Welcome to the Bali Links page

 Bali Advertiser, is an advertising based newspaper that is printed every two weeks. It is aimed at the expatriate communiity on Bali which it estimates to be around 10,000 people. The Advertiser has ads for businesses, things people want to sell, and articles about a variety of subjects of interest to the expatriate community, as well.

 Bali Airport Guide -Ngurah Rai International Airport, has a flight status page for arrivals and departures. This is a great way to check on what's happening at the airport. If you're coming in at a time when many flights arrive, you can prepare yourself for a little wait at immigration.

 Bali and Beyond, is a touring arts company inspired by the cultures of Indonesia. Bali and Beyond tours nationwide and is based in Los Angeles. It features theater, music and educational presentations. You can download samples of their music online, find out about shadow plays and gamelan music. This is an interesting site with excellent information on Indonesian arts. Definitely a check-it out site.

  Bali for Families, is a site especially for families with kids going to Bali. Do you need to know a place to stay, things to do? Want to get on a forum with other families planning on going to Bali

  Bali for Kids,is an interesting site that I just stumbled across. It is run by a group of moms in Bali and was started in 2006. The site is graphics heavy and if you have a slow internet connection like me, it will take ages to load, but there is a lot of good information here especially for the new expat with kids. Definitely worth a look.

  Bali Forum.Com, is another Bali forum. I just came across this site recently and can't really say how it is, but you can always try it.

 Bali Paradise Online, is an excellent source of information on Bali for the tourist or newly arrived "expat."

 The Bali Times, is an English language online newspaper about Bali. It has news about Bali, but it isn't always updated in a regular fashion

  Bali Travel Forum, is another well-used forum on Bali. This one is more for the regular tourist. It has a strong Australian presence - not surprising considering the large number of tourists in Bali from Australia. This forum is particularly good for information on prices of goods and services, discussions about hotels, drivers, visas, etc. There are some regular contributors who are resident in Bali and who can be very helpful, if a bit condescending. Some of the excessive flaming of the past is gone along with a number of regulars who liked to post homophobic comments. If you are looking for information about shopping and hotels this is a good place to visit. From an anthropological perspective, the interaction between contributors to this forum and several of the other forums is fascinating and says worlds about the wacky and wild world of the Baliphile.

  Baliguide.com, is a commercial site run by a travel agency, but their site includes lots of information about Bali that would be helpful to the tourist coming to Bali for the first or second time. This is a site that I would recommend to a friend or family member who want to get a good introduction to Bali and what it has to offer for the tourist.

  Baliplus.com, calls itself the "biggest little guidebook online". You can find the usual tourist information about hotels and clubs and restaurants, as well as events occuring around the island. There is a free print version as well that you might see as the airport when you arrive. It never hurts to have information.

  Ganesha Bookshop , is located in Ubud. It has a wide range of books and music cds. I've been shopping here since the late 80's and always stop by whenever I'm in Ubud.

 Home in Bali, is another forum on Bali. I consider this to be the best of all the Bali forums. Why? It's filled with factual information about Bali Hinduism written in Indonesian and English. Recently, the forum expanded to add travel and expat sections; these deal with issues of interest to expats and potential expats. In the interest of full disclosure - I'm one of the moderators here.

  The John Fawcett Foundation is the home for the well-known Australian foundation that gives free cataract operations for poor Balinese. The foundation also has other projects: a Children's Corrective Surgery Project which covers cleft lip and palate, orthopaedic and facial reconstruction surgery, an Education Assistance Program, a Wheelchair Project, Assistance to Desperately Ill Children and Young People, supply of medical and surgical equipment to hospitals which treat the poor, and a Tuberculosis Training Project.

  Kamus Bali, is a great site for those folks who want to learn the Balinese language. You put a word in and the English, Indonesian, and Balinese versions show up. Plus you get high, middle and low Balinese. A definite must for the Bali expat.

 Neka Art Museum, was founded in 1982 and is located in Ubud. The museum has an extensive collection of paintings and Balinese keris. You can view small images of the collections online.

  Statistics of Bali Province,is a site filled with statistical information on Bali. If you are a writer or researcher or just a stats freak, you will find this site interesting.

  Things to do in Bali, is a page with links of things for families to do in Bali. A handy little resource for families.

  XE.com - The Universal Currency Converter, will perform your currency calculation needs, and you can put this on your site for free.

