An Expat Guide To Moving To Bali In 2022 part 1 – that will be the topic of today’s article.
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The best time to consider your financial situation is when you are moving to a new country.
Introduction
Moving to Bali is a great experience and should be exciting and rewarding. There are numerous benefits to moving to Bali: having a new culture, scenery, people, and way of life to explore; getting the chance for a fresh start; living in one of the most beautiful places on Earth; experiencing relaxed island life with a slower pace of life, and being a small part of a friendly community.
However, moving to Bali is not without its challenges. It can be difficult finding employment in Bali as an expat. In addition, issues with the immigration office do occur from time to time which may cause inconvenience for those seeking long-term residency.
Surprisingly, it can be a life-changing experience. If you are considering moving to Bali, do your research and plan accordingly. Make sure you understand the visa requirements for Indonesia; these change frequently. Get advice from others who have already made the move.
Moreover, find out if it’s possible to find a job in Bali. Find out what the cost of living is like in Bali and whether or not you can afford to make a move to this island. Before taking a step that will change your life forever, remember that moving to Bali as an expat is a severe decision. Take time to prepare yourself, get advice from others, including your employer, and research the living costs.
If you follow these steps before moving to Bali as an expat, you’ll definitely get what you’ve been looking for. Today, we will explain some of the things needed to know before moving to Bali as an expat. Again, we have compiled the pros, cons, its cultures, and many others, to mention a few. Would you love to know more? Read further!
7 Things to Know About Bali Cultures and Traditions
Bali is a small island off the coast of Indonesia. It’s known for its beautiful beaches and stunning vistas, as well as its interesting cultures and traditions – some of which date back thousands of years. If you’re planning to visit Bali anytime soon, here are some things to consider about the islands’ cultures and traditions.
1) Bali Is Part of the Republic Of Indonesia
The island of Bali is actually only one small part of a vast archipelago made up of over 17,000 islands. This region is known as ‘Indonesia,’ and Bali itself is located in the southeast area near Australia. That being said, Bali’s culture is different from the rest of the nation, with its own language, dance traditions, and rituals.
2) Hinduism Has Been an Important Part of Bali’s Culture
Today, about 90% of the Balinese people are Hindu. This island is home to over 10,000 temples, which are devoted to honoring different deities. The most important of these temples is Pura Ulun Danu Bratan, located on Mount Bratan and dedicated to the water goddess Dewi Danu.
3) The ‘Cremation Tower’ Is an Important Part of Hindu Funerals
Known as a ‘Meru,’ this monument is actually quite similar to the Christian idea of a cathedral – except that it’s meant for cremations rather than weddings. There are 11 different types of merus, and different castes and social groups can use them.
4) Home to A Unique ‘Gender Wayang’ Tradition
Wayang refers to traditional Balinese theatre, an important part of the island’s culture for thousands of years. Traditionally, only men were allowed to perform in these plays (and this tradition is still followed today) – but these performances always included female roles.
5) The Legong Dance
This graceful dance traditionally involves young women skilled at balancing trays of offerings on their heads while performing specific movements with their hands. As a result, the dancer’s hands become an integral part of the performance and are often carved into temples to commemorate their performances.
6) Bali Has a Unique Form of Puppetry
Known as the ‘topeng,’ this traditional style is often used during special ceremonies and holidays. The puppets can be made from wood or buffalo hide, and they use real human hair to create their facial expressions.
7) There Are Different Types of Balinese Masks
While these masks are meant to be used for traditional ceremonies, they have become an integral part of the island’s tourism industry. Wearable masks are most commonly seen in performances at hotels and resorts, which bring this unique Balinese tradition into the 21st century.
What’s Living in Bali Like for Expatriates?
Living in Bali is a unique experience. Balinese people are so kind and helpful, the weather is fantastic all year round, and the food is delicious. However, there are also some downsides to living in Bali as well. Read more about what’s good and bad about living in Bali as an expat!
The Pros
Low Cost Of Living
As an expat in Bali, your quality of life is significantly improved by the low cost of living. Food, rent, and just about every other necessity for living are cheap compared to Western standards. It is possible to live on USD 1,000 per month.
Plenty of Jobs Available
Expats moving to Bali have a number of options when it comes to finding a job. There are English schools, dive shops, and hostels throughout the island, with openings for those willing to work hard.
