Livelihoods in West Bali

Those who are in search for peace and pure, consider settling in West Bali. In the west, there is hardly any tourism, except for a few spots like Tanah Lot Temple. The rest of West Bali is still relatively unknown and mysterious. Living here is not an extended holiday. It means dealing with local rules and values. Also, just like in North Bali (see North Bali article) it is important to adopt a mindset living day by day and taking life as it is. People do their daily activities tranquil, slow and relaxed here. What doesn’t come today, will come tomorrow.

The People

Typical sights that can only be seen and experienced in the West of Bali are for example buffalo races: the “Mekepung”, the Green Cliff, the beautiful undiscovered beaches, the Secret Bay and, last but not least, the impressive nature of West Bali National Park. The residents of the villages in West Bali live in a closed community. West Bali is the least visited region of Bali and locals earn their income primarily from fishing and agriculture. To live harmoniously with the locals, it is important to show interest in the Balinese culture and to make contact with the locals. It is therefore advisable to learn local language to express yourself if you want to live here. The locals love small talk, so even if you make an effort and talk mostly with your hands, this will be appreciated.

Facilities

As ironic as it sounds, because the west of Bali is not yet “westernised”, the prices of food and drinks are much lower here. Because of this, life in the west is cheap compared to the south and east of the island. Therefore, building a life here means living with certain limitations. There are no restaurants and shops on every corner. Also, many other facilities will not be close to home. In the West of Bali, most of the facilities are found in the city of Negara. Around the villages, there are some supermarkets (where the stock is often limited) and also many small supermarkets.

Safety

For facilities such as a pharmacy, hospital and dentist, people are dependent on Negara. Here is a regional hospital with limited facilities. So if it is necessary or possible, it is better to go to Denpasar. In Denpasar, there are several good international hospitals.

The infrastructure in the west of Bali is poor. From Gilimanuk located entirely on the western tip of the island, there is one major 2-lane road to Denpasar. Travelling to Denpasar from here is about a three-hour drive. This road is almost every day very crowded. Most goods are transported on this road by overloaded trucks that want to take as much with them as possible, which sometimes goes wrong. Therefore do not travel to from west to central Bali more often than necessary, and be extra careful and focused when travelling on these roads!

Peace

In the west, miles of beautiful undiscovered beaches only visited by locals can be found. The coastlines here are quiet and secluded, the ricefields are rich and large, and the mountains are untouched by tourism. The significant benefit of living here is the peace and purity of this part of the island. Being surrounded by nature all day changes lives, and depending on where you live, you have the most beautiful beaches within reach.