Bali Diving/Living contact/expert???

Wondering if anyone knows a good source, message board, individual, dive shop, group, we could contact about diving and possibly living in Bali? Of course would love to email or chat with anyone currently living/diving there. Really curious to on the ground issues, access to shore diving, getting around, etc....

Thanks

Graham Abbott is a great guide and specialises in underwater photo. Google him at Diving 4 Images.

Contact Tony at Tulamben Wreck Divers I am sure he will let you know the pros and cons as he has been there for a number of years running his business.

Karl

Moved to Destinations.

If you are looking for advice on visa and rental property search, there are companies which specialize in that. They deal with visa applications/renewals and lawyers to deal with contracts plus translation. Buying property is a whole other ball game and I suggest you read the superfine print before you embark that route. A few different visas you can choose from to enter the country. Depends on what you are looking to do.

For shore diving in Bali, I do that quite often when I'm there. You can buy a few tanks from the local dive supply shop and fill at spots along the big diving places like Tulamben/Pemuteran. You can do even EAN if you know the operator well. Renting tanks are a little bit more problematic unless the dive shop knows you very well. I go around looking for new sites often, most of the time they disappoint but once in a while you find something good.

Getting a guide is pretty easy if you dive with the local resort/shop. There are a few local freelance guides who speak decent english and can spot. Of course you can also just go to the dive resort for a day fee and dive from there.

Getting around is by car. You can lease a decent car for about Rp3.5million (newish car) a month that can lug your gear. A driver you can hire for about Rp200k a day. Many of my expat buddies drive around themselves for the major stuff but the little roads (and there are plenty) are tough at first. Balinese traffic is...errr different to the rest of Indonesia. Motor scooter drivers don't look before the dash out into the main road, change lanes on a whim and driving within 2cm of the next car are the norm. Takes some getting use to.

Jeff Mullins lives there half the year for the past many years. Great uw photographer, also takes photo courses and arranges photo live aboards. You can check out http://www.reefwreckandcritter.com/ to contact him..

Cheers,

Diggy

Thanks all, we looked at property last trip, got some legal contacts, etc...But the above will be great for hopefully unvarnished insights to the reality of living there. Thanks again for the contacts.

Well buying property isn't just about about if the view is right etc. Building standards vary tremendously. I've seen million dollar houses with terrible workmanship.

Then there's the simply things like plumbing. Septic vs direct into sea (yes some newer properties still illegally pipe sewage right into the sea!). Villas in enclosed properties don't always have it piped into the main sewage line, which is still a mystery pipe that many developers don't know where it is.

Of course you have to consider that dengue is still very much part of the island. Having a property with a big garden will expose you more to that than a condo unit.

Many visas require you to leave after 60 days. If you are over 55, the retirement visa is an option.

Thanks again for the help and contacts. Have probably spent 15 out of the last 30yrs in Asia so familiar with "Asian building standards" and have owned a couple Sanyang motorcycles and have survived, to date. Good to know about the septic issues, every region has their unique issues that would never occur to me.