How does Bali compare to Pattaya or Phuket

[Celsius]

You can't compare it with Phuket. Phuket is a lawless $hit hole lawless mafia central.

 

Bali is not.

 

If young hippies annoy you then Bali is not for you and neither is any place on this planet outside your mom's basement.

[scorecard]

1 hour ago, georgegeorgia said:

I just heard a work colleague saying how great Bali is !

They could retire there they said 

 

I asked them to compare it to Pattaya or Phuket but they have never been !

 

So guys who have been ....is Bali a good retirement option ?

 

I want to go but ....I have this image of tattooed Aussie bogans/chavs holding beer bottles 

 

I want to go but ....I have this image of tattooed Aussie bogans/chavs holding beer bottles "  Yes quite a few Aussies like Bali for their hols.

 

I've been there about 10 times, for company meetings and as a location for Indo. government seminars etc.

 

I enjoyed every trip. I found the locals friendly and welcoming, and plenty of English.

 

Give it a try!

 

I guess some searching will open up details r retirement and some comments from westerners already retired there.

 

God luck.

 

 

[bignok]

2 minutes ago, Celsius said:

You can't compare it with Phuket. Phuket is a lawless $hit hole lawless mafia central.

 

Bali is not.

 

If young hippies annoy you then Bali is not for you and neither is any place on this planet outside your mom's basement.

Why do people want to be surrounded by millions of tourists?

[scubascuba3]

1 hour ago, bignok said:

Thats why I wouldnt go. Muslim nation. Not proper law enforcement after. Some got only a few years jail.

You've not been so your view is just wrong, if you'd been to other parts of Indonesia you'd know the difference. non muslim aussie bogans love going to Bali

[scubascuba3]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Never mind bars, how is the girl scene? Any comparison to Thailand?

Available but not in your face like Pattaya. No bar girls when i was there, but not all holidays need to involve sex workers 

[still kicking]

14 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Available but not in your face like Pattaya. No bar girls when i was there, but not all holidays need to involve sex workers 

That's the reason he lives in Thailand. 

[spidermike007]

If you are anywhere from Ubud to the north, east or west parts of the island, it is quite nice. If you're in the southern third of the island, west or south of Denpasar it's an absolute pit from the worst nightmare you've ever imagined in your life. That area is so congested, so overdeveloped, with traffic that is some of most horrendous on earth. It makes rush hour in Bangkok look easy. It is also so chock full of partying young Aussie kids, and it's literally the worst place in the world to go on vacation.

 

From Ubud north it's nice. In Ubud there's a great jazz scene, the food's is amazing, great local architecture and art. Bali has some of the best handicrafts I've seen anywhere on the world, and it is a spectacular island. If only you could take a helicopter from the airport in Denpasar to Ubud, you would be okay, or maybe travel after midnight.

 

I was there in 1986 and it was paradise. Went back around 10 years ago and was shocked at how spectacularly over developed the southern third of the island had become. Avoid the Kuta, Legian, Seminyak area like the plague. It is the plague. It is awful.

 

 

[Prubangboy]

Ubud is def a girlfriend destination, not for solo Bogans on the make -tho, plenty of pay for play is on offer. Fear not jail for shagging, Bogans. 

 

As I understand it, a Bintang beer coozie is a deeply prized Bogan status symbol, partic when spotted along side a Bintang wife beater. For Bogan-ologists, this is prob the best place to see them frolicking in the wild, just like you might spot gorilla's in Rwanda.

 

It's def in the top 5 most tropically beautiful places, up there with Maui or Fiji. I'd put it up there as the equal of Chiang Mai and Luang Prubang in my SEA ratings.

 

I'd compare it to Oaxaca or Santa Fe -vaguely spiritual places, with a much-collected art aesthetic, in a gorgeous setting. If you like their new age spa/yoga thing, it's prob the best such place on earth for the money (hence the Girlfriend destination recco).

 

The Balinese dance and gamelan shows are deep, but severely patience-testing. Maybe a third of the audience will still be in their seats 60 minutes later. I've gone about a dozen times.

 

Reading about it and listening to a little of mod-composer Steve Reich would help you develop an ear to enjoy it. Mickey Hart, the Grateful Dead drummer, is another mega-fan and his writings are another way in.

 

'Went 3 times; scratched the itch, prob done. Komodo Island was the most gorgeous part of Indo (skipping the now politically incorrect big lizard show).

 

Sumba and Ubud would be a true  5* honeymoon. 'Can't fault Despansar as a 3 day town, partic if you want to buy wood carving. 

 

If you go to an Indo restaurant where they put a million little plates on your table, anything you touch, even with your elbow, will be on your bill. The rest will be re-collected for the next punter (so go for an early lunch before that chicken sate has been out too long).

