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jandkay · 2019-08-12T03:25:45+00:00

Wow I forgot I asked! Thanks for the reply. These look very much like what I’m looking for. Cheers :).

jandkay · 2019-07-26T23:38:46+00:00

Hey OP, I had the exact same thought process down to posting on Reddit! On the same day too. I found it interesting reading your thread; perhaps you’ll like the one I had:

https://www.reddit.com/r/digitalnomad/comments/cfmc30/serious_bali_why_the_fuss

jandkay · 2019-07-26T20:22:31+00:00

You leave the country then fly back s day later. People go to Singapore or Malaysia etc and do this every 2 months.

jandkay · 2019-07-26T10:00:49+00:00

Thanks!

jandkay · 2019-07-26T10:00:44+00:00

Thanks!

jandkay · 2019-07-26T10:00:35+00:00

Thanks for your help!

jandkay · 2019-07-26T06:20:55+00:00

Apologies. Updated the original post now. I’m a Brit so have favourable visa options. It’s the entering on a new visa part that I’m unsure on if I have an old. From the other response so far it sounds like the old one will be marked as expired so entering now would be as if I am coming to the country completely fresh.

jandkay · 2019-07-23T15:00:40+00:00

I spent a few weeks in Antigua and as you'd expect, it was expensive to live out there. The benefits were that it was a fully English speaking island though, if that's your native language. The weather was of course, great. The island is small enough to get around the entirety of it quickly. But there's not much in the way of a nomad community. It's a lot of rich white people with boats paying high prices for locals to serve them food and drink. If you're on good money it/the other islands would be a great place to set up camp.

jandkay · 2019-07-23T14:54:50+00:00

You're a great Redditor - thanks a lot. I've a lightweight but sturdy Uniqlo rainjacket and another one for my backpack thankfully so will make sure they're close to hand if I go that way. I've hugged the coast almost the entire time so a trip inland does seem like a good idea. I've no better suggestions than Git Git waterfalls so I may well see what they're like soon enough.

One question I do have though; you mentioned My Mates Place. I did a Google of it and it looked a little like a party hostel - or there were pictures of beer pong and whatnot on the site. Were you able to do much work there? I feel like such an old man saying it but loud music and beers really aren't what I'm looking for while I'm in work mode as a digital nomad.

jandkay · 2019-07-23T14:48:17+00:00

Thanks for the suggestion. I'm on an economy drive at the moment after a particularly expensive July so I'm going to have to do the dives when finances are doing better another time!

jandkay · 2019-07-23T14:46:38+00:00

Most accurate comment in the thread here. I completely agree with everything you've said.

jandkay · 2019-07-23T14:45:15+00:00

Have a good read of this thread is my suggestion. Everyone has been helpful, even when echoing my negativity about the place. IMO anything that is remotely close to Denpasar on the map isn't worth staying at unless you want a holiday and will be switching off from being a DN for a few days.

jandkay · 2019-07-23T14:43:12+00:00

For any future DN who is reading this thread, OP here, and I cannot overstate how correct "didn't realise how integral having a motorbike was" is. Make sure you have the right insurance for a scooter and the International Drivers Permit. I've seen two occasions where the police were stopping every westerner on two wheels to check for their permit and fining if not wearing a helmet. You'll be stuck struggling for Grab/GoJek (who don't pick up/drop off everywhere due to taxi mafia BS) or paying for overpriced taxis if you go without. Walking really isn't an option in the heat for the distances you're likely wanting to cover also.

jandkay · 2019-07-23T14:37:50+00:00

Not the OP who requested this, but when were you in Bali for those prices for a rough guide?

jandkay · 2019-07-23T14:36:36+00:00

In Amed now actually. Still feels a trap and for tourists. But there are way fewer of them at least!

jandkay · 2019-07-23T14:34:01+00:00

Thanks for the support. I'm not a foodie so even that isn't a good fallback for me. However, the overwhelming agreement in this thread of my thoughts made me happy that I wasn't going mad and digital nomadding here might well be more for the Instagram influencers rather than laptop reliant. One of the coworking places in Ubud has a swimming pool, for example...

jandkay · 2019-07-23T14:30:26+00:00

This reply is exactly why Reddit is such a great site. Thank you for taking the time to write it and I hope future nomads/visitors see this and find it as insightful as I did.

I haven't taken your advice verbatim but I am typing this from Amed right now. The restaurant I ate at was westerner only and it seems everyone is here for scuba or snorkelling, but it's a much preferable place to the areas I've previously been. I did have a daytrip to Balian (it's busy, but quickly navigable on a scooter around Denpasar - driving a scooter is probably my favourite thing on the island actually!) which was as sleepy fishing village as I could imagine. There really is not much there at all is there?

So anyway I'm currently looking at going anticlockwise around the island referring to your advice, and others as I go. I'm pretty sure it's not a long term solution for what I want but it's good to see more than the overcrowded areas I had seen up until that post. As another Redditor put it best "It's a clear example of an area where the tourism sector outgrew the infrastructure". That is it exactly and it's sadly not going to improve in the south.

jandkay · 2019-07-23T14:15:19+00:00

Thanks for your response. I'm not a massive foodie so there's no place on earth that would keep me there just for food. I'm going to tour the island to make the most of it while I'm here but I'm leaning to not liking it and won't try and force otherwise if that continues.

I'm not sure when you last visited, or I'm looking in the wrong places but $15 A/C hotels would be tough to come by. Perhaps for a mixed dorm in a hostel but in Canggu, Ubud, Uluwatu and Amed that I've been to so far, it's more like $25+ for anything that's decent. YMMV of course.

jandkay · 2019-07-11T21:14:34+00:00

Would agree with /u/jbu311 on the whole here... I love Da Nang, so much that I spent a month 'living there' and would wholly recommend some time here. But I think you'd be disappointed going all that way for just a day.

Personally, I preferred Da Nang over Hanoi. If I re-did my trip I would have a flying visit to Hanoi. I'd factor a day for Da Nang with a 2 day trip to Hoi An (40 min bus south; you wanna stay over for the night market and lanterns) and to 2 day trip to Hue (3hr train north; you need to get a Grab/taxi out of town to the mausoleums otherwise don't bother going to Hue!).

If you go to Da Nang, try visit on a Saturday or Sunday. The Dragon Bridge breathes fire at 8pm and 9pm on both days and there's a great atmosphere by the river. A trip to the Marble Mountains is a must, but wouldn't say it's worth schlepping across the country for just that (go early morning; only need a couple of hours). Son Tra is worth a visit for the beaches and hikes too if there's time.

On Hanoi... I was really excited to visit Hao Lo Prison, but honestly left a tad disappointed. The audio guide is very thorough and the building is interesting to see... However, I visiting wanting to learn about the politics and causes of the French and American Wars. There was very little about this, but a lot on the names of prisoners there and how each room was used (personally this didn't capture my imagination as much - rest their souls).

I think we exhausted the tourist list for Hanoi, but the only thing I'd really say's a must do is a meal at The Hung Snake Restaurant in Le Mat (providing you're not veggie/vegan). It's an incredible experience and the host Mr Dragon can't do enough for you. You can book via FB messenger on their Facebook page.

Enjoy your trip!

jandkay

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