Ubud Acclimation Playbook
4 steps to get settled | 0 of 4 complete
🇮🇩Indonesia GuidePre-Arrival
Indonesian visa, Bali Social Visa, eSIM, and packing for the jungle
Indonesian visa options for US citizens
US citizens can enter Indonesia on a Visa on Arrival (VoA) for USD 35 (pay at the Ngurah Rai Airport immigration counter after landing in Bali). The VoA grants 30 days, extendable once for another 30 days (total 60 days) at an immigration office. For longer stays, the B211A Social-Cultural Visa (often called 'Bali Visa' or 'Social Visa') allows up to 180 days. Apply through a Bali visa agent (many in Canggu and Ubud, USD 100–250 including sponsor letter) or online before departure. The new Indonesia Digital Nomad Visa (Second Home Visa, E33) allows up to 5 years but requires IDR 2 billion (approximately USD 130,000) in a sponsored Indonesian bank account — very high barrier. Most nomads use VoA plus extension plus occasional visa runs.
Get an eSIM and arrange a SIM before departure
Buy a Bali/Indonesia eSIM from Airalo (15 GB, ~USD 10) before flying. Telkomsel has the best Bali coverage including Ubud's rice terrace areas. Indosat Ooredoo and XL Axiata are alternatives. Local SIMs are sold at airport and everywhere in Ubud for IDR 50,000–150,000 (~$3–9). Unlimited plans: IDR 100,000–200,000/month (~$6–12). Note that Ubud's internet infrastructure is less consistent than Canggu — some villa areas have spotty connectivity.
Airalo
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Decide: Ubud vs Canggu (and understand the Bali choice)
Ubud and Canggu are Bali's two dominant nomad bases with very different personalities. Ubud: jungle interior, rice terraces, yoga studios, wellness culture, spiritual atmosphere, quieter, cooler (altitude helps), slower internet in some areas, artistic community. Canggu (Bali-Canggu playbook available): beach access, surf culture, faster internet, larger digital nomad community, more nightlife, more social. For first-time Bali arrivals: spend 5–7 days in Ubud before Canggu to understand both. Monthly villas with pool: USD 500–1,200 in Ubud (vs USD 700–1,500 in Canggu for comparable quality).
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Arrange travel insurance with tropical coverage
Bali's BIMC International Medical Centre in Kuta handles most expat emergencies at USD 80–200 per consultation. Sanglah General Hospital (Denpasar) is the main public hospital. For serious medical emergencies, evacuation to Singapore (2 hours) is standard — evacuation insurance is essential. SafetyWing Nomad Insurance (~USD 45/month) covers Indonesia including medical evacuation. The most common nomad injuries in Ubud are motorbike accidents on the mountain roads — genuine risk that drives up the value of comprehensive insurance.
SafetyWing
Travel & medical insurance for nomads
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I choose the best digital nomad city for me?
Start by filtering on your non-negotiables: if budget is tight, sort by cost and look at cities under $2,000/month (Chiang Mai, Medellín, Tbilisi). If fast internet is critical for video calls, filter by internet speed score. If you're on a US passport in Europe, check Schengen status — cities in Georgia, Albania, or the UK give you unlimited stay without the 90-day limit. Use the quiz to get 3 personalized picks based on your specific priorities.
What is the 'nomad score' shown on each city?
The nomad score is a 0–10 composite rating built from verified data: internet speed (25%), cost of living vs. global median (25%), safety index (20%), English proficiency (15%), and coworking availability + visa friendliness (15%). A score of 7+ indicates a city that works well for most nomads. The score is recalculated quarterly as underlying data refreshes.
Which digital nomad cities have the best internet?
The consistently highest-rated cities for internet speed are: Tallinn, Estonia (average 100+ Mbps, fiber everywhere), Seoul, South Korea (gigabit fiber standard), Chiang Mai, Thailand (fast and cheap, coworkings have 200+ Mbps), Lisbon, Portugal (fiber widely available, 100–500 Mbps in most apartments), and Mexico City (100+ Mbps in Roma/Condesa neighborhoods). For video-heavy work, any of these cities provides reliable upload speeds for HD streaming.
Can I live in these cities without speaking the local language?
Most top-ranked nomad cities have high English proficiency — Lisbon, Tallinn, Amsterdam, Prague, and Bangkok all have strong English-speaking nomad communities and service sectors. Cities with lower English scores (Tokyo, Medellín, Chiang Mai) still work well for nomads because the expat community is large, coworkings operate in English, and translation apps handle most daily situations. Every city guide includes an English proficiency rating and practical notes on language.