[save the frogs]

8 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

surfer dudes and girls everywhere.

what's wrong with people surfing?

are you jealous because you're too fat to surf?

 

what's next? we should start hating people who part their hair the middle?

 

[scorecard]

7 hours ago, bignok said:

Why do people want to be surrounded by millions of tourists?

Bali is not just a tourist spot. There's plenty of places outside the immediate Bali beaches / town, which are very local. Very friendly caring people, always happy to share great food. Enough English, great architecture, black and white checked symbolic flags everywhere, lots of artisan workshops. And then there's UBUD,  city way less tourists, very Balinese style, attitudes and the location of the famous / wonderful Dirty Dick restaurant.

[Captain Monday]

 

 

I could enjoy living  permanently on Bali but would not visit again as a tourist.

 

Please mark "confused" and move on.

[scubascuba3]

7 hours ago, save the frogs said:

what's wrong with people surfing?

are you jealous because you're too fat to surf?

 

what's next? we should start hating people who part their hair the middle?

 

I've surfed, certainly not too fat, too fit maybe. It's just the mindset of those bogan surfer dudes, if you know you know

[geisha]

14 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Never mind bars, how is the girl scene? Any comparison to Thailand?

I’ve spent 3 weeks there lately. Never saw many bars, it’s pubs and restaurants and beach clubs everywhere. Never noticed any bar girls at all. 
lots of music and young people. 

[geisha]

6 hours ago, Captain Monday said:

 

 

I could enjoy living  permanently on Bali but would not visit again as a tourist.

 

Please mark "confused" and move on.

Bali was a beautiful island. Spent a lot of time there . Until the big hotels and beach clubs took over. 
id never retire there. Too hot for me , too humid, bad waste problem on the beaches due to the tides from Java . Not so keen on the food though I do like a good rendang , and a black rice sweet pudding. Any alcoholic drinks  that won’t kill you are very expensive. Most people eat in the small warungs, some are very good. Roads are terrible !!! No pavements for walking, thousands of scooters/ bikes. Supermarkets very expensive unless you eat local. Very few condos and most are high end. Very strict drug laws and impossible to get meds some people need, even from hospitals. 
On the good side, the Balinese are beautiful people, kind, helpful, not lazy, and speak English. You can actually have a conversation.  The countryside , what’s left of it, is stunning. The architecture is mostly typical Balinese and the new hotels / villas etc keep in pace with this.

I think if you’re happy with what Pattaya or Phuket provides, then you won’t like Bali because you won’t find it there.

[malibukid]

serious  waves and better restaurants

[Captain Monday]

47 minutes ago, geisha said:

I’ve spent 3 weeks there lately. Never saw many bars, it’s pubs and restaurants and beach clubs everywhere. Never noticed any bar girls at all. 
lots of music and young people. 

Long time ago to travel and layover there a lot. in fact I was in Sari club Sept 28 2002 

Bali used to have the girls you are talking about working the disco/clubs, they came from Java en masse on weekends. Had plenty of fun then beautiful island and people, culture. The last time I was in Ubud was a few years after the attacks at that point I figured it was ruined  unless one desires mass commercialism and constant hassles. The guys I knew with Balinese wives did not meet them in bars.

Edited November 26, 2023 by Captain Monday

[thaibeachlovers]

13 hours ago, still kicking said:

That's the reason he lives in Thailand. 

As good a reason to live in LOS as any. I suppose some on here don't like sex.

[thaibeachlovers]

13 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

If you're in the southern third of the island, west or south of Denpasar it's an absolute pit from the worst nightmare you've ever imagined in your life. That area is so congested, so overdeveloped, with traffic that is some of most horrendous on earth.

Sounds like Penang. I loved it in the 70s, but in 2017 it was horrible. More people does not make places better. International mass tourism is not good for the favourite places, but hopefully it means that other places don't get destroyed.

[findlay13]

18 hours ago, bignok said:

Thats why I wouldnt go. Muslim nation. Not proper law enforcement after. Some got only a few years jail.

Yeah not like Thailand. 

[thaibeachlovers]

8 hours ago, save the frogs said:

what's wrong with people surfing?

are you jealous because you're too fat to surf?

 

what's next? we should start hating people who part their hair the middle?

 

What's wrong with calling surfer dudes surfer dudes? Chill man!

[Red Forever]

16 hours ago, vangrop said:

Muslim country ruled by the charie and the book too dangerous too intollerant. Give me a zen boudhistic country as Thailand. To live and let live. So no comparison, Pukhet Pattaya far better to live.

"Pukhet Pattaya far better to live"?

Blimey, that's a low bar to clear. 

