Bali

Let me take you to Canggu at the end of any afternoon. The tide has come in, the sky is orange, and a row of boards lines up in the break as the beach clubs start the sunset drinks. You get off the scooter, still with the board mark on your arm, order a smoothie bowl and sit on the black volcanic sand. Around you, accents from thirty countries, all, like you, working from a paradise. This is Bali: the island that turned remote work into a lifestyle, with surf, rice terraces, spirituality and a community that takes you in within 24 hours.

Bali in 30 seconds

Bali is an island in Indonesia, majority Hindu, with two main vibes: Canggu, the buzzing nomad beach, and Ubud, the serene jungle of yoga and wellness. Add surf beaches in the south, rice terraces in the center and temples everywhere. It’s cheap, sunny, full of coworkings and cafés, and addictive. No wonder it became the number-one destination for people who work online.

Where to stay, walking you through the areas

Canggu: the nomad epicenter. Surf, cafés, gyms, beach clubs and nightlife. It’s where the community pulses and where everything happens, also the priciest and busiest, with chaotic scooter traffic.

Ubud: inland, surrounded by rice terraces and jungle. A hub for yoga, wellness and a slow pace. Cheaper and more serene, perfect for anyone who wants focus and nature over nightlife.

Sanur: the calm east coast, with a seaside cycle path and a quieter crowd (families, couples). Less “Instagrammable”, more peace.

Uluwatu (Bukit): the far-south cliffs, with Bali’s most beautiful beaches and best surf. More isolated, higher on price, with a resort feel.

The must-dos, what to do

• Surf: from beginner beaches (Batu Bolong, in Canggu) to world-class waves (Uluwatu, Padang Padang). Lessons cost little.
• Tegallalang rice terraces: the stepped green terraces, Ubud’s postcard. Go early, before the sun and the crowd.
• Temples: Tanah Lot (on a rock in the sea) and Uluwatu (on the cliff, with the kecak dance at sunset) are unmissable.
• Waterfalls: Tegenungan, Sekumpul and others hidden in the jungle, for a refreshing dip.
• Yoga and wellness in Ubud: the world capital of the genre; classes and retreats for every level.
• Gili Islands and Nusa Penida: boat day trips to breathtaking beaches and diving.

The food, from warung to smoothie bowl

Bali has two cuisines living side by side. The local Indonesian, cheap and tasty: nasi goreng (fried rice), mie goreng (noodles), grilled satay and the made-up nasi campur at the warung (stalls) for a couple of dollars. And the nomad healthy scene: smoothie bowls, vegan food, gorgeous specialty cafés, pricier, but still affordable and very high quality. You can eat anything, any day.

A perfect day in Bali

Surf or yoga at sunrise. A smoothie-bowl breakfast at a Canggu café, with the laptop and fast fiber for a few hours. A cheap nasi campur for lunch, a nap in the heat, more surf or a scooter escape to a waterfall. At dusk, a beach club for sunset, with music and a cold coconut. At night, a cheap dinner with the international crew. It’s that routine of nature, community and freedom that makes Bali so hard to leave.

What it costs and the practical stuff

You live well on US$ 930 to 1,870 a month (Ubud pulls it down, Canggu and Uluwatu up). The currency helps: a modest villa with a pool, eating well and the scooter fit the budget. Good internet in the nomad areas; excellent coworkings.

Getting around

• Scooter: the standard way to move around; rent by the month. Careful in traffic.
• Gojek / Grab: cheap ride and food apps, for when you don’t want to drive.
• Private driver: cheap for longer day trips (the island’s north, distant temples).

Is Bali worth living in?

For anyone who wants surf, nature, community and lifestyle at a friendly cost, Bali is unbeatable, and Indonesia even created a nomad visa that can exempt your foreign income. The downsides: Canggu has become pricey and crowded, and the traffic demands attention. Pick the right area and the island wins you over.

Bali is the star destination of the Indonesia guide, where you’ll find the nomad visa (E33G), the taxes and the island’s other areas.