 Yak Online, is the online presence of the magazine about that chichi part of southern Bali called Seminyak. If you want to check out fashion, dining, art, booze, etc., you might find this ezine interesting.

  Yayasan IDEP, is a Bali-based NGO working towards sustainable development through education permaculture and training. It was founded in 1999.

Accomodations

  Bali Discovery Tours, is the site for one of the major tour operators in Bali. You can find hotels here, tours, news about Bali, and subscribe to a free weekly newsletter.

  Bali Villa Accommodations - Seraya Shores, is the site for what appears to be a luxury villa on the east coast of Bali.

  Blue Moon Villas, are located on the northeast coast of Bali. There are three separate villas which sound quite nice: one has three bedrooms, the other two have one bedroom. These are definitely upscale.

  Good Karma Bungalows, are also located on the northeast coast of Bali. There are 18 bungalows here which cost around 100,000 rupiah per night. Good Karma is on the beach with good snorkling. This website is a very complete review of Good Karma by one of the guests.

  Rambutan Hotel, is located in the Lovina area in the north of Bali. The villas have one and two bedrooms and are fairly expensive for the north of Bali. The hotel also has rooms. Just a side comment - I still remember when no one had villas in Bali. How upscale the island has become. The owners are an Aussie guy and his Balinese wife. Rambutan is a popular place for families to stay while up north, especially Aussie families.

Medical Care

 BaliMed Hospital, is another of the hospitals that are located in the south and have equipment and facilities that draw an expat population - as well as a well-heeled local population. The website is in Indonesian but you can used Chrome to have it automatically translated into English. My youngest son went here recently for some work on allergies. He's still under treatment, but so far the results are encouraging. My wife reported that there were many foreigners there being treated as well. KITAS holders get the same price as locals.

 Bali Royal Hospital, is a hospital in the south that is used by some expats. The website is in Indonesian, English and Japanese. As with most of the hospitals that expats use, the reviews are mixed: some love it, others find it wanting. They have VIP facilities and offer a variety of services including medical evacuation. Prices are not listed on the website.

  BIMC Bali - 24 hour medical and emergency assistance , is a medical facility on Bali that is popular with expats and tourists. Consultation is available for routine, urgent, and chronic conditions. Consultation may include routine medical examinations, health check-ups and evaluations, nutritional, dietary and personal health care advice, immunizations, preventative health, neo-natal and pediatric care. BIMC has its own radiology, laboratory, and pharmacy services. BIMC also has a membership program for health care.

 Siloam Hospitals Bali, is a relatively new hospital down on Sunset Road in Kuta. Siloam Hospitals are found around the country; the Bali branch was opened in December 2012. I used the hospital for an MRI and EEG is May 2013 and found the place great. My neurologist followed the same procedures and prescribed the same meds as did the neurologist in Singapore where I was treated for my first mini-stroke. I highly recommend this hospital.

Restaurants

 Casa Luna Restaurant, is located on the main road in Ubud just up from the market. Casa Luna has a pleasant atmosphere with a variety of styles of cooking. They also run a cooking school and guesthouses. I remember when this place first opened - they've gone a long way since then. I used to love eating here. It's been quite a long time since I last ate here though so I'm not sure of the quality of the food these days.

 Murni's Warung, is one of the original restaurants in Ubud. I haven't been here in years and it looks like a significant upgrade.

 Seyu Japanese Restaurant, is something of a surprise for me. I wasn't aware that Lovina has a Japanese restaurant, but that shows just how little I get out these days. I've heard some good things about it, but I have no actual experience to verify that. I might actually get down there one day to try it out.

Schools

 Asian International School, is located in Denpasar by Udayana University. The school occupies a 20,000 square meter complex. It has two academic blocks with classrooms, libraries and labs. All classrooms are air-conditioned. The school also has a cafeteria and multi-purpose sports complex in addition to recreation areas for the little once. There is a health clinic staffed with two qualified doctors and nurses. AIS uses the Cambridge Primary Programme, IGCSE (O-level) and A/AS levels. They follow the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi in running the school with an emphasis on community service and non-violence. The website talks about the teacher being a guide rather than a final authority. Each classroom is created to fit the needs of each child. AIS has three principles of "True Teaching." These are: 1. Nothing can be taught. 2. The mind has to be consulted on its own growth. 3. Work from near to far, from that which is to that which will be The school accepts both expatriate and Indonesian students from the ages of two through Grade 12. No information on the website is given regarding tuition.

