Typically, most retirees yearn to live out their remaining years in solitude by staying in their homes, and only moving about 15 miles away to a retirement community or nursing home when the time comes. Others look upon retirement as an opportunity to see faraway places and do things that were not possible while they were working. A select few retire in Bali, an Indonesian paradise dotted with rice paddies while providing almost endless miles of pristine beaches. Here are a few things to do when you retire in Bali.
Tips
- Learn all you can about Bali before deciding to give it a try. Simply start by entering "Bali" into your search engine, and read all you can find. Only then will you be in a position to take the next step..
- Before you take up permanent residence in Bali, stay there for at least six months to see if Bali is where you want to spend the rest of your life. Real estate is very inexpensive there so you will be able to live in the lap of luxury while you decide. For example, you can rent a small house with air conditioning and a pool for less than $1,000 per month.
- Seek help to obtain a visa for longer than 30 days. Immigration issues in Indonesia are some of the most difficult in Asia, because many foreigners have discovered its beauty, diversity and low cost of living. For that reason, authorities there make you go through hoops to comply with their immigration regulations.
- Secure medical coverage before you leave. Understand that Medicare will not cover you while you are on foreign soil so some type of private coverage will be necessary. There are numerous private hospitals there to handle certain emergencies. More serious issues usually are referred to hospitals in Jakarta.
- Become a part of the local community by reaching out to other expatriates and learning the local language. There are over 20 thousand people who have moved to Bali from different parts of the world, and they are concentrated on the southern coast and in Ubud, located at the center of the island. Because there are so many foreigners there, retailers have made a business of satisfying the needs of this special community.
- Prepare to sharpen up your golf or tennis game because both are very popular in Bali, thanks to the expatriate community which is both well organized and advanced. Finding people with your same passions is easy in Bali.
