Moving to Ubud

[MikeJ]

Having lived in Bandung for 3 years, my wife and I are at last Checking Out. We are going to move to Ubud. It would be really great to meet other residents in Ubud. Can anybody advise where the best places are to get to know others living in Ubud? Also, before we buy a place of our own there, we plan to rent for 3/4 months or so, maybe longer. Any advise on where to go or to whom to go to for renting a modest, fair priced house would be also a great help.

[ScooterIndo]

Yeah i have some advice - dont move to Ubud it is seriously over priced and over crowded with bus loads of tourists blocking up the streets and creating traffic chaos and wannabe hippies looking for Yoga classes and organic restaurants. The general expat scene (that i encountered when living in pannestanan) there is very incestuous and can be rather bitchy. Full of arty farty creative types that all think they are writers or artisans.

Your money would be better spent in another area of bali that has better facilities (no decent supermarket in Ubud) and is a little less "plastic" than Ubud.

[Hombre de Maiz]

I live in the Ubud area. I´ve lived in Ubud area for a total of about three years. In Bali, I´ve also lived in the Bukit, and I´ve also lived in Jakarta (Dili and Singapore). I don´t find it over-priced and my village is not over-crowded with bus loads of tourists. Never taken a Yoga class and I have never eaten at the one organic restaurant that I am aware of. I don´t hang out with any expats or in the expat scene. There are in fact two decent supermarkets in Ubud and a few markets. I live in a Balinese compound which could never qualify as "plastic". I fall asleep to the sound of the wind, crickets and frogs, and hear the gamelan practice by my neighbors. No one is in Ubud due to the beaches, skirts or party-scene, simply cuz there ain´t any.

It´s "Penestanan", one among several desa which make up "Ubud". Others, strictly off the top of my head are, Nyuh Kuning, Lodtunduh, Singakerta, Tebongkang, Tebesaya, Peliatan, Tegalalang, Sayan, , Ketiklantang, Campuhan, Pengosekan. You see Ubud is not Penestanan. Far from it. Granted, Ubud is not for everyone. But if you are going to take advice, take it from someone without an axe to grind who actually knows his Penestanan from his Pengosekan.

[Daisy]

MikeJ: have you heard of Bali Advertiser? It's a fairly decent publications with list of houses for rent and for sale. Maybe you'll find something that you'd like there.

[ScooterIndo]

I was refering to the more central area of Ubud such as Monkey Forrest Road and not to the smaller hamlets surrounding the central area. MikeJ is talking about renting and then buying a property so i very much doubt he is considering living in a traditional balinese compound like you do (be honest not many white people do) i was also assuming that he has a car and will be concerned about traffic going into and coming out of the main town. I am seriously happy that you have peace and quiet in your desa and it hasnt been affected by the huge comercialisation that has ravished Ubud town centre, which is a crying shame.

But even you have to admit all the points i raised in my previous post are all applicable to the central Ubud area, unless you think that delta dewata stores, over priced restaurants, and organic food stores are part of the balinese culture. I think its a little unfair to say i have an axe to grind how can you say that ??? I lived in Panastanan for a few short months and actually liked it there but that doesnt change my opinion about the central Ubud area.

[Hombre de Maiz]

Plenty of ads in restaurants and shops, but most rental (and for-sale) properties are never formally adverstised or advertised at the most by a small sign by the side the road. Word of mouth and referrals by someone who happens to have heard of something seems to work best. That´s how we found our place.

A good place to meet some long-term residents is Nury´s Warung in Campuhan. Except for a few selected places (Moka Cafe, Tutmak) most long-term expat residents don´t patronize the establishments in the central Ubud area.

[Daisy]

yes, Nury's warung is the place to be. Hmm... I miss the food now that you mentioned it. Must go tomorrow to cure my cravings.

[Hombre de Maiz]

There are several overpriced restaurants that cater to the tourists who don´t mind blowing a nice wad of $$ while on vacation. On the other hand, within 10 minutes of our house we´ve identified at least seven different restaurants/warungs where one can eat tasty meals for between Rp$15,000 to Rp$50,000 nett per person.

I´ve never eaten at Bebek Bengil, and have not eaten in years in places where tourists flock to pay overpriced (and over taxed) meals like Ary´s Warung, Murni´s Warung, Lotus Cafe or Casa Luna.

[Brunol]

You can find what you want in Ubud, loads of tourists or peaceful ricefields, up to you. I always had a great time in Ubud (say Ubud area, including all villages around) but I know my way around.
Practically, there is good bulletin board on the street in front Bali Buddha café - a big purple building with a bakery downstairs and great organic food (not that overpriced), near the post office, east of Ubud.
Have fun...

[whitelantern]

i would say the supermarket is variable (bintang and delta dewata) due one point they got all stocks on shelf, and after that they wont have it anymore for weeks, could be months.. and between shelf is tight in delta. but if you got car, you could just go to carefour (sunset road) or either makro (by pass sanur) (1hour driving).
warung mangga madu is good, starts from Rp 10,000.- and based on my experience not only restaurants are expensive, even small warungs could be expensive, due they over charged just because the person thats buying is not baliness, so better asked first price (in places thats dont have menus price) before eating......
padang food is good also, next to the bookshop ganesha, but one thing bout most of food in local warungs, eventho they said its not spicy, its still spicy.

different villages, different attitude of people, theres villages wheres everything is money oriented (even local children without any shame, asking money to foreigners, whose teaching them?! they are not afraid with paedophilies?! ) but theres villages wheres people are nice and humble and approaching you just to say hi or hello without any other purpose...

theres always good and bad in everything, i would say living anywhere is basicaly the same, how you enjoy your live is the one thing that making it different.

