A good apartment with AC in Kerobokan?

Our next question comes from Marina from Jakarta, who said:

Question: "Dear Life in Bali,

My name's Marina & my friend I are looking for a fully furnished apartment for rent around the Kerobokan/Brawa area. We need a room with hot water, a fridge & air-con. We're currently living with a friend but have to move out by the end of the month.

Can you help, please?

Thank you for your kind attention! We look forward to your reply. 

Sincerely,

MARINA

Answer: Hi Marina,

South-west Denpasar has some pretty nice rice fields, worth
looking out for!

Thanks for the message! Umalas in Kerobokan has some good deals for what you are looking for,

but do you definitely need to be in Kerobokan? South-west Denpasar is also good as it is close to that area but the prices are lower. Have you also tried the Bali Advertiser? They have lots of different accommodation - it's worth a look but they tend to cater more to tourists so the prices can be a bit higher than in other places.

Also Bali's OLX page might help you to find accommodation.

Hope that's helpful!

Regards,

Life in Bali

To ask a question, find Life in Bali on Facebook, Twitter - @Livebali, Youtube or Hubpages. Alternatively, leave a comment at the bottom of this page and we'll get back to you! I should mention that if you leave a Facebook comment on the comments tab at the end of this post, please tag @Life in Bali as otherwise I don't get notified of your message! Thanks! If you leave one on our Facebook page, I will see it straight away, however.

Enough from me, fire away!

Bali Questions: How much does it cost to live in Sanur for 1 year?

The first question comes from Justin from the USA, who said:

Question: "I'm planning on doing some research for a book and my girlfriend is working on her dissertation and has most of the research material digitized that she believes she needs and, well, we've been talking about moving to Bali while we work on it.

What would you think would be a number for cost of living for a year in Sanur? A nice two bedroom, close to a beach if not on it, a maid/cook, would we need a car? How much is food in Bali? Food is the main thing I'm having a problem narrowing down. I can't figure out how much it costs to live as a local as far as food is concerned, just what restaurants and whatnot charge from a tourist perspective. Would $1,000USD a month create comfortable accommodations and basic cost of living? Or is this way under a realistic number for living comfortably in Bali?

Thank you for all the information you've already provided and any additional that you will.

Sincerely,

Justin"

Answer: Hi Justin,

Thanks for the feedback - I'm glad you liked the post.

Sanur is a good place as it is not too crowded and has lots to offer while being quite close to Kuta. However, due to its popularity with
tourists, Sanur has high prices - probably around 40 million Rp. plus for a nice house per year and that might not be with furniture! You can walk around much of Sanur as most of it focuses on one main street.

Another great place is the Bukit Peninsula - this has a more 'country' feel as there are more trees and (comparatively) less traffic than other places which means fresher air. Prices are also cheaper than Sanur - I'd say you could get a house or villa on the Bukit for 30million Rupiah for a year. The downside is that there are less supermarkets and nightlife although it has the best beaches & surf in Bali and still quite a few restaurants - walking is not easy though as it is very spread out. 

To eat in local warungs, you can easily get meals for US $1-2 but in restaurants it's more likely you''ll pay around US $5 and up (and it goes up a long way from there!). My girlfriend and I spend around US $30 a week on food shopping for both of us shopping at the more western style supermarkets - Balinese markets are cheaper but most things sell out by 7am and hygiene standards are pretty much non-existent (for which we only buy certain things from them like vegetables which we wash thoroughly! I personally wouldn't touch meat/fish from them!). Actually it's alcohol which is the thing to watch out for - a large Bintang beer is around 25,000 Rupiah from supermarkets or 30,000 in restaurants/bars - often the same as or more than your main meal!

I would advise renting a scooter - everyone has one and they are cheap to run and easy to ride. Alternatively you could look into monthly car rental (starting at around 2 million Rupiah/month) as new/second cars here are ridiculously expensive! That's before you factor in the often horrendous traffic, which you can weave through on a motorbike but not in a car. 

You could also check out my post about living in Bali for $400 a month or less for more info!

Hope that helps!

Cheers,

Life in Bali

To ask a question, find Life in Bali on Facebook, Twitter - @Livebali, Youtube or Hubpages. Alternatively, leave a comment at the bottom of this page and we'll get back to you! I should mention that if you leave a Facebook comment on the comments tab at the end of this post, please tag @Life in Bali as otherwise I don't get notified of your message! Thanks! If you leave one on our Facebook page, I will see it straight away, however.

Want to find Bali's best unspoilt rice terraces? Just ask! 

Enough from me, fire away!

Bali Services: David Burden Photography

A seaweed farmer at work on Nusa Lembongan, Indonesia.
© David Burden Photography

Recently, I caught up with a friend and Bali-based photographer, David Burden, to ask him a few questions about being a freelance photographer on the island. Here's what he had to say:

Life in Bali (LIB) : Hi, Dave! Can you tell us about you and where you come from?

David Burden (DB) : I'm originally from Christchurch, Dorset on the South Coast of the UK, but as much as I love my hometown, I've been compelled to see as much of the world as I can. Ever since finishing university in Wales I've been all over doing stints in places like Australia, India, California, New Zealand, and currently Bali.

LIB: How did you come to live in Bali?

DB: I came here as part of a round trip on the good old 'backpacker' trail in 2000 and instantly loved the climate, people, shenanigans, nightlife and the fact I could surf in shorts instead of 6mm of rubber. I kept coming back until a job as a teacher came up while I was in New Zealand and I just couldn't turn it down!

A traditional kecak ceremony at Uluwatu Temple, Bali
© David Burden Photography

LIB: How long have you been a photographer?

DB: I went to India once and was adamant that I wouldn't take a camera with me, stupidly believing that taking photos would get in the way of getting the most out of the trip. I still regret that to this day, and ever since then I've been snapping away and learning the craft by trial and error. After I got burned out doing the EFL thing for 6 years (3 in Bali) I had a few friends in high places who started asking for images for editorials and the classic "Can you shoot our wedding?". Things got better and better and demand for my stuff eventually meant that I could pack in the teaching and concentrate on shooting and working in media.

LIB: What area of photography do you specialise in?

DB: Personally I get the biggest kick out of travel and portraiture photography, but commercially it's mostly editorial and weddings.

LIB: How should our readers contact you?

DB: Carrier pigeon would be pretty cool, but failing that check out my site at www.davidburdenphotography.com or drop me an e-mail.

LIB: Where can we see some more of your work?

DB: As well as the website, I have a collection of canvasses on show at Batu Karang resort in Nusa Lembongan. Also keep an eye out in HelloBali Magazine, Jetstar Asia and Mandala in-flight magazines and the newly completed Sarong Inspirations travel cookbook from Will Meyrick at sarongbali.com

LIB: OK, Dave - thanks for your time!

DB: Sama sama!

So there you have it! If you haven't checked out Dave's site, you can also do so by clicking the banner below to contact him and ask about getting the perfect photos for your Bali wedding, Bali villa or just about anything Bali-related!