Student looking to spend 6 months/a year in Bali

You're in a great position, very lucky indeed, to be able to take 6 to 12 months after graduating from college for traveling.  I can think of nothing more ideal than doing exactly that right after college.  So, congratulations, and smart move IMHO.

First off, while I love Bali beyond words, and it's been my home for many years, there is a lot more to Indonesia than Bali.  This country is rich beyond imagination so you might seriously consider breaking up your time between several other Provinces of Indonesia.

I urge you to get a copy of the video, Ring of Fire by Lawrence and Lorne Blair.  You can easily find it by a simple Google search.  This excellent film will give you a very good idea of what you can expect from the various areas of Indonesia.

I also suggest that you pick up a copy of the Lonely Planet guide books for each of the areas of Indonesia that you think you might be spending some time.  These books are excellent in many ways but a key value to them is in finding decent budget accommodations including contact details for these places.  LP does a good job of keeping their guide books up to date.  You don't want to think about booking places to stay in advance as you'll want to keep an open itinerary at all times. 

In the course of your travels you will automatically meet up with other young exploring travelers.  This will happen all by itself.  Have no worries about that.

My final advice, given at the risk of sounding like a father or grandfather, is to make the most of what will likely be a once in a lifetime opportunity.  Once jobs and marriage come into your life, this opportunity will appear more as a dream than a real possibility.

There is no graduate school or job that will be as meaningful for you that your 6 months to a year post bachelor degree traveling will become.  Once again I say, excellent decision.

Hello Sir!

I will copy paste your very helpful answer and keep it.
Thank you a lot for taking the time to reply to me !
I will probably write back to you in a few weeks !

Thank you again,

Anna.

I have an idea that may be more fun.
Why not spend a month ot two in several places, not just Bali.

I would suggest flying to Jakarta, spending a day or two doing the tourist stuff, flying to Jogja, spend a few days doing the temples and so on as far as Wonosobo.
Then on to Bali for a month or two, seriously chillin.
Pop to Singapore, when you've had a good look, on to Malaka, to KL, up to Ipoh (Be sure to visit Taiping) and on to southern Thailand (The south is amazing).

Bangkok is a lot like Jakarta, just with pavements (sidewalks)and well worth a visit.
After that, you could move further into Asia, maybe Vietnam, or just go to Hong Kong, depending on the time you have left.

Now, you have a year off before work so, think of it this way:
Apart from having a really great time, you can say to a potential boss, "I spent six months exploring Asian culture in 5 or 6 countries" or, "I got drunk every night in Bali for six months and explored several degrees of hangovers".

I think any potential employer would be happier with the first answer.

Another forum you might want to check out is the Thorn Tree Forum of Lonely Planet.  This forum is very popular with younger travelers "back packing style" and who are not looking to hang around resorts. 

OK to just call me "Roy" as calling me "Sir" only makes me feel older! 

Cheers Anna, and the best of luck to you, Roy

Ubudian wrote:

I also suggest that you pick up a copy of the Lonely Planet guide books

I agree but, with the exception of a few 'must sees', avoid every place mentioned in them.
When travelling, I often saw bunches of tourists, all with their lonely planet, all getting pissed in bars but not one with any clue as to the country they'd visited.

"Apart from having a really great time, you can say to a potential boss, "I spent six months exploring Asian culture in 5 or 6 countries" or, "I got drunk every night in Bali for six months and explored several degrees of hangovers".

Is that the only alternative with spending six month in Bali, Fred?

How about:

I spent 6 months of intensive study of the remarkable Balinese culture, learned the language, and wrote an e-book about my time spent there.

"I agree but, with the exception of a few 'must sees', avoid every place mentioned in them. When travelling, I often saw bunches of tourists, all with their lonely planet, all getting pissed in bars but not one with any clue as to the country they'd visited."

Fred, how about a list of those places mentioned in LP that you suggest to avoid?  Seriously, that's quite an undeserved damnation of LP guides.   