[sandyf]

17 hours ago, georgegeorgia said:

So guys who have been ....is Bali a good retirement option ?

I would say no. I went a couple of years back and quite nice to get out and about so ok for a visit but not not for me on a long term basis.

The beach was covered in rubbish, about the worst I have seen and seen some grim areas around Pattaya. Touts were a real pain, walking along the road motorbikes would crawl alongside trying to sell you something. Food not too bad but didn't seem to have the same scope in variety as you get here in Thailand.

It is each to there own but when looking at retirement you need to do the homework.

[Smokey and the Bandit]

17 hours ago, bignok said:

https://www.frommers.com/blogs/arthur-frommer-online/blog_posts/the-end-of-tourism-in-bali-indonesia-outlaws-sex-outside-marriage-for-visitors-too

 

Get jail if u shag a local!

Don't believe everything you read!

[Smokey and the Bandit]

2 hours ago, geisha said:

I’ve spent 3 weeks there lately. Never saw many bars, it’s pubs and restaurants and beach clubs everywhere. Never noticed any bar girls at all. 
lots of music and young people. 

Certainly agree with you! I have lived and worked in Jakarta for around 5 years and been to Bali, maybe 15 times. Its a place to take a girlfriend, not really a place to get one. If the OP is looking for bar girls etc, paying a bar fine, then no and certainly no Go Go bars!

Its more a place to chill out and enjoy the scenery, plenty of culture around if you care to look!

[Startmeup]

Just came back from almost 3 weeks in Bail. Have been a few times but this was the first time in a many years.

 

1. Traffic is horrendous. Not sure how compares regards to road safety, I think speeds are lower in Bali - safety is better

2. There are various areas on the island depending on your desires, huge variety in pricing for everything

 

3. Locals are friendly, more friendly than Thailand in my experience, They speak better English.

 

4. Getting Pestering as you walk the street (motorbike taxis stopping) on the beach-buy this n that, worse than Phuket.

 

5. Alot of development going on with an ever growing shortage of land, people are getting pushed out further and further from the current hot spots to afford buying/building property.

6. Transport is cheaper than Thailand (taxis, mototaxis) 

 

7. The range of options for bars/restaurants and hotels in Bali is much much better than Phuket

 

8. Alot of woke vegan eat pray love types. Alot of fashion type people. Alot of beautiful women. Could perhaps compare Patong to Kuta. Not sure Thailand has a place that you could compare Canggu to, young, hip types mostly foreigners that are very into aesthetics. Insta/influencer (wannabe) types.

 

9. Big scene for top end partying, Beach clubs, top DJs than 

Phuket or Pattaya offers

 

10. Surfing mecca in various areas of the island and islands within proximity to Bali

 

11. Good place for an island wedding if that's what you want, much better value to fly from Aus to Bali and celebrate there in an amazing five star resort than to do it in Aus. I didn't attend the wedding but was in and around it and the setup they have for weddings there I have not seen anything the likes of in Thailand? 

 

Not sure what else you want to know. 

[Jenkins9039]

Isle of the Gods... nicer climate, costs roughly the same as Thailand, some tourist places on par with phuket tourist places, people are nice, pre covid used to fly down every year for a break

[Old Croc]

19 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

that was around 2002, i went 6 months after and was pretty dead, then fully recovered

I was in that bar 6 months before it was bombed.

 

I've been to Bali 13 times, but after I started visiting Phuket decided Thailand was my preferred place to retire.

[champers]

18 hours ago, bignok said:

 I avoid Pattaya. 

Good to know.

[Old Croc]

I first went to Bali in 1976 and it was a paradise, reminiscent of the film based upon it. At that time Kuta had only a couple of bars and less hotels.  The mainly Hindu people there were happy and welcoming. Years later Javanese people, seeing the wealth the Island generated, started to flock there to fleece the tourists. They effectively ruined the main tourist areas with their presence and sales tactics. As others have stated, it has become an overcrowded nightmare in those areas where the short-term party goers congregate. Most commentators here will have formed their opinions of Bali based on stays in Kuta in the same way that the ignorant believe Patong is all that Phuket offers.

Bali is 10x the size of Thailand's biggest Island and there are many places inland and around the coastline that can offer a retiree a great lifestyle. Many avail themselves of that lifestyle. Indonesia appreciates the inflow of money from visitors and the visa and stay requirements are a breeze in comparison to Thailand.

 

If the girlie thing is a must for you it does exist in the clubs. I was once having a quiet beer with others at the small bar in my accommodation hotel, before heading out for the night, when a guy went around the bar taking orders for ladies from the drinkers. 

[NicoBKK]

Become far too expensive compared to Thailand. Couple of retired friends with family married with Indonesians are selling their properties in Bali and moving to Phuket.