Relocating to Bali, without landing homeless.
Most people move to Bali twice: once in a hotel while they hunt for somewhere to live, and once for real when they finally find it. This guide is about skipping the first move. It covers where to base yourself on the west coast, how long-stay villa living actually works, and how to line up a home before you get on the plane.
The quiet side of the west coast.
Canggu is the name everyone arrives with. A few kilometres north it softens into Pererenan, then Seseh and Munggu: rice fields, black-sand surf beaches and quiet lanes, with the cafes, gyms, coworking and schools of Canggu still close enough to reach in minutes. It is where a lot of people who came for a season end up choosing to actually live.
From Core Villas at Seseh, it is about 7 minutes to Pererenan, 8 to Seseh Beach, 15 to Canggu, and an hour to the airport.
A home, not a holiday let.
Furnished and managed
A long-stay villa arrives fully furnished, with maintenance, pool and garden care handled. You pay for what you use in utilities and consumables. You arrive with suitcases, not a container.
Monthly, not nightly
Long-stay leases run from a month upward, priced for living rather than for a holiday week. Terms extend by agreement, so a move that starts open-ended has room to settle.
You lease from the owner, CORE manages
Your lease is with the villa’s owner. CORE runs the villa for you end to end, so you have one professional team to deal with rather than a private landlord in a different timezone.
What to sort out, and who to ask.
Visa
Living here means the right visa: usually a KITAS, or a social or business visa, depending on your work and family. The rules move, so this is a job for a good immigration agent. We can point you to ones we trust rather than guess on your behalf.
Schools
The Canggu area has a real spread of international and alternative schools within reach of the west coast. Which one fits depends on age, curriculum and how far you will drive at 7am. Worth visiting a shortlist before you commit to an area.
Day-to-day
Fibre internet, private healthcare, groceries and everything a remote working life needs are all close. A scooter or a car with a driver covers the rest. It is more connected than a first-timer expects, and calmer than Canggu suggests.
Timing your arrival
Give yourself a landing pad for the first stretch. A furnished, managed villa on a monthly term lets you arrive, settle the family and the paperwork, and decide where you want to be for the long run without signing your life away on day one.
Can I arrange a villa before I move to Bali?
Yes, and it is the calmer way to do it. You can line up a long-stay home in advance rather than landing first and searching from a hotel. Core Villas takes waitlist registrations now, so your dates and villa type are noted before residences open in mid-2027.
Do I need a visa to live in Bali?
Yes. Longer stays usually run on a KITAS or a social or business visa, depending on your situation, work and family. The rules change, so we do not quote specifics here. We can introduce you to immigration agents we trust to get it right for your case.
How long can I stay in one villa?
Core Villas residences run from a one-month minimum, with monthly, quarterly and yearly terms that extend up to two years by agreement. It suits a move that starts open-ended.
Which area suits families relocating to Bali?
The Seseh and Munggu stretch north of Canggu is quieter, with international schools within reach, safe lanes, and gardens and pools at home. It trades some nightlife for a community of neighbours rather than a turnover of tourists.
Are long-stay villas furnished?
Core Villas residences are delivered fully furnished with the CORE furniture and appliance package, so you can arrive with suitcases rather than a shipping container. Maintenance, pool and garden care are handled for you.
Arrive with the keys already yours.
Core Villas opens for long stays in mid-2027, at Seseh, Munggu. Join the waitlist and your dates and villa type are noted before anything is listed publicly, so relocating starts with a home instead of a hotel.
Join the residence waitlist