Bali Vs Thailand

[samui04]

Price in Bali an average 30 % less than Phangan/Samui and quality much better than Thai

No-one has really answered the OP's question.

Is Bali cheaper than LOS?

Forget about the price of hotels. What are the costs of a meal at a restaurant, bottle of water, street food, MC'Ds...Taxi's, Starbucks, beer in a bar etc etc etc

RAZZ

The hotel is the primary expense, even on montly stay, and looking at some web sites the price always in dollars are not cheap at all.

From a Euroland point of view remember that to feel a difference price must be at least half.

And just checking for this summer on Austrian Alps an half board very nice hotel is 30E peak season, less than Samui....

The first world is cheaper than the third......

[LivinLOS]

What's the visa situation in Bali (Indo)?

I checked some web site and the visa situation for medium/long stay is worse than Thailand.

It seems they just want 1 month tourists.....

To replace thailand at minimum i want something like malesya, free 90 days stamp at border.

This is exactly what I've found. You can apply for a 2 month visa at the Indonesian Embassy in Bangkok If I recall correctly but from what I've heard it's a place more for a tourist with his family than the lone expat/traveller.

Get a tourist visa and extend it without visa running for up to 6 months.. Thats more than I can get in Thailand..

Or have a lawyer sort out a kitas for you and stay all year.. IIRC it was about 1000 USD to have it all done for you (but that was a couple of years ago).. Again cant do that here..

[LivinLOS]

Looking at the size of Bali compared to Thailand there is no contest.

If you're a beach addict and enjoy gawping at pretty structures then fill your boots. If you like big travel and adventure, stick with Thailand.

You think Thailand is more adventourous than Indo ?? You cant have been off Bali !!

Comparing Bali and Thailand is not like for like.. Its an island v a country.. Compare Phuket to Bali or compare Indo to Thailand and say theres not the adventure !! I have ridden java, pushed and dragged a bike off road over the corona of a volcano.. Got in a accident and near riot on lombok etc.. Taken boats over islands.. You can ride from Ache to Timor !! How much adventure do you need ?? Thailand is WAY less adventurous than Indo..

My brother is right now journeying from Bali via Lombok to Sumbawa to surf 'scars' as the forcast is in for 20+ ft swell.. The adventure level of bali is miles better.. But its that very adventure, the adventure in getting reliable or fast internet, or the adventure in any services, the adventure of being held up by corrupt cops for invented reasons, that Thailand wins for in an 'easy life' aspect. Thailand is far more mundane and predictable, has more reliable services, better connections, is much less 3rd world in its developed bits.

[LivinLOS]

Price in Bali an average 30 % less than Phangan/Samui and quality much better than Thai

No-one has really answered the OP's question.

Is Bali cheaper than LOS?

Forget about the price of hotels. What are the costs of a meal at a restaurant, bottle of water, street food, MC'Ds...Taxi's, Starbucks, beer in a bar etc etc etc

RAZZ

I find Bali far cheaper.. But then I live on Phuket (expensive for Thailand) and when I go to bali live in a house out of the tourist zones and ride a rental bike to cheap spots..

Bali is for me 50 - 60% the price of Thailand. But I dont pay hotels and am lucky enough to have locals to guide me.

[ChangMaiSausage]

Price in Bali an average 30 % less than Phangan/Samui and quality much better than Thai

No-one has really answered the OP's question.

Is Bali cheaper than LOS?

Forget about the price of hotels. What are the costs of a meal at a restaurant, bottle of water, street food, MC'Ds...Taxi's, Starbucks, beer in a bar etc etc etc

RAZZ

I find Bali far cheaper.. But then I live on Phuket (expensive for Thailand) and when I go to bali live in a house out of the tourist zones and ride a rental bike to cheap spots..

Bali is for me 50 - 60% the price of Thailand. But I dont pay hotels and am lucky enough to have locals to guide me.

We came back last week and I would say that day to day costs are almost the same (my opinion) eating and drinking.

Trips i.e. fishing, elephant trex, tourist spots are more expensive in Bali than Thailand.

[RAZZELL]

Well, I'm off there in exactly 4 weeks

Will report back with my experiences.

