Bali is such a wonderful place to live, with so many different areas to choose from.
But how to choose where to live in Bali?
In this article I’ll go through A few different areas and what makes each one so special.
First off Bali in general…
When people think of Bali they perhaps tend to think of Ubud or the areas in the south, and while it’s true that the south is where you can find most of the people there is a lot more to Bali than what may first come to mind.
I’ll cover a few key areas, every area in turn, and go through why I think they may each be just the one for you.
There’s no way I can fully cover the diversity the island has to offer, but I hope this list will give you a great feel for the island and some ideas about where to live in Bali.
First off I’ll go through a few locations in the South of Bali. With proximity to the airport and close to Denpasar, the capital of Bali, these areas all offer accessibility and while each having their own individual merits all have the advantage of being close to the center of things.
Kuta
Kuta is where foreign interest was really sparked back in the 70s when people first started hearing about the magical island of the Gods.
Today it is a relatively busy area of Bali, with narrow streets full of souvenir shops, restaurants and bars.
The main draw is of course is the Beach.
Across from the beach is Jalan Panta Kuta, or Kuta beach road, where there are malls with cinemas, restaurants and lots of independent shops. A very vibrant area.
The beach itself is wide with golden sand and is a perfect place to view one of Bali’s world famous sunsets. A great place to chill out.
Kuta is a busy tourist area, and considered the party capitol of the island.
Accommodation around Kuta is plentiful, ranging from one room rentals to spacious luxury villas.
Sanur
Sanur is north of Kuta on Bali’s east coast. Still in easy reach of the airport (about 30 minutes max) it has a slower more laid back feel that the areas mentioned to the south.
Jalan Danau Tamblingan is the main street in Sanur which parallels the beach, with easy access to the beach via small side roads running down towards the waterfront.
As a main road traffic is remarkably low as Sanur is bypassed by, well, a bypass. So the major traffic moving from North to South along the Eastern side of Bali is routed around the town.
This gives things a quieter laid back feel. Tambligan is full of smaller shops and of course packed with restaurants.
That’s not to say that Sanur is sleepy. If you want a night out then there are numerous smaller bars in Sanur, along with Casablanca which is the town’s major nightspot with live music every evening.
The beach is beautiful. There is no road alongside the beach, instead there is a beach walk which runs the entire 5km length of the waterfront. No cars or motorcycles.
The beach is fronted by lots of restaurants and local shops and dotted along its length are resorts and the occasional beach club.
One particular place of interest is Arthotel beach club. Smaller than it’s beach club cousins in other towns it offers a pool and beach loungers for a truly chilled out evening of delicious food and ice cold drinks.
Perhaps you may have noticed my enthusiasm when talking about Sanur? That’s because it is where I have chosen to live in Bali, and I love it here.
Find out more in our article 10 reasons to live in Sanur.
Ubud
Ubud holds a more central location on the island, away from the beaches and nestled in the more mountainous (well, hilly really) area of Bali.
Climate wise it does tend to be a little cooler than the coastal regions during certain times of the year.
Ubud was first really brought to the attention of people from beyond Bali with the film eat love pray,
Ubud is known as the ‘spiritual heart’ of Bali, not so much because of any reason to do with the Balinese Hindu practices, but more to do with the number of foreign teachers and guides.
In and around Ubud you can find retreat centers and schools for breath work, yoga and a wide range of alternative health and wellbeing practices.
Ubud could also be considered as an artistic hub, with many artists both local and foreign living and working in the area.
With it’s bohemian and alternative feel Ubud is a great place to re-energise and re-center yourself.
In terms of living you can find many villas with view overlooking rice terraces and virgin jungle. A nature treat. A great place to choose to live in Bali.
Amed
Amed is another coastal town, located further up the East coast of the island, approximately 2 hours by car from the airport.
Located on a bay with stunning views of Mount Agung, Amed is a lot quieter than any previously mentioned areas which lend a relaxed and tranquil feel to living here.
Amed and the surrounding area are truly beautiful. One way of enjoying the stunning costal scenery is to travel along the almost deserted coastal road to view the sites.
Singaraja and the North West.
Singaraja is Bali’s second-biggest city, but really is not representative of the region it sits in in terms of numbers of people.
The Northern coast and the North West of Bali as a whole are sparsely populated and much quieter than the more well know areas of Bali.
North West Bali is home to a national park and the region as a whole is perhaps the quietest on the island.
Travel from the park to the airport takes around 4 to 5 hours by car. Its remoteness and relative quiet mean that property tends to be cheaper than in the more popular and busier areas to the south,
So, where to live in Bali?
I hope I have been able to give you a bit of a feel for the variety and beauty on offer in Bali. There are a multitude of other places to explore and get to know. Where would you choose to live in Bali? If you would like to know more just get in touch, I’d love to hear from you.
