
Do’s and Dont’s during your Bali Workation
Here is a brief list of things to mind when planning your Bali Workation. Coming to this island as a remote professional for a team retreat or as a solo employee using your Work From Anywhere policy, you may be surprised by a few things. Here is a mix of legal advice and some Savoir Vivre tips minding local culture.
The unique culture of Bali
- Visit local temples. They are beautiful, gorgeous, magical, and often merged with nature, and it will be respectful to have long skirts/pants while visiting them.
- Mind that respecting local temples also means not using them as Instagram zones for bizarre photos. Temples are easily accessible and open, but they are still temples.
- Enjoy local values of calm and joy. You may find things slow on this island, but people here do things at their own pace, and you can catch this vibe and recharge thanks to it.
- Don’t use your left hand when greeting or passing something. Just a tip, the left side represents the “dark side” of the world, so let’s use the light. Do not touch the heads of Balinese people/children. The Head is the holiest part of the body, and strangers should not touch it.
- Never raise your voice or express being impatient in an angry manner. Calm and balance are the desired state of mind here. If something upsets you, you can share your feelings calmly, and you will be understood well.
Health tips for Bali Workation
- Enjoy local cuisine; it is exciting and delicious. However, Bali Belly as a common gastral problem for newcomers, and eating spicy food may prevent this problem.
- Never drink tap water. Some people even use drinking water even for rinsing their teeth after brushing them. Having refillable bottles is a safe and green solution.
- Check with your travel doctor if you need any extra vaccine as you are going to the tropical island. People became very careful about covid, but let’s mind other things too.
- Be careful with animals you may see around. Visiting Monkey Forest or Uluwatu is a great experience, but monkeys are wild animals and may be unpredictable. Plus, even a scratch without immediate treatment can become a problem in this climate.
- Do not use aspirin, and Paracetamol is a better alternative. In the case of fever, it is always a possibility it is dengue; in that case, aspirin is extremely dangerous.
Legal dos and dont’s for your Bali Workation
- Take your international driving license if you want to drive (a car, a scooter too). It is a must. Otherwise, you have online apps like GoJek at your service.
- Do not drive a scooter without a helmet! Firstly it is hazardous, and Secondly, it is the most apparent reason to stop you, which may cause a long conversation and a penalty.
- Do not brag on social media about tolerance of this island. Hindu culture here is very accepting, but people prefer not to turn it into media news. There were cases of deportation of foreigners based on their viral posts, which were found offensive to the culture here.
- Do not work without a work permit! Even if you are on a “business visa”, you are supposed to be in Indonesia for networking purposes or remote work with foreign companies. Conducting services for money is prohibited.
- Avoid any activities involving substances which change your state of consciousness via chemicals. Indonesia has a death penalty for a drug offences.
Practical do’s and don’t for your Bali Workation
- If you need very stable internet, check if you have coworking spaces. The hotel or nearby cafe may need to be more satisfying regarding speed or stability.
- Leave a lovely google map review of the places you have enjoyed. Google Maps are an essential engine for local areas which suffered a lot during lockdowns.
- Use a soft-landing package or check if there are some destination management companies like ours for your team retreat/workation. It just makes things cheaper and more accessible.
- Take your time with activities, as you may need a vacation after work. Bali is beautiful and diverse, and we find what to discover. You can always come back.
- In case of booking, accommodation asks for a video tour or the latest photos. Many places may need renovation after two years of pandemics, but they looked great when they were built.