Quality Education Available
Many expats choose to move their families over to Bali, largely due to the fact that there is an abundance of high-quality education options available for children. International schools in Bali are very affordable and generally regarded as being better than schools in many other parts of the world.
Plenty to Do During Free Time
For those expats who love to spend their free time participating in physical activities, living in Bali is a dream come true. In addition to some of the world’s best surfing beaches, there are also many mountains that offer some great hiking. There is a ton of nightlife as well for those who love to party.
Great Weather
One of the biggest draws for those considering moving to Bali is the fantastic weather. The average temperature throughout the year is a warm 80 degrees Fahrenheit. This, along with the low cost of living, makes Bali a very appealing choice for expats looking to move abroad.
Great Nightlife
Bali is known for its abundance of great nightlife options, which can include everything from high-end nightclubs to laid-back beach bars where visitors can enjoy a vacation-like atmosphere around the clock. Many expats who move over complain that after a few days, they simply cannot handle the early mornings anymore and start staying out late enjoying the nightlife.
Relaxing Atmosphere
While Bali is very popular with expats looking to move abroad, it’s also a great place for tourists simply looking for a relaxing vacation. For those who like to spend their time on the beach, living in Bali is one of the most beautiful places that you could hope to live. With great weather and calming beaches, this is a truly relaxing destination that offers something for everyone.
The Cons
There Is Mass Unemployment in Bali
The fact of the matter is most people from Bali do not want to work at the tourism jobs that expats are taking over. This is due to the fact that these jobs require very little skill and are far beneath what most Balinese people would like to do or are trained to do.
Hectic Traffic
The number of expats moving to Bali has resulted in hectic traffic on the island. There is so much tourism now that it is hard for people to get where they need to go, and cars are getting into accidents frequently because of this. In fact, the number of tourists outweighs the number of Balinese by 7 to 1.
Bad Economy
The fact that most people from Bali don’t want to work at tourism jobs has caused a bad economy on the island. This results in more and more locals being forced into poverty, causing an increase in crime on the island.
Not only is that, but the presence of tourists has caused the prices of local goods to increase while wages remain low. This is causing a huge problem within Bali, and it will continue for years to come.
Environmental Issues
Many environmental issues stem from the fact that there are so many expats in Bali now. Many people have been cutting down the native forests on the island at a rapid rate, which is causing damage to some of the unique ecosystems in South East Asia. This deforestation will change how much water can be held by the soil and eventually lead to many problems for people living in Bali.
Racial Tensions
The final problem that expats living in Bali will face is racial tension. Due to there being so many white people on the island, it has become a very popular destination for Asian tourists as well. This may seem like a great thing at first, but many of these tourists are not as respectful as Westerners, such as those from the United States and Europe.
They lack knowledge of Indonesian culture and will do things such as spit on the floor, urinate in public, and disrespect elders. This has caused many problems for expats trying to experience Balinese life.
Loss of Culture
Another problem with the mass of foreigners coming to Bali is that this has caused the people to lose their own culture. They work at tourism jobs for little money, and there are never enough Balinese people working in these jobs.
This causes them to spend most of their time around expats rather than their own people, making it difficult for them to find a spouse or have children. This is causing a huge problem for the Balinese people in the future, and many of them will have no cultural identity once the mass amounts of expats move back to their countries.
Lack of Infrastructure
Finally, the last problem expats will face when living in Bali is a lack of infrastructure. There is simply not enough room on the island for everyone to live and work without causing problems.
This has created many health risks such as traffic accidents, mass amounts of pollution around major cities, and more crime than ever before. These issues are not anything that can be easily fixed, but they will continue to worsen for decades to come.
Loss of Natural Resources
Another problem with living in Bali is the loss of natural resources. Due to the mass amount of tourism on this island, many people are logging down forests at an alarming rate. What used to be one of the most biodiverse places in Southeast Asia has turned into a barren wasteland because of overpopulation and the lack of education on the island.
Cultural Disrespect
The final downfall that expats will face when living in Bali is cultural disrespect. Many white people move to this island without knowing how to respect people from another culture. Many tourists will spit on the ground, urinate in public, and disrespect elders. This creates a problem for expats because their actions will constantly cause problems for themselves and the locals.