RAZZ

Edited July 26, 2009 by RAZZELL

[Bjorn]

Bali got everything you may ask for and a lot cheaper than Thai tourist destinations. Not much cheating in Bali........

[DarloKnight]

I went to Bali in October 2005 2 weeks after the last bombings, I had booked to get married there and there was no way I was going to cancel because of this so we still went. Security was really good at the hotel all vehicle were checked before they were allowed into the driveway.

I got married at the Bali Hyatt in Sanur we spent 2 weeks there and loved every minute. I found Bali to be alot cheaper than Thailand and we were not pestered at all and we travelled around the island.

We did consider going to Thailand to get married but it was twice the cost of Bali.

We are returning to Thailand at Christmas but I think it will be out last trip for sometime, we are planning on going back to Bali next year in October for our 5th Wedding anniversary.

[Chaimai]

Just got back from Bali and it is a beautiful place. Our summary would be as follows:-

Generally it is a little cheaper than Thailand - especially if you are comparing 'like for like' ie Kuta with Pattaya.

Positives:-

Greater natural beauty in Bali.

The climate - it was 28/29 degrees most days with a cooling off in the evenig. A fresh sea breeze ensured that you did not get the oppressive heat of Thailand's hot season.

The people seemed to be genuinely friendly and helpful.

Negatives:-

The hawkers - they are a pain and everyone is looking for your business. Take a taxi and they will question you about your transport requirements for the rest of your holiday. Also quite aggressive and persistent at tourist attractions.

The currency - it is like Monopoly money. Getting your head round the fact that one million Rupiah was only GBP 60 was not easy at first.

Bargaining - everyone starts at such ridiculous figure i.e, a painting I bought for 500,000 IR had a starting price of 1,700.000 IR. I bought a small souvenir for 25,000 IR that started with an asking price of 200,000 IR

Moneychangers - I would not recommend the street moneychangers. I am convinced that I lost 1 million Rupiah but I have no idea how I was scammed.

A word of warning about "over-stay". I booked a 7 night holiday and paid visa on arrival - 150,000 Rupiah, I think. You then pay again on departure. At immigration I was told that I had overstayed 1 day and the cost was 200,000 IR. I had been on Bali soil for 8 actual days but only 7 'complete' days if you count from the time of arrival to the time of departure 7 days later. I had no IR cash left and created a bit of a fuss and refused to go back downstairs to an ATM - the immigration official grudgingly 'let me off'.

[StatlerandWaldorf]

This thread has been quite interesting, but I have to agree that in some ways we are comparing apples and bananas.

Of course, from another perspective that does not matter - time to take a holiday, where is a good place to go.

I love both Thailand and Bali. But by bf looks at Bali and says "Waah! After those executions, there will be reprisals! Too dangerous!". Then he looks as the news from Thailand, and says "Waah! First the yellow-shirted mobs, now the red-shirted mobs, next..." He knows neither location is really dangerous. We have friends who live in BKK. We live in HK. Logic and clearheadedness are not the issue - emotions are a large part.

We're now going to the United States next month to visit my parents.

Hopefully I can work a shorter trip back to Thailand (or Bali or Phillipines) into my schedule in Feb or Mar...

-Spode

Philippines is often overlooked because it is difficult to stay there for long with the visa issue (21 days tourist visa), and there are no land borders to do visa runs.

I personally find the Philippines to be very interesting but please venture beyond Manila. I have travelled a lot in Northern Mindanao and the people are great. There are a significant number or crazy people but mostly they will not bother you. A really great place I would suggest is Camiguin (pronounced Camigin), very unspoilt island and the locals really take pride in the place. Well worth a visit in my opinion but don't expect night life as it is almost none existant.

Happy travels

[fantuzi]

[quote

Moneychangers - I would not recommend the street moneychangers. I am convinced that I lost 1 million Rupiah but I have no idea how I was scammed.

I know how - rigged calculator and sweet innocent girl who did it;this is special Bali scam.You tend to trust digital?dont in Bali!

[fantuzi]

It happens in Patong always,but they have jetski in Patong at least.

You should read www.relax.com.sg/site/servlet/segment/relax/news/5106/He_drowned_afte.html

[JR Texas]

It happens in Patong always,but they have jetski in Patong at least.