[newgabe]

Hi there Mike. I live in a small village about 4 kms north of Ubud. Quiet, lovely, friendly. I'm returning there on 26th Jan and I am happy to meet you when you come and introduce you to some of the resident expat/Balinesese locals networks of mutual help/ potluck dinners/dance classes (swing dance, salsa etc) movie nights at people's houses, special events/ community action (tree planting/water projects/waste reduction etc)/book clubs/language teaching and all the other 'expat oriented' things that people who live there get up to apart from Yoga!

Penestanan is not at all typical of the area. and if it's not your cup of tea/chai/coffee, easy, just don't there. I agree with Brunol that the extraordinary thing about Ubud is the variety of options available- it's entirely up to you what sort of life you live there- quiet, busy, involved, lush, simple, local oriented, service oriented, learning oriented - whatever. I know a number of expats who live in compounds as well as purpose-built rental villas. Longer term rentals of well set up houses can be around 3million a month, less or more (way more) depending on what you want. I agree that most places are found via word of mouth/from notice boards not through agencies etc. But we can show you where they are when you arrive. I'll be travelling a bit this year, so depending on when you come, ya never know, you might rent my place for a bit. That's how it happens....

As for supermarkets, shopping etc, the main Delta Dewata is fine. (There are also little 'Delta Dewata' 24 hour shops with a limited range of snacks etc) I'm happy that I can buy dairy foods and other Western treats as well as the local staples. And if you need something that isn't locally available (electronics?) it's not far to the southern areas where they are. As you've spent years already in Indo, I imagine you can speak Indonesian and are well used to bargaining/shopping locally in markets as well.

I'll PM you with my contact details and look forward to meeting you and your wife.

[CFesnoux]

Hello Mike, and other Ubud residents. I too, am moving to Ubud soon (in less than 4 weeks), but I guess you are already there by now. I have mentioned this already a few times on this forum, but I am pretty excited to say the least. Four more weeks....!

I am not entirely sure which part of Ubud I will be living. Currently, my husband (Jossie) is living in a small place close to Mosaic Restaurant, north of central Ubud (excuse my lack of details/knowledge), but when I get there we will be looking for something a tad larger, but in the same general area. Any suggestions?

Thank you.

[tobaman]

hi Mike...read the today's Bali Post about all travel bureau/agents are going to ban (stop) all of their tour route to Ubud due to the traffic jam problem is getting worse...am not sure you will spend your precious time in a place like that.

[BatamBule]

My wife and I will also plan to move to the area north of Ubud in the not to distant future.
Hope to meet all you fine folks there.
BB

[nientetyler]

Hi everyone!

Me and some friends are coming to Indonesia for a long term stay. It has always been a dream of mine and people tell me Ubud is amazing.

I will be looking for a place to stay and am praying for some part-time work.

If anyone on here and point me in the right direction for work and shelter, I would greatly appreciate it.

AIM: nientetyler

Thanks so much!
Tyler

[waarmstrong]

Nienteyler, I don't want to dampen your excitement, but working legally in Indonesia requires a good deal of hoop jumping, starting with the proper visa sponsored by your employer. I suggest you use the search function to find and peruse the many work/visa threads on the forum after reading all the basics on the subject in the "Living in Indonesia" link at the top of the page. Good luck, but living and working here requires preparation that seems to be lacking, if you initial post is representative.

[gffgold]

What you propose sounds like a recipe for disappointment. It is very difficult to work legally in Indonesia and frankly there are not many opportunities for informal part-time work such as you might find in Europe. You will not find westerners working in a bar or hotel unless they own the place.

A run-in with officialdom can be very unpleasant and detention at the local immigration office is worth avoiding. Quite a few foreigners each year are detained then deported from Bali.

[Crazy Indian]

Hi guys..

I have recently moved into Ubud...and would love to meet up and make new friends...let me know when and where :)

[IndonesiaOrganic]

Organic resources are also listed on www.indonesiaorganic.com (http://www.indonesiaorganic.com) and we're developing more. Also interested in any leads for organic resources - food, clothing, fabric, trainers, dll in all parts of Indonesia. Ubud also has an organic market on Wednesday and Saturdays with lots of fresh produce and other goodies.

And yes, Ubud has gotten overpriced and full of big buses - there is still a LOT to enjoy - just avoid what you don't like. It's better than south Bali by far.

RE begging children and women, they are from a disadvantaged, dry, remote, and very poor village in the mountains that now has a great project to keep them home, create industry for them, and restore their dignity - one of the links (http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/10/22/balancing-bali039s-other-side.html). It's an amazing project.

[gwazulu]

My family and I are planning to spend December - January in Bali. We live in Surabaya and have stayed in different areas in bali, never in Ubud. I am in negotiations with Bali Solutions on a villa called Villa Dalem.
4 adults + 8 an year old daughter.(grand parents are always part of our holiday plans) Any ideas on 2- bedroomed villas, must have a pool (daughter insists) Dates 14th Dec- 10 January.Will you be able to give me an estimate on what prices I can expect.
Thanks in advance.