thebalicompass.

My Bali project

Independent trilingual media/Bali · Indonesia

Your Bali life,
without the
guesswork.

Visas, property, cost of living, health, business: practical guides written by people on the ground, for everyone who wants to live in Bali, invest there or spend the winter on the island.

See the villas Explore the guides

All guides 100% freeThree languages, written nativelyUpdated as rules change

Scroll

/ 01, Why this media

Everything you read about Bali online is trying to sell you something. We flipped the model.

01 / 04

18+

in-depth guides, sourced and dated, across 8 sections

02 / 04

3

languages written natively: English, French, Spanish

03 / 04

100%

free to read. Partners never buy coverage

04 / 04

0

guesswork: facts checked on the ground in Bali

/ 02, Start here

Eight sections, one compass

From the first visa question to the keys of your villa, every step of a Bali project has its section.

Visas & Immigration

Every Indonesian visa explained for tourists, remote workers, retirees and investors.

Property & Investment

Buying, leasing and investing in Bali real estate.

Living in Bali

Daily life on the island.

Travel & Experiences

Holidays and long stays done right.

Health & Insurance

Hospitals, clinics, expat health insurance and staying healthy in the tropics.

Money & Taxes

Banking, money transfers, taxes for expats and managing your finances from Bali.

Business & Nomads

Setting up a PT PMA, coworking, hiring and working remotely from Bali legally.

Bali News

Regulation changes, visa updates and market news that matter if you live in or invest in Bali.

/ 03, The villa selection

Villas for sale & for rent

The storefront of this media: villas we have visited and verified, for investment, retirement or simply living. Selection is deliberately small.

Villa Amazonica

CangguFor sale or long-term rental

Villa Amazonica

Modern two-storey villa with pool and rooftop, turnkey, in the heart of Canggu.

For sale or long-term rental · 3 bedrooms · 3 bathrooms

Contact us for pricingSee the villa

Villa Ikigai

Villa Ikigai

Japandi-Bali villa in marble and teak, with an indoor lap pool under a light well, in Canggu.

For sale, turnkey and furnished · Marble and teak throughout (Calacatta, green, veined grey) · Indoor lap pool in a light-well patio

Price on requestSee the villa

Calao Bali

UbudShort & long-term rental

Calao Bali

A collection of six eco-luxury bamboo villas in the Ubud jungle, from 100 to 330 sqm.

Rental only: short and long stays · 6 villas: The Nest, The Hatch, The Feather, The Wing, The Bond, The Heritage · 100 to 330 sqm per villa

Rates on requestSee the villa

Selling a villa in Bali?

We accept a small number of verified listings. Send us the dossier and we will tell you honestly if it fits.

Propose a villa

/ 04, Featured guides

The guides our readers open first

Long-form, sourced and updated. No fluff, no hidden sales pitch.

Which Visa Do You Need for Bali? The Complete Guide

Visa on arrival, tourist visas, remote worker KITAS, investor and retirement permits: how to choose the right Indonesian visa for your Bali plans.

Updated 2026-07-19 · 5 min read

Leasehold vs Freehold in Bali: What Foreigners Can Actually Own

Foreigners cannot hold freehold land in Indonesia. Here is how leasehold, Hak Pakai and the PT PMA route really work, and how to choose safely.

Updated 2026-07-19 · 4 min read

Cost of Living in Bali: Real Budgets for 2026

What Bali actually costs per month: housing, food, scooter, coworking, insurance and schools, with realistic budgets from frugal to premium.

Updated 2026-07-19 · 3 min read

Where to Live in Bali: Every Area Compared

Canggu, Ubud, Uluwatu, Sanur, Seminyak, Amed: the honest comparison of Bali's areas for expats, families, nomads and investors.

Updated 2026-07-19 · 3 min read

Things to Do in Bali: The Experiences Actually Worth It

Temples, volcano sunrises, waterfalls, surf, food and ceremonies: what deserves your time in Bali and what to skip, by someone on the ground.

Updated 2026-07-19 · 3 min read

Where to Stay in Bali: The Right Base for Your Trip

First trip, surf trip, honeymoon, family, workation: how to pick your Bali base among Canggu, Ubud, Uluwatu, Sanur, Seminyak and the islands.

Updated 2026-07-19 · 3 min read

The Bali Compass

Paradise is a real place.
It just needs a good map.

/ 05, Our promise

A media, not a brochure

Three commitments, on every page:

Independent first. Guides are never paid for. When a partner compensates us for an introduction, we say so.
Three languages, one standard. English, French and Spanish, each written natively, not machine translated.
Facts checked on the ground. Regulation moves fast in Indonesia. Every guide carries its last update date.

Free e-book

The Bali Handbook

Visas, budgets, areas, healthcare, property: the essentials in one free PDF, written by people on the ground. Coming very soon.

Join the waitlist