Living
20 guides
Slower pace, lower costs, authentic community. Whether you're a digital nomad testing the waters or considering a permanent move, north Bali offers what the south has lost.
Quick Tips
- •Visa runs to Singapore are common
- •Internet is good in main towns
- •Join local Facebook groups for housing
Need help planning?
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Driving Licence in Bali: The International Permit, the Indonesian SIM and the Rules of the Road
A visitor driving in Bali needs a home licence plus an International Driving Permit that covers motorcycles for a scooter. Residents apply for the Indonesian SIM at the police in Singaraja.
September 2026
BPJS for Foreigners: Indonesia's National Health and Work Insurance, Explained
If you work in Indonesia, BPJS is part of your cover: who must join and when, what the health and work schemes pay for, how it works around Singaraja, and why private insurance is still worth keeping.
September 2026
North Bali Digital Nomad Guide: Visas, Internet, Coworking and Long Stays Around Lovina
North Bali digital nomad life centres on Lovina and its coast road: the remote-worker visa, getting online, the one coworking space and where to base yourself, each rule linked to its official page.
September 2026
Bali Visa Guide: Tourist, Visit, and Long-Stay Options
The right Bali visa depends on how long you stay and what you do here: a visa on arrival for a holiday, a visit visa, the remote-worker visa or a KITAS, and where to confirm the current rules.
June 2026
Moving to North Bali: An Honest Relocation Guide
Moving to north Bali means trading some amenities for calm, lower costs and a real village community: who the move suits, and the ground rules on visas, housing, healthcare and schools.
June 2026
Long-Term Villa Rentals in North Bali: Monthly and Yearly Stays, Contracts and What to Check
Months or a year in a villa on the north coast: how long-term rentals work, what the rent should include, the contract and the visa questions, and where to base yourself when you move up.
September 2026
Schools in North Bali: What Buleleng Offers Families and What It Does Not
Schools in north Bali that teach in English alongside Indonesian are two private primaries in Sukasada, checked against the ministry register: what each offers, and the options after primary.
September 2026
Healthcare in North Bali: Hospitals, Clinics & Emergencies
For most care in north Bali the answer is a Singaraja hospital, a short drive east of Lovina: the public and private hospitals, the clinic near the coast, emergencies, and when care means Denpasar.
June 2026
The Indonesia Arrival Card: Everything You Need to Know
The Indonesia arrival card is a free online form on the All Indonesia portal, filed in the three days before you land, that gives you a QR code for immigration: who needs it and how to complete it.
June 2026
Bali Customs Declaration: How to Get Your QR Code Before You Land
The Bali customs declaration is now a section of the All Indonesia arrival card, one government form filed online in the three days before you land: how to complete it and save the QR code.
June 2026
Bali Belly: What It Is, How to Avoid It, and How to Recover Fast
Bali belly is traveler's diarrhea, picked up from contaminated food or water, and it usually clears in one to three days: how to avoid it, how to recover, and when to see a doctor.
July 2026
Bali Tourist Tax: What It Is and How to Pay It
The Bali tourist tax is a one-time levy on each foreign visitor, paid once per trip on the official Love Bali portal: who pays it, how to pay before you fly, and the QR voucher to keep.
June 2026
Bali Currency: Money, ATMs, and Cash Tips for Travelers
The Bali currency is the Indonesian rupiah (IDR), and cash still pays for warungs, drivers, temples and waterfalls: how to read the zeros, where to change money safely and how to use ATMs.
June 2026
Bali Trip Cost: What Actually Drives the Budget
A Bali trip cost comes down to three choices, where you sleep, where you eat and how you get around, plus a few fixed charges: what moves each line, and where to read today's figure.
June 2026
Shopping in Lovina and North Bali: Markets, Supermarkets and Craft Villages
Singaraja's markets for fresh food, a supermarket in Lovina for the basics, and cloth and bamboo from the villages that make them: shopping in Lovina and north Bali, sorted by what you need.
September 2026
Retire in North Bali: The Retirement Visa, Where to Live, Housing and Healthcare
To retire in north Bali you need Indonesia's E33E or E33F retirement visa, a home around Lovina and a healthcare plan in Singaraja. How each works, with the official pages linked.
October 2026
Tap Water in Bali: Not Safe to Drink, and What to Use Instead
Tap water in Bali is not for drinking straight from the tap. Use sealed bottled water, a refill galon from a certified depot, or water boiled at home.
October 2026
Hak Pakai in Bali: The Right of Use That Lets a Foreigner Own a Home
Hak Pakai is the right of use that lets a foreigner own a home in Bali in their own name. Who can hold it, Bali's Rp5 billion floor, registration, the term and the one-year rule on leaving.
October 2026
Second Home Visa Bali: Who Qualifies for Indonesia's Five-Year E33 Visa
The second home visa (E33) lets a foreigner live in Indonesia for up to five years without a sponsor. Who qualifies, the savings or apartment guarantee, and how to apply.
October 2026
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