Now that we have covered how to get your stuff over here (or maybe more practically, not getting your stuff over here), it is time to take a look at things that you should really looking into bringing over with you before you get here.
Despite how beautiful Bali is and how great life can be here, Bali is still part of Indonesia, which is a developing country and some of your western amenities will not be easily accessible if accessible at all here.
First off, many people believe that since things in Bali are very cheap that they should be able to get their electronics cheaper here. Generally though, due to import taxes electronics are generally not cheaper and end up being more expensive than they would be in your home country. Also things as far as warranties and return policies work a little bit differently here (if at all) and you will be much better off buying that new camera, MP3 player or external hard drive in your home country to save yourself a bit of cash.
Books in English can be in pretty short supply in Bali and also pretty expensive. There are shops around Kuta where you can buy, sell and trade books, although trying to get that new novel you want or an old favorite can be tricky. Places like Periplus and Gramedia. are your best options, but you are really better off buying an eBook Reader before you come. You can find more information on which one to buy here.
While many personal hygiene products like bars of soap, toothpaste and things like that are widely available at a fraction of the price that we are used to, some things have a terrible selection. There seems to be only one deodorant company here, Rexona, which myself and expat friends find to be inadequate. There is a stick and roll on version, neither of them work well and the stick tends to be finished within two weeks. I recommend bringing a 6 month to 1 year supply of deodorant and any other personal hygiene product that you feel you couldn’t live without if you find out that it is unavailable in Bali. Stores like Carrefour will carry some of these western brands of personal hygiene products, but the selection is still very slim.
Also, for the men, I recommend bring a pack or two of your favorite underwear. Unless you are Indonesian sized, which most westerners are not, you will have a hard time finding underwear that will fit. Also, Indonesians generally do not wear boxer shorts and they can be harder to come by even if you do find them in your size. All other clothes can be easily found in larger sizes western clothing stores around the tourist areas although most of them will carry a western price tag. If you are of small stature then you may be able to save a fortune on clothes by shopping at local clothing stores and malls.
I have six boxes I want to bring to Bali
By sea I’m told is cheaper
I’m trying to find a company in Australia to do this without success
It can take as long as it likes
Do you know any company that regularly ships to Bali
Thank you
Renny tasker