The school lists job openings on the website. They are looking for teachers with a university degree in education or a particular discipline with a teaching qualification, two years of teaching experience and two professional references. Teachings with Masters degrees are preferred. Applications can be sent to the school.

 Australian International School, is a co-educational school that offers educational services for students from Pre-school through Year 12. AIS uses the Victorian curriculum for the primary school and the Australian Capital Territories curriculum for the secondary school. The school's mission is to provide students with a global education that will prepare them for tertiary student. While the school curriculum is designed for Australian students, the student body comes from other backgrounds as well. AIS provides educational services and support for students with learning disabilities and has specialists to provide that support. The school prides itself on its community spirit. Employment opportunities are listed on the school website.

  Bali Hati School, is located in Mas, Ubud, and was established in 1999. The school serves students from Kindergarten through Grade 6. This National Plus School is child-centered and uses the National Curriculum. Bali Hati School offers computer classes, English classes, cooking, arts and crafts, and field trips. Tuitions are available for low-income students.

 Bali International School is the oldest international school on the island and has a generally excellent reputation, although it has developed its detractors over the years as other schools have sprung up around the island. The school has had five directors over the past decade, but seems to be in a more stable phase of their development. The school was established in 1985 and is a non-profit, non-denominational school. It covers students from Preschool to Grade 12. BIS is an IBO World School, which means that it has the PYP, MYP, and IB programs. BIS is accredited by WASC and the Council of International Schools. The school has over 300 students from around the world. BIS is located on a large campus in Sanur just off the By-Pass. It has a 25 meter swimming pool, a multipurpose covered sports area, IT labs, a music with individual studios, science labs, air conditioned classrooms, a multipurpose hall where assemblies and productions are held and a library with over 36,000 books. Classes are taught by certified teachers from a variety of countries.

 Canggu Community School is a non-profit private school serving both the international and local communities in the South Bali area; it uses the National Curriculum of England and employs certified foreign teachers. CCS was established in 2005. There are over 350 students enrolled at the school in grades Pre-school to Year 11. CCS has a secure, purpose-built facility on a hectare of land. This school is located out in the boondocks of Canggu and if you are living in the Kuta/Legian/Seminyak area, it will take 15-30 minutes to get to school depending on the traffic.

CCS was built with Australian standards in mind; classrooms are 850 square feet and are quite bright. Each classroom has air-conditioning that the teacher uses at his/her discretion as the buildings are insulated against heat and humidity. The school has an IT lab with one computer per student. All computers have internet access, and CCS sees IT as an important part of a students education. Additionally, CCS has a science lab, a music room, a library, and a multi-function Hall that they use for PE.

Parents who wish to enroll their child in school, need to make an appointment and should bring their child with them. Expats who wish to enroll their child before they arrive in Bali can contact the school and fill out an e-application. Canggu has a waiting list at all grade levels, and priority is given to siblings of current students. CCS is

Children are enrolled in a grade based on their age as of August 1. The school website has a very informative placement schedule which shows equivalent grades in other national systems compared to the CCS placement system. And just a note for that small group of parents who have "gifted" children who just have to be placed in a higher grade than their age dictates, the school website specifically says that higher placements will not be done. The school has set a maximum limit of 22 students in Year 4 and below, and 24 students in Year 5 and above. This is a fairly large classroom size for international schools. Generally international schools limit classroom size to 18 if at all possible.

The school website no longer lists the fee structure or employment opportunities. Two significant changes from the website circa 2008.

The school website has an excellent Pupil-Parent Handbook in pdf format. If you are interested in this school either for your child or as a possible place of employment, I suggest that you download it.

Sekolah Dyatmika , is an independent, bilingual national plus school with both Indonesian and expatriate faculty. It is located in Sanur, Bali. It uses an Indonesian curriculum and University of Cambridge International Examinations curricula. These are taught using international teaching methodologies. The school serves students from Preschool through Grade 12. There are about 370 students currently studying at Dyatmika. Class sizes are relatively high for international standards with 24 students per class in the upper grades to 20 per class in the early childhood classes.

• Sekolah Dyatmika hires international teachers, and they have a career section on their website. They are currently not seeking teachers.