You should read www.relax.com.sg/site/servlet/segment/relax/news/5106/He_drowned_afte.html

Yes, Bali is cheaper......much better hotels for the same price as in Thailand......wonderful beaches.......beautiful natural areas.......interesting culture......very nice people.......downside is the same: too many hawkers that will drive you mad (Thailand has them too but Bali has too many)

[relayer]

It happens in Patong always,but they have jetski in Patong at least. You should read www.relax.com.sg/site/servlet/segment/relax/news/5106/He_drowned_afte.html

Yes, Bali is cheaper......much better hotels for the same price as in Thailand......wonderful beaches.......beautiful natural areas.......interesting culture......very nice people.......downside is the same: too many hawkers that will drive you mad (Thailand has them too but Bali has too many)

I found prices to vary widely for both food and lodging. There were certainly deals to be had in Kuta as well as Sanur, but it's all about what you're after. For example, there are a number of "homestays" (sort of like a motel/guesthouse) and small hotels in the Kuta beach area that are comparable in price to Thailand, yet offer a quiet, "temple/garden"-like atmosphere, and only minutes to the beach (PM me if you want names). Good value if you're planning an extended stay on a budget. As far as restaurants go, I found a GREAT little place in Kuta that served up sizzling top sirloin steak w/vegetables and fries for only 22,000 rupiahs (~75 baht). Dessert? A full plate of sliced pineapple, papaya, watermelon and banana for only 6,000 rupiahs (~20 baht). I was in heaven. There were many other bargains among the seafood offerings, too (and, no, I cannot disclose this place. It is already becoming too popular...).

Surfing, shopping, nightlife --> Kuta.

Slower pace, fewer tourists, but still good restuarants --> Sanur.

Opulent villas, 5-star resorts and even fewer people --> Nusa Dua.

Then there are the far-flung locations which have their own distinct flavor.

And if you book WAY early with a carrier like AirAsia, travel costs can be almost insignificant.

Overall, Bali's definitely a worthy alternate to Thailand -- sort of like "the LoS of the southern hemisphere", only more enchanting...

[GungaDin]

A very interesting topic.

A lot of good posts and info for someone who hasn't been to Bali.

I'm surprised that the OP hasn't reported on his trip.

[jfchandler]

The TGF and I have our air tickets on Air Asia purchased/scheduled for the spring... Bought at one of their almost pay nothing sales. Now we just need to set about scouting out a place neither of us has ever visited before...

[topben]

i live in bali and i can tell you that the terrorism threat is not a major point of discussion with locals. they are quietly happy that the 3 bombers have been executed and do not talk about it a lot.

in fact, i personally think that its a very safe time to visit bali. the number of undercover police on the ground is phenomenal and you will find that many of the security guards are, in fact, police. most hotels have security checking vehicles with mirrors and dogs, and they also search the cars on the way in.

as for the question about bali being a cheaper alternative than thailand, i would say yes. petrol is .50 cents US a litre, food is cheap, and transportation is cheap. given that the current exchange rate is around 11,000Rp/USD) i think its pretty good value for money.

last night 3 of us went out for dinner in a lovely restaurant. we had drinks, and a lovely meal, and the cost was Rp 100,000 each. under USD10 per person.

i say you should come!

Were the 3 bombers local? And why would locals want to continue to talk about it, it's bad for tourism.

Anyways, go if you want to because all the bombs i see going off in Thailand are definately killing two hundred tourists at a time. When was the last time tourist here was killed by a bomb?

Everyone's entitled to their own views, but for me, I have more faith in the Thai authorities over those that let things like Bali happen and that Marriot in Jakarta.

well the 3 bombers WERE indonesian, so i guess that may make them local.

why would locals NOT talk about it?

and, yes, we are all entitled to their views. thats what the forum is all about - sharing views and ideas. im not saying you are wrong and i am right - not at all.

bali is more than 70% hindu i stand corrected on this one - but i believe the percentage is actually much higher.. hindus believe strongly in karma , i.e. the next life. muslims don't. the three indonesians responsible for the bombings are muslims. even if they live in bali, they are a minority. tautology here is uncalled for. the marriot hotel is not in bali. again that was attacked by muslims, not hindus. the fear of a bad karma amongst hindus is strong.basically, the idea behind of karma is to do no evil and risk no evil bouncing back at you in your next life. the risk of another terrorist attack in bali is much less than in southern thailand. but then who knows. then again, it can happen anywhere to anyone with or without kids.

the primary concern about visiting bali at the said time is more the national asian hindu and chinese new year festive holidays during which hotels and return flights may prove an uphill task if no booking in advance is made. bali or thailand? both places have these holidays.

my choice? bali, of course. the experience ex-thailand today is worth every penny.just go for it.the ambience is not quite the same even though thailand may have similar adventures and equally charming places to offer.

