Australians are leaving the country in droves in search of cheaper property in places like Bali, but there are some darker sides that expats are starting to expose.
As Australia’s property prices creep up, migration data shows Aussies are moving overseas and many are choosing cheaper locations like Bali to purchase or rent property as well as keeping their daily costs low.
It’s estimated there are around 10,000 Aussies living in Bali, according to Curtain University research, and Australia makes up 16 per cent of all international arrivals.
There is a strong expat and digital nomad community, yet there are some dark sides to living full time in Bali that many keep hidden.
Jess Linderman, a travel content creator and photographer, has been living in Bali for eight months and has taken to social media to expose the downsides and the “reality that’s not always shown on Instagram or YouTube,” of living in Bali.
After six months living in Bali, Jess Linderman exposed the dark side of living there. Photo: YouTube.
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Dengue Fever and Healthcare
Dengue Fever, was a major health risk, Ms Linderman pointed out, and said she had previously experienced in another country which hospitalised her for five days.
“It can be a pretty serious disease to get,” Ms Linderman said. “It was awful and a really scary time for me.”
It’s advisable to wear mosquito repellent and long sleeves when you’re out, she added.
“It’s more common during the rainy season,” she said.
Healthcare was also a major issue when it came to anything bigger than “minor things.”
“You may have to be flown to Jakarta or Singapore,” she said. “It’s getting better but it’s still not up to the same standards as it is around the world.”
Mould and humidity
“Another challenge here is mould,” she said. “Mould is a common issue here … make sure to check for mould,” she said, explaining that when she first moved into her villa she didn’t realise her accommodation was riddled with mould, which is another health risk.
Long wet seasons on Bali and the constant humidity play a huge role in the prevenance of mould but also in a visitor’s ability to stay comfortable.
“The humidity can also be really intense here, particularly in the wet season,” Ms Linderman said.
Mould in her villa.
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Bali belly and clean water
Not being able to access clean water all the time was another downfall.
Ms Linderman revealed that she’d had issues with the dreaded food poisoning and diarrhoea commonly known as ‘Bali belly.’
“You can’t drink the tap water here, you have to drink bottled water and it’s even advised not to brush your teeth with the tap water,” she said.
“It’s a little bit of a nuisance not being able to access clean water all the time and also depending on where you eat it’s a bit of a risk.”
Insects, bugs and pests
Many villas also have open air living areas, which means you’re exposed to the elements and also bugs, insects and lizards.
She said she has to have a mosquito net over her when she sleeps and there were often cockroaches or geckos inside her villa.
Jess revealed some of the darker sides of life in Bali. Photo: YouTube
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Walkability
Other difficulties included the lack of walkability, and needing to be comfortable riding on the back of, or, driving a scooter otherwise there was a real struggle to get around.
There aren’t many footpaths and you were often battling with scooters, chickens, other people, dogs and all sorts of things on the side of the road if you chose to walk.
“I find it stressful to walk around,” she said. “I end up relying on my scooter a lot instead of getting up and going for a walk as much as I’d like to be.”
The traffic on the road can also be incredibly busy when driving a scooter.
Pollution
There was also a considerable amount of pollution in the air, Ms Linderman said.
“There’s a lot of smoke from trash and crops being burnt,” she said.
Smoke would blow into her villa, she claimed, and she even had to purchase an air purifier and high-grade mask to try and protect herself further.
Older cars that are poorly maintained also contributed to the poor air quality, she claims.
Jess and her friend riding a scooter. Photo: YouTube
Friendship
Making friends is also hard, due to the transient nature of the place.
“You can meet people pretty easily, but your friendship might be more short term then your used to.”
Internet
As many people who moved to Bali were digital nomads, it will surprise some to know that often the internet isn’t as reliable as it can be in Australia.
Ms Linderman said the internet reliability had gotten better over the years but it could still be dodgy in some areas, and during the wet season there was often power outages.
Bali was full of construction. Photo: YouTube
Rising costs and construction
Bali is not as cheap as it once was.
The destination is still very affordable compared to Australian prices, but no longer as cost effective as people believe.
There’s also a considerable amount of construction happening, to keep up with the demand, however that meant it was hard to find a peaceful location that wasn’t near a construction site.
Ms Linderman said this didn’t mean that Bali wasn’t great.
She loved the culture, saying “no place is perfect, everywhere is going to have its downsides.”
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