The guiding principles of the school are:

• moral integrity,
  • religious and social tolerance,
  • intellectual capacity,
  • broad knowledge,
  • civic responsibility,
  • cultural preservation, and
  • sensible management of the natural environment
  Facilities at the school include a sports area, library, music room, two computer labs, two science labs and, of course, classrooms. The school sponsors extra-curricular activities as well as community projects such as the annual clean-up day.

Senior students are prepared to pass both the Indonesian national exams as well the University of Cambridge International Examinations.

  Garuda Bilingual School, was founded in 2002. It is a national plus school that uses the Indonesian national curriculum and teaches the curriculum in English and Indonesian. The school serves Playgroup and Kindergarten children using the Montessori method. Garuda is located in Jimbaran. and Indonesian. The school is air-conditioned, has a multipurpose room, a computer lab, a library and a clinic.

 Green School, is an innovative (and highly visible) school in Ubud that combines traditional education with holistic, environmental-oriented studies. Green School was founded in 2006. The school has three main points of focus: essential subjects like Math, English and Science; Green Studies like the study of ecology and the environment; and Creative Arts which includes arts, crafts, music and drama. The Early Years uses a Steiner-influenced approach. The Primary Years has and international curriculum which combines the essential subjects with the Green Studies Curriculum. The Creative Arts program includes an emphasis on Balinese culture and arts. The Secondary Years has courses from the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (ICCSE) which comes from Cambridge.

Green School has an Extra Curricular Activities program that include sports like volleyball, soccer, basketball, badminton, track & field, surfing, horse riding and mepantigan. Non-sports activities include yoga, drama, marimba, student newspaper, Chinese, and publishing.

Green School isn't cheap. Full-day Kindergarten runs around USD$8,000 per year and Secondary students pay around USD$10,000. There is a building fee of USD$850 per year as well. The school has a payment program.

 Jembatan Budaya School, is a national plus school that teaches in Indonesian, Mandarin and English. The school uses the Indonesian national curriculum. The school was founded in 2004 in order to promote the popularity of Mandarin in Indonesia. The student body consists of expat and Indonesian students from Playgroup through Senior High School. The school is located in Kuta. Facilities include: air conditioned classrooms, a library, a computer lab, language and science laboratories, a playground, a basketball court, a clinic, a canteen, and a swimming pool.

  Pelangi School - Ubud,is a private school that provides educational services for expat and Indonesian students from Tiny Tots (1.5 years old) through Elementary School (12 years old). Pelangi uses a blended curriculum which is based on a blend of the British National Curriculum and the Indonesian National Curriculum. Teachers at Pelangi are both expats and Indonesians. English is used as the main teaching language with Indonesian being the second language. Fees run from about 8,000,000 rupiah per year up to 32,000,000 for the oldest students.

  Sanur Independent School, was established in 1996 and provides educational services for expat and Indonesian students from Kindergarten to Primary School. SIS uses the Australian National Curriculum as the curricular foundation as well as enriching the curriculum with resources from the UK, the US and other countries. SIS does not teach the Indonesian National Curriculum. The school operates on a Monday through Friday schedule. Tuition runs approximately USD 1,000 per term. The school has four terms. Additionally, the school has a capital levy of USD 440 per year.

 Sekolah Lentera Kasih, is a Christian national plus school in Kuta. The school was founded in 2004. It provides a national plus type education for students from Grade 1 through Grade 9. SLK has an after school activities program.

  Sunrise School, was founded in 2000 and is located in Kerobokan. It is an international school that uses the British National Curriculum. The school recognizes that students have multiple intelligences and attempts to use that knowledge in their teaching. Sunrise School has an enrollment of 95 students that represent 18 nationalities. The school provides educational services for students from playgroup 3 through Grade 9.

Shopping

 Bali Galeria Shopping World, is located in Sanur on By Pass Ngurah Rai. This site consists of two sections - the front contains the Duty Free Shop and Planet Hollywood Restaurant; the back contains the Mal BaliGaleria which includes Matahari Department Store and a number of speciality shops selling clothes, jewelry, books, glasses, kids' clothes, hardware and house supplies, and many other things.

 Kuta Square, is one of the main sites for shopping in the south of Bali. What's available in Kuta Square: Bali Gift (aroma therapy, candles, bath treatment, shoes), Body and Soul (clothes), Rascals (swim wear), Quicksilver (surf accessories, clothes), Mayang (gems), Nike (clothes, sports equipment), Milo's (silk, batik), ATM machines, money changers, McDonalds, and more.