My opinion is just the opposite in that there are tons of out of the way and off the beaten track places mentioned in the current Bali LP guide that are not only very worthwhile, but almost devoid of tourists.

Ubudian wrote:

"Apart from having a really great time, you can say to a potential boss, "I spent six months exploring Asian culture in 5 or 6 countries" or, "I got drunk every night in Bali for six months and explored several degrees of hangovers".

Is that the only alternative with spending six month in Bali, Fred?

How about:

I spent 6 months of intensive study of the remarkable Balinese culture, learned the language, and wrote an e-book about my time spent there.

That'd work as well.

I am not a big fan of the lonely planet but was a big fan of the rough guide as I felt they were more open and honest and gave the reader more information to help them  choose whether they should go or do something it suggested.
I think 6 months in Indonesia using Bali as a base and exploring the island to the east up to and including Timor and Timor leste would be amazing.
I hope the Anna chooses wisely in her decisions and does enjoy Bali and Indonesia.
Sir Roy of Ubud,  I have just spent 3 days in a 5 star hotel on kuta beach and the hotel was dull but the conference I was at amazing.  I spent last night in a small family run hotel and it was just so much better. I am heading back to Jakarta soon but will be back in may with the family and my mum. So if possible we should meet up.

Ubudian wrote:

"I agree but, with the exception of a few 'must sees', avoid every place mentioned in them. When travelling, I often saw bunches of tourists, all with their lonely planet, all getting pissed in bars but not one with any clue as to the country they'd visited."

Fred, how about a list of those places mentioned in LP that you suggest to avoid?  Seriously, that's quite an undeserved damnation of LP guides.   

My opinion is just the opposite in that there are tons of out of the way and off the beaten track places mentioned in the current Bali LP guide that are not only very worthwhile, but almost devoid of tourists.

I used a set of suggestions from lonely planet but they're way to commercialised as loads of clueless lonely planet tourists wander there in order to find the best tourist bars.

It reminds me of a very well made documentary I watched a while ago.
It told of the Mosuo culture and how mass tourism had turned the area into a mass of brothels because the tourists had totally failed to understand the way Mosuo live.

However, I'm sure this never happens in Bali.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffyWgC5meuQ

Luke, next time you come to Bali, get the heck out of Kuta, or anywhere else in the south of Bali including Nusa Dua, Jimbaran, Legian, Seminyak, and Canggu.  The only place down there with a semblance of the real Bali anymore these days is Sanur, and that won't last long either.

When you are back in May, by all means…it's long overdue that we hook up. 

“I used a set of suggestions from lonely planet but they're way to commercialised as loads of clueless lonely planet tourists wander there in order to find the best tourist bars.”

Fred, I can't speak for every LP guide, but the latest edition of the LP Bali/Lombok guide is excellent IMHO, and it far exceeds the useful information to be found in other guides.  Moreover, I'm embarrassed to admit that I still find my antique copy of LP's generic guide to Indonesia, (1997 printing), to have still useful and timely information. 

The fact that party goers, bar flies, and drunken bogans might also find LP guides useful for their purposes seems to me as immaterial, and hardly a reason to condemn the guide.  What the heck Fred, some folks use the Bible and the Al Q'uran to legitimize their own bad behavior…so, shall we condemn those books as well?

Hi everyone !

Thank you for your messages. I will keep everything in mind and will contact you as soon as I book the flights, probably in a few months !
Again, thank you and I will definitely visit other places than Bali

I won't come to Bali to party (I have that in France already!), although meeting people during a party can be very interesting ! I would love to make friends, and am looking forward to book the flights.

Anna

Anna, bring me a bottle of Château Lafite Rothschild and I'll be your uncle in Bali! 

Cheers!

I will try!!!

You can contact my son, he live in Bali, 20 years old, he might help you to give information or to find a place in bali. ***************** . Good luck!