About Destined for Bali
An Island, A Dream, A Life Reimagined.
Bali has a way of finding you long before you find it.
For some, it begins with a photograph — light spilling through rice terraces at golden hour, a temple wreathed in frangipani, a surfer paddling out at dawn. For others, it’s a quiet thought that won’t leave: there must be more than this. A different rhythm. A softer pace. A life that feels less like a checklist and more like a slow exhale.
Whichever way Bali arrived for you, you’re here now — and that’s no accident.
Destined for Bali is for the dreamers, the wanderers, and the quiet rebels rewriting what life is supposed to look like.
What Destined for Bali is
Destined for Bali is an independent lifestyle publication — part travel journal, part field guide, part love letter to an island that has changed me in ways I’m still discovering.
I write for the people who want to know Bali beyond the tourist lens. The ones planning their first visit and trying to do it well. The ones quietly Googling “how to move to Bali” at midnight. The digital nomads are weighing up Canggu against Ubud. The expats already here are still figuring out the hidden corners. The dreamers who may never come, but who love living vicariously through stories of island life.
If that’s you — in any of those forms — you’re in the right place.
What I write about
Destined for Bali is built around five threads, each woven through everything I publish:
Travel and exploration — hidden temples, secret beaches, off-the-map villages, and the kind of itineraries that take you past the postcards and into the heart of the island.
Wellness and lifestyle — the yoga studios, healers, retreats, rituals, and quiet practices that have made Bali synonymous with transformation.
Food and culture — markets, warungs, ceremonies, artisans, and the deep, layered traditions that make Balinese culture quite unlike anywhere else on earth.
Business and digital nomad life — the practicalities of remote work, visas, co-working, cost of living, and building a location-independent life on the island.
The Journal — personal essays and reflections from my own Bali story, the lessons the island keeps teaching me, and the moments worth pausing for.
How I write — and what to expect
I write the way I’d talk to a friend over coffee in a Canggu café — honestly, warmly, and with a strong opinion when one is needed. I don’t do listicles for the sake of listicles. I don’t hype places I haven’t been or wouldn’t return to. And I don’t pretend Bali is perfect, because no place is.
What you’ll find here is personal experience, independent research, and recommendations I genuinely stand behind. What you won’t find is filler, AI-generated tourist-trap copy, or paid coverage dressed up as honest opinion.
Articles are published weekly