We always see discussions about this on Facebook and also many students ask us this question: “Is it better to book in advance or search accommodation after arrival in Bali?”
Let us summarize the facts
- The prices in Bali for food and accommodation are increasing since many years already
- The number of exchange programs in Bali as well as the number of students in each program are growing quickly
- Many villa owners nowadays prefer to rent their villas daily (daily price) instead of monthly because it is better for business
- The villas with the best cost-benefit ratio are already booked 6-12 months in advance (It’s like getting a seat at a very popular restaurant)
- There are thousands of villas in Bali. Accommodation rental became a big business that started in the 1990s when “The Villas” in Seminyak for the first time offered luxury villas for rent
- Tourism in Bali is still increasing. We expect the number of tourists to rise from 5 mil a year to 12 mil a year. Since private villas are getting more popular among tourists this could lead further to increase in rental prices or changes from monthly to daily rental
- It would be helpful if you know personally someone who studied in Bali before and can recommend you some accommodation
- Driving around by yourself and knocking on door to door to ask for prices is very time-consuming and at the end of the day you might not have found a place within your budget (We know about that because that’s our day-to-day business)
- It’s easier to find roommates early on.
Bottom Line:
- If money is not the most important factor and you are the optimistic kind of person who doesn’t give up quickly then you should try your luck and shop around after arrival
- If you want to be on the safe side, money is an important factor and you want to choose from a big range of options you should book in advance.
We hope this article helped you to better understand the accommodation situation in Bali.
