Recent Posts

4 Best Ways to Learn Indonesian Online for Free

By Tibs →
Learning Indonesian online has never been so easy. There are so many websites, apps and videos available for free that the real problem is to identify the right one for you. Before choosing, you should ask yourself a few questions: How serious are you about learning Indonesian? Do you want to become fluent or do you only want to learn the basics? Do you want free lessons or are you ready to pay for a subscription? The advantage of paying sites is that you'll usually get a complete program that you can follow every day. By investing money, you will feel more motivated as well. Without paying, you'll need to stick to trial offers with a limited number of free lessons. That's fine for a beginner, but it can be annoying as you make progress. Do you prefer learning through an app or a website? If you don't have too much time to spare, using a mobile app is a convenient way to learn. You can practice for a few minutes from everywhere, for instance while comm

Doha Nightlife (Qatar): Best Bars and Nightclubs - World Cup 2022

By Tibs →
This article was entirely re-written with the latest updates on Doha Nightlife during the World Cup 2022. At first sight, Doha, the capital of Qatar, may not seem like the best place for nightlife: Alcohol is hard to buy and ridiculously expensive. There is a strong gender imbalance in bars, with much more guys than girls. Pre-marital sex and adultery are both punishable offenses, and you are not even allowed to speak or to hang out with Qatari women. Despite all these restrictions, it is still possible to have fun, as long as you have enough money. Bottle service is often required in the best venues, so it is easy to spend USD500 in one evening. If you are on a backpacker budget, forget about partying and save your dollars for elsewhere. If you are on a business trip, an expat living in Qatar, or visiting for the World Cup, read this guide and you will know everything there is to know about Doha nightlife.

Canggu and Seminyak Nightlife (Updated 2022)

By Tibs →
Canggu and Seminyak are now the best areas for nightlife in Bali. Below are the best bars and nightclubs there to party during your holiday: Canggu Nightlife: Where to Party? Canggu is a growing area that covers basically the north of Jalan Batu Belig (Kerobokan/Seminyak) up to Jalan Pererenan. It is popular with young foreigners in their early 20s to mid-thirties, including surfers, digital nomads, influencers, gap-year travelers, backpackers, and probably some rich kids with nothing else to do than partying. Clubs, bars, cafés, and restaurants, are spread out along the main streets, and more particularly Jalan Batu Bolong, Jalan Pantai Berawa, Jalan Semat, Jalan Subak Sari, or Jalan Nelayan. Generally speaking, the closer you go from the beach, the more fancy/trendy the venues are. The busiest party location in Canggu is certainly on Jalan Batu Bolong, near Old Man's. It can take some time to go from one street to the other as the roads are still tiny and in bad condition. Most p

Where to Party in Bali? A Complete Nightlife Guide (2022)

By Tibs →
Partying is one of the best things to do during a trip to Bali. Bars and nightclubs can be found in every major city, especially in the southern part of the island. I already wrote an article about the best nightclubs in Bali , but here I will focus on the nightlife areas and their specificities. I hope it will help you decide where to party, what kind of atmosphere to expect and how much you will spend. I will also recommend the best hotels in each area. As usual, you can ask any question by leaving a comment at the end of the page and I will do my best to answer them.

Living in Jakarta: Best Neighborhoods for Expats (2021)

By Tibs →
I previously wrote about the best areas to stay in Jakarta for tourists . You may want to read this article as well to get a first introduction to the city's neighborhoods. I wouldn't say that there isn't one best place to live in Jakarta, as the criteria for each person will be different. The most important factor when deciding where to stay should be the distance between your home and your work or, if you have children, between your home and their school.

Why You Need Travel Insurance in Indonesia (2021-COVID Update)

By Tibs →
When I speak with tourists visiting Indonesia, I am often shocked to learn that they don't have proper travel insurance or medical evacuation insurance. Among long-term residents, there are also many who do not have health insurance, particularly those without a working permit (typically the digital nomads). The objective of this article is to convince you that spending a few dollars per day on insurance is not a waste of money, especially during this COVID-19 pandemic. Even if you are on a tight budget, you can get cheap insurance ( as low as 3$ per day if you take a yearly subscription - check here ) that will at least save your ass in case of a serious illness or accident. If you cannot afford it, then you probably should not travel to Indonesia. Why you need travel insurance in Indonesia While you certainly need insurance everywhere, there are even more reasons to get it when you travel in Bali , Jakarta, or the rest of Indonesia: You are exposed to more risks When y