring your laptop, and take a meal while you work. For even more entrepreneurial vibes, networking, and co-working, you can find beautiful coworking spaces in both Canggu and Ubud. But there are more options, let’s explore.
Canggu
Close to touristy places like Seminyak and Kuta, Canggu is a popular beach town that attracts expats and remote workers. It can be bit pricier than Ubud with beautiful luxurious villas and infrastructure. If you are surfer and want to combine the surfer’s lifestyle with working remotely, Canggu is definitely your place to be.
Ubud
Compared to other spots around Bali, Ubud has a very hippy, spiritual vibe going on and a place where yoga is popular with lot of different options to choose from. Ubud is known for its lush jungles and wildlife, especially monkeys. A great destination for remote workers that like to have rainforests, temples and lots of beautiful places to visit, right at your fingertips. Beautiful Cafes and coworking spaces are in abundance and internet is good, even faster than in Canggu.
Denpasar
For remote workers that prefer a busy city hub vibe over beautiful nature-rich locations, Denpasar is a great coworking city. It has fast internet and cost of living is super affordable, and can be a great spot to be during workdays and be still close to beautiful travel destinations for the weekends.
Kuta
The saying ‘Work hard, play harder’ is fitting to Kuta. You won’t find much yoga and jungle as in Ubud, but has just as easy access to coworking spaces, restaurants, and great activities. Kuta has beaches, great places to eat, shop, and maybe an even better and wilder nightlife but lots of clubs. But there are also affordable villas and coliving places that make Kuta a nice place to stay.
Internet
One of the most, if not essential, thing for any remote worker, if internet connection.
Although Wifi in Bali has not been known as the best in the world, in recent years, the availability and speed of internet connections in Bali have improved dramatically. Especially since the introduction of 4G and fibre optics.
In hotels, cafes and coworking spaces, WiFi is easily available. The typical connection speed for WiFi is about 512 kbps – 2 mbps. Some providers offer higher speeds.
Shopping online
For remote workers that stay in Bali for a longer time, you may need to shop goods from overseas. Tokopedia, thé Indonesian version of Amazon, has got lot of items that are imported and can be delivered within days.
It has goods like electronics, phone accessories, books, sports equipment, bags, and even fashion. Pro tip: use this website on your laptop rather than on your mobile phone for full translation of the website in English.
Best time of the year to visit Bali
If you will visit Bali for a few months only, it is good to consider what is the best time of the year to visit Bali.
In Bali, expect hot tropical temperatures throughout the year, with temperatures ranging between 26 and 29°C. Slightly cooler temperatures you will find in more central regions around Ubud and the mountains.
Bali has roughly two seasons to bear in mind when deciding what time of the year you want to visit. Wet season is between October and March, and Dry season between April and September. Temperatures rise when dry season arrives, meaning that July and August, usually a period when most tourist take holidays, these are typically the busiest months.
Therefore, for most travelers May, June and September are the best times to visit the island, when it is warm and sunny, and fewer crowds of tourists.
Practical tips
You are almost ready, to set, and go! Before you book your flight to Bali, here’s a few practical things that you must not forget. Make sure you check these things off your ‘to do’ list before you get on a plane to Bali:
Insurance
To enter Indonesia, you must have a proof of Covid-19 medical insurance which covers Covid-19 treatment and medical evacuation to a referral hospital in Indonesia. If you apply for a Visa you must show a proof of health insurance coverage in Indonesia from an insurance company that is an incorporated legal entity in Indonesia. The Ministry of Tourism of Indonesia endorses the health insurance product Jagawisata, that can be purchased online for 500,000 Indonesian Rupiah (approximately USD 35).
International Driving Licence / Permit
Anyone who wants to drive in Bali, by car, bike, scooter, etc. you need to obtain an International Driving Permit. This permit needs to be obtained in your home country. Make sure you have both your International Driving Permit and your own standard Driver’s licence with you, at all times when you are driving.
Get a Visa
It is not necessary to obtain a visa before you are going to Indonesia if you travel as a tourist. Visa on arrival can be carried out for the purpose of travel. Tourists are authorized to stay for 30 days after arrival.
You can extend this afterwards to a maximum of 60 days, and you will pay a fee for this.
It is best to check the Indonesian embassy website for your country before you go, especially if you want to stay longer than 60 days and want to apply for a temporary visa for 12 months.
Check Covid-19 travel restrictions
What you need to know about the latest Covid19-measures. Indonesia has lifted most, but not, all Covid-19 restrictions on the moment of writing (June 2022). If you are fully vaccinated (2 doses) no PCR test is required anymore.
Proof of recovery is valid for international travelers to enter Indonesia if the traveler has at least one first dose of vaccine. However, the recovery certificate is NOT a replacement for vaccination. Therefore, international travelers without full vaccination will have to undergo 5-days quarantine.
Quarantine is required for 5 x 24 hours for those who did not receive full vaccination.
Whether a traveler is fully vaccinated or not, if a traveler experiences or develops either Covid-19 symptoms or a fever of 37.5 Celsius or higher, a PCR test is required upon arrival and the traveler must observe Indonesia’s quarantine rules.
It is advised to check your local embassy website on the current Covid19 situation in your home country on the website http://kemlu.go.id
Your own house in the first eco city in the world from only €16,500?
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Vera Janssen
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