How odd, the things you mention were not a problem for us, in fact, we never saw any of that.

It depends on where you go. Lovina and Ubud were fine. Kuta and the area that I stayed in Yogyakarta were the worst places that I have ever been for being harassed, although I am talking about a few years back..

Thanks for all the info.

Shall have to go spend some time there soon I hope for a closer looksie.

I'm moving to yogyakarta ,java. No beach,but cheap to live and the "hub" of handicrafts.8 years in Thailand, time to move on.

Isn't that where the Borobudur is?

yes

I'm moving to yogyakarta ,java. No beach,but cheap to live and the "hub" of handicrafts.8 years in Thailand, time to move on.

What visa do you have?

Thailand,retirement,for indo,over55,all you need for retirement visa is health ins,one million fee and a sponsor,easy to arrange and if rent or buy house,hire a maid,I hire my girlfriend. (breath easy,that's million rupees,100 dollars) I'm here now,make permanent as soon as settle up in Thailand.

I'm moving to yogyakarta ,java. No beach,but cheap to live and the "hub" of handicrafts.8 years in Thailand, time to move on.

Very great little city... Indonesia top universities, arty vibes and open minded locales compared to the majority of other Javanese folks.

Being stuck there for nearly a month during '98 unrest, I had plenty of time to discover it!

After Bandung, Yogya is my favorite place on Java.

.....and the women?

Muslim, not so "forward" and I believe not so mercenary.ie. better chance of finding one here so you can say with more certainty "mines different"

to all those, who claim balis beaches are better than thailands...

could you please name the beaches, you like that much?

i have never seen any more beautiful beachsites than in thailand...

nowhere in the world you see that turquoise water, such fine sand, many palm trees, and easy to bath (no rocks etc)...

the scenery from the sea back to the island is always totally stunning and beautiful...

bali/lombok dont have nice beaches...

they are very wide, in the meantime really clean, and nice sand... but the water doesnt have that color, nor is the setting beautiful... water/tide is here a problem too, its more than in thailand and the sea is often very rough (also more than in thailand)...

the tide is a real issue on some islands, and some spots are possibly a good choice for experienced surfers, but beginners will have a hard time...

Dude, if you have never seen beaches anywhere more beautiful than Thailand, you haven't travelled much, or you're Stevie Wonder.

Australias beaches are easily as good.

just watch out for saltwater crocs and boxed jellyfish and sharks...

nah thats up north. Australias a massive country. 20 japans fit in australia. We have farms bigger than Thailand and thats no joke. Half of australia has no crocs or jellyfish and unless you go out deep dont worry bout sharks. anyway sharks are in every ocean not just ours.

nah thats up north. Australias a massive country. 20 japans fit in australia. We have farms bigger than Thailand and thats no joke. Half of australia has no crocs or jellyfish and unless you go out deep dont worry bout sharks. anyway sharks are in every ocean not just ours.

Tell that to the swimmers of WA this year....oh and I have been chased by sharks 3 times close to shore.

Also, can you point in the direction of a farm in Oz that is circa 120 million acres in size ?

nah thats up north. Australias a massive country. 20 japans fit in australia. We have farms bigger than Thailand and thats no joke. Half of australia has no crocs or jellyfish and unless you go out deep dont worry bout sharks. anyway sharks are in every ocean not just ours.

Tell that to the swimmers of WA this year....oh and I have been chased by sharks 3 times close to shore.

Also, can you point in the direction of a farm in Oz that is circa 120 million acres in size ?

the cattle station I lived on, when dad went to the front gate to get the mail,it was a 3 day trip,by ute.

Bali/Thailand? Where in Thailand?

You do mention Lombok and that has most of the advantages of Bali at a fraction of the costs if that is an issue.

its been long ago, that i have been to lombok - but for quite a while... 15 years back?

i dont remember a single good beach...

and also it doesnt have the countryside beauty as bali...

Ive been to Bali 6 times which is close to my country Australia and only because friends of mine here like it and have asked me to go. Honestly I hate Bali. It sucks been pestered by beggers 24/7. Dont know why I went so many times. Im happy as a pig in crap in Thailand. Glad I married a Thai girl and glad Ive built a house there. Bali suks.

I'm guessing you were plagued with beggars in Kuta, we never saw a single one and we didn't go to Kuta?

Yes that has been my experience also briefly drove through Dempeasar and did not notice any beggars there. Never went to Kuda so I can't comment on that but have seen much of the Island and it is very beautiful. I prefer living in Thailand but Enjoy visiting Bali for a month.

If any one has only been to Kuta and judges the whole island on it that would be like going to Pattaya and judging the whole country on that.

its been long ago, that i have been to lombok - but for quite a while... 15 years back?

i dont remember a single good beach...

and also it doesnt have the countryside beauty as bali...

It has been about 15 years sense I was there and I do not remember a good beach. It seems like the water got deep real fast.