[sokal]

i live in bali and i can tell you that the terrorism threat is not a major point of discussion with locals. they are quietly happy that the 3 bombers have been executed and do not talk about it a lot.

in fact, i personally think that its a very safe time to visit bali. the number of undercover police on the ground is phenomenal and you will find that many of the security guards are, in fact, police. most hotels have security checking vehicles with mirrors and dogs, and they also search the cars on the way in.

as for the question about bali being a cheaper alternative than thailand, i would say yes. petrol is .50 cents US a litre, food is cheap, and transportation is cheap. given that the current exchange rate is around 11,000Rp/USD) i think its pretty good value for money.

last night 3 of us went out for dinner in a lovely restaurant. we had drinks, and a lovely meal, and the cost was Rp 100,000 each. under USD10 per person.

i say you should come!

what if you really liked cheaping out ? Is Bali's cheap stuff cheaper then Thailand's cheap stuff ? Like fresh pineapple from a fruit stand in Thailand is 10 bht. Or a breakfast buffet is 120 bht. I just don't see how it could be that much cheaper but maybe im wrong.

[sokal]

Hi there,

Pattaya is cheap. It has everything that any body could wish for... Diving Jet ski's.

The only thing I havent found Pattaya yet is a bad time for my money.

Rio

Pattaya just seems too smutty for me. I love the place but its too hard to block out the smut. Do you think its cheaper then bali ?

[relayer]

The TGF and I have our air tickets on Air Asia purchased/scheduled for the spring... Bought at one of their almost pay nothing sales. Now we just need to set about scouting out a place neither of us has ever visited before...

jf, check your messages.

[fridgemagnet]

Cheap places? for hotel in Legian, try the Jimbaro Hotel =$US 60 a month.

Food at a good local warung, for two, $us 3.

Not bad, eh.

Mind you, the hotel is BASIC.

[fridgemagnet]

Cheap places? for hotel in Legian, try the Jimbaro Hotel =$US 60 a month.

Food at a good local warung, for two, $us 3.

Not bad, eh.

[LaoPo]

I've staid once in this bungalow resort in Legian:

http://baliwww.com/threebrothers/index.htm

It is one street behind the beach/ocean and is quite big although one doesn't see that. The gardens are absolutely stunning beautiful and there are many different kinds (style and price) bungalows. I don't think booking is necessary; best to go there, try and have a look (taxi).

Entrance is best from Jalan Legian where the reception desk is.

If you walk out and cross the Jalan Padma Utura you can go through the back gate of the huge Padma Hotel and walk through their beautiful gardens; make sure you hide your towel and greet the doorman nicely....he will think you're a guest

http://maps.google.nl/maps?f=q&source=...mp;t=h&z=18

LaoPo

[stevehaigh]

My thai wife and me just agreed to move from KPG to Bali the next year. I don't list here the pros and cons about Bali vs Thailand. We are so happy for our choice. Yes, we must start again! Open a new business, find a land, build an house, learn the language. Will be hard, but in the meantime so exciting.

i'm curious, did you move already? as a long time ex-resident of KPN i'm interested to know how the move went, especially for your wife

[tijnebijn]

I love Bali , I've stayed there 3 times for about a month , has been while and

make me have sweet memories , if me not staying in Chiangmai , I would prefer Bali ,

its better and greater then all I have been really , I also like Ubud , still have Balinese friends there .

If my mother (who is at retirement in Thailand right here ) can't cope anymore cause of

exchange rates or whatever reason , I would bring her to Bali , not sure what or how it is for retirees , what they need from you to stay long term , heared it was not favourable to Thailand , but living and going at two places might be interesting , should take her on holiday there soon .