Bali’s crawling with tourists, but there’s also a fair share of bules and foreigners who just never leave, permanently taking up residence on the Island of the Gods. 

While we’ve already explored the definite types of tourists you’ll find wandering about, we now turn our attention to Bali’s expats, who also have a tendency to share certain characteristics that distinguish them from one another.  

Not sure whether you’ve made that transition from Bali tourist to Bali expat? Check here for some help. 

Everyone’s got their own story and may not slot neatly into one of the categories we list. They might fit into one, or two, or none. Like a travel blogger who falls in love with a Balinese person, gets married, and then settles down to start a family in Bali. Or a surfer gallivanting around the globe who decides to retire in Bali and take up painting.

That said, based on continual research and of course straight-up people-watching, it’s apparent that bules and foreigners living in Bali generally fall into one or more of the following categories: 
 

1. English teacher

Being an obvious choice of employment for bules who want to live on the Island of the Gods, it’s no surprise that substantive numbers of Bali expats are English teachers. 

While a number chose to stay in Bali long-term, many of these English teachers generally have an end date to their time in Bali. Especially those who may have done so on their gap years, or are doing it in between careers until they figure out “what they really want to do”. This bunch isn’t always liked by those who were already qualified teachers in their home countries, particularly if they don’t take their teaching job seriously and tell non-teachers that “anyone can teach English overseas”. 
 

2. Business owner

What do you do when no one wants to hire you? Start your own business, of course! 

The frustrating convoluted, and painfully difficult process of obtaining employment and KITAS (a.k.a. the loved/hated work permit) has prompted many individuals to start their own businesses (which can be an equally frustrating process).

Over the years though, business-savvy individuals have taken advantage of the fact that Bali is a tourist hub where visitors flock to with money to spend. Aside from your standard hoteliers and restaurateurs, the increased number of visitors to Bali has opened up a market for businesses catered to a niche group of individuals. Ten years ago, for example, co-working spaces (http://bali.coconuts.co/2015/02/12/5-things-i-learned-coworking-unconfer…) weren’t even a thing. And now….
 

3. Digital nomad/internet entrepreneur/travel blogger

They all call themselves by different titles, but they all have one thing in common — the only thing that their work requires is a working Internet connection. They might be making a living by writing about how awesome it is to stay at a luxury resort (how do we get that gig?), selling random supplements over the web, or coaching others on how to do what they’re doing (which a lot of them seem to do). 

We featured them as a group in our Bali tourist piece, but we also include them in our expat group because some of them end up staying for more than a few months. Or they keep coming back every year to host various retreats and summits with their loyal followers and then stay on for months at a time. Enough for them to start displaying Bali expat behaviors anyway.  

4. Retiree

Indonesia has a special visa for those who want to retire here. Also the affordable cost of living and access to luxuries at a fraction of the cost in many of the developed world makes Bali quite an enticing destination. 

Many retirees who have chosen Bali as their retirement destination generally adopt the “Let Bali happen” mentality. That is, live a very slow pace of life and actually enjoy doing very little day-to-day. Because if they don’t, they will start going crazy and probably leave Bali before they even begin the transition from Bali tourist to Bali expat. 
 

5. Surfer

While a majority of the surfers are seasonal and therefore lean more towards the “tourist” spectrum, there are a small number who fall in love with Bali (or a Balinese individual) and decide to linger here. 

Obviously, only a minority of surfers actually go pro and make a living out of hitting the waves, so surfer expats make their living in Bali through various creative ways. Those who got on to it early enough and are lucky run surf-schools or surf retreats, some own guest houses, start other businesses, or do the online thing to pay the bills and spend as much time on the ocean as they physically can. 

Many tend to have a young person’s soul at heart, and you will still see them attending parties at Ku De Ta or the Potato Head even when they’re way past their thirties. 

6. Life escapist

Those who have come to Bali to get away from something back home, whether it be a job that burnt them out (quite common), a messy breakup (also quite common, though further details are generally difficult to elicit for obvious reasons), failed professional ventures, and many other reasons that remain a mystery to us all. 

The transition from tourist to expat usually involve some sort of “building a life in Bali” activity, where they figure out how they can continue to live here when the funds in their bank accounts run out. When they are a little bit more settled and are out of “escape” mode, they may open up a little bit more about their past life story to those who asks, though not always. 
 

7. Artist

This lot has been flocking to the Island of the Gods before it became trendy for everyone else. Ubud provided a secret sweet spot for them until the yogis and vegans took over, eventually attracting the tourists. 

While Ubud’s shift to modernity has sent some artists packing, some have chosen to stay and evolve with what the area now represents. This involves teaching art classes and holding art retreats, and using Ubud’s growing popularity to showcase their art to more and more people. 
 

8. Spouse of local

Balinese have the reputation of being really warm, welcoming, and friendly people. If you’re a single individual, there is a risk that you might fall in love with one and end up marrying them. By the way, being of a certain age does not make you immune to this risk.  

Of course, your spouse may choose to leave Bali and live with you in your home country. But for a culture that really prioritizes family and community, there is a big chance that marrying a Balinese will mean making Bali your permanent home. 

In which case you will go a step further from being a Bali expat, and you transition into being the closest you can get to an actual Balinese. 

All images are original Coconuts Media illustrations