Did a three day on the large Gili and was not overly impressed with it either.

nah thats up north. Australias a massive country. 20 japans fit in australia. We have farms bigger than Thailand and thats no joke. Half of australia has no crocs or jellyfish and unless you go out deep dont worry bout sharks. anyway sharks are in every ocean not just ours.

Tell that to the swimmers of WA this year....oh and I have been chased by sharks 3 times close to shore.

Also, can you point in the direction of a farm in Oz that is circa 120 million acres in size ?

the cattle station I lived on, when dad went to the front gate to get the mail,it was a 3 day trip,by ute.

Thats what Dad said hey...the gins camp was half a day off road.

nah thats up north. Australias a massive country. 20 japans fit in australia. We have farms bigger than Thailand and thats no joke. Half of australia has no crocs or jellyfish and unless you go out deep dont worry bout sharks. anyway sharks are in every ocean not just ours.

Tell that to the swimmers of WA this year....oh and I have been chased by sharks 3 times close to shore.

Also, can you point in the direction of a farm in Oz that is circa 120 million acres in size ?

the cattle station I lived on, when dad went to the front gate to get the mail,it was a 3 day trip,by ute.

I had a car like that, once.

SC

I think Bali is a sh1t hole, but that is just my opinion.

The beaches are nice, I will give them that, but I am not that hard to please. I pretty much just love the sand and sea.

http://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/moving-bali-124000068.html

read this article a while back, pretty interesting. went to Bali for the first time in June, it was a good getaway from BKK. The people and food (suckling roast pig) were awesome; stayed in Seminyak and Ubud with a few days in Kuta so I could be close to the airport when flying out. Also did a hop to the Gili islands to kill a few days.

I was surprised that they had security everywhere inspecting cars and people for bombs at the hotels and malls. Felt safe with this and even walking late at night with my DSL.

Overall had a great time to see a very unqiue culture and a beautiful island, not sure as in moving there. Will surely visit again with the gf.

The few things I didn't like:

Horrible Horrible traffic

Roads and sidewalks not the greatest

Airport was old and run down; new open slated to open in 2013

Exit visa was $15; alot of people were not informed of this and had already changed their change

Alot of tourist every where, more than in Pattaya and Phuket

Not alot of street food vendors like Thailand

to all those, who claim balis beaches are better than thailands...

could you please name the beaches, you like that much?

i have never seen any more beautiful beachsites than in thailand...

Dude, if you have never seen beaches anywhere more beautiful than Thailand, you haven't travelled much, or you're Stevie Wonder.

I have seen beaches all along the East and West coast of the US and Canada, Hawaii, the East and West Coast of Australia, Vietnam, Indonesia and some other places and Thailand's beaches are as beautiful as any that I have seen.

I like the beaches in the Philipines and also some in Southern India and Maldives..

Thailand isn't even on the top ten beaches in the following link.

http://travel.nation...beaches/#page=2

Or even in the top 25 in this link - http://www.tripadvisor.com/TravelersChoice-Beaches-cDestinations-g1

People don't come to l;ive in Thailand for the beautiful beaches anyway. Those who say they do are lying, especially if they live in Pattaya.

Edited August 11, 201213 yr by Johnniey

Sorry, but your "definitive lists", include such mediocre destinations as Virginia beach and Myrtle beach - which are nice, but hardly world class beaches - and on top of that, it seems to have escaped your attention that neither list includes Bali which is the what the thread is about.

IMO Thailand's beaches are much nicer than Bali's and some of them are as nice as beaches in the Philippines, which I have visited but did not mention as they are not any better than some of the others that I did bring up.

As for your claim that no one comes to Thailand for its beaches, that is not even worth commenting on.

Edited August 12, 201213 yr by Ulysses G.

http://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/moving-bali-124000068.html

read this article a while back, pretty interesting. went to Bali for the first time in June, it was a good getaway from BKK. The people and food (suckling roast pig) were awesome; stayed in Seminyak and Ubud with a few days in Kuta so I could be close to the airport when flying out. Also did a hop to the Gili islands to kill a few days.

I was surprised that they had security everywhere inspecting cars and people for bombs at the hotels and malls. Felt safe with this and even walking late at night with my DSL.

Overall had a great time to see a very unqiue culture and a beautiful island, not sure as in moving there. Will surely visit again with the gf.

The few things I didn't like:

Horrible Horrible traffic

Roads and sidewalks not the greatest

Airport was old and run down; new open slated to open in 2013

Exit visa was $15; alot of people were not informed of this and had already changed their change

Alot of tourist every where, more than in Pattaya and Phuket

Not alot of street food vendors like Thailand

Bloody drunken Aussies everywhere,loved it,beats being swamped by ruskies as in pattaya.

Pattaya is pristine.

Pattaya deserves world heritage listing.

Pattaya is pristine.

Pattaya deserves world heritage listing.

Of course it does!

Been. A month in Yogyakarta,this ain't for me,BOREING. Bali in a day or so to check out accommodation prices with the view of moving there from pattaya.

Thats what Dad said hey...the gins camp was half a day off road.

Hopefully you don't get to Australia, with this sort of offensive, racist nonsense from the 50s.