The real estate market in Bali, Indonesia is undergoing a transformation in recent years, especially in the crowded, touristy southern end of the island. This has had implications not only for locals and ex-pat residents, but tourists visiting from all over the world. As a tourist you are no longer limited in your choices to an expensive villa that might be a little far away from shopping, restaurants and nightlife, or a hotel room that is relatively expensive and not necessarily a good value for money. Renting Bali apartments has become a viable way to stretch your vacation dollars, and in many ways it combines the best of living in a villa and living in a hotel.
The reasons for this sudden surge in supply of apartments and condominiums in places like Seminyak, Legian, Kuta Beach and Sanur comes down to geography. If you look on a map you’ll notice that the southwest and southeast coasts of Bali converge in the south end at a very narrow strip of land. It is at this geographical apex that Ngurah Rai International Airport is located. Tourism has always been heaviest within five or 10 miles of the airport in Bali and because of the shape of the island there is a basic scarcity of land that has driven developers and ordinary residents alike to begin to build upward.
Four and five story buildings are not uncommon now in Bali, and in 2010 a half-dozen large construction cranes are visible in the area around Kuta beach, the most popular tourist area. It is specifically these new multi-story buildings that contain the Bali apartments and condominiums that many ex-pats and absentee owners are beginning to favor, especially since the price of Bali villas have skyrocketed in recent years.
There’s no shortage of apartments available to rent by the week or even months on the island these days. Many apartment owners who reside in Bali for only part of the year try and recoup some of their maintenance fees and other expenses by renting out their units when they are away. For the cost of a very average hotel room in places like the United States or Australia you can expect to find a very nice one-bedroom apartment in Bali with all the amenities of home, as well as a common pool area and other features enjoyed by condominium owners anywhere. After all, presumably there is an owner who lives for weeks or months at a time in the unit; accommodations like this are equipped much more comprehensively than a hotel room. In addition, you can expect maid service and possibly laundry service for an extra charge, much like a hotel would provide.
On your next trip to Bali do yourself a favor and consider a service Bali apartment rental before you book your hotel on the island. You may be surprised at the value that you find, and having more money to spend on sarongs and other gifts for the folks back home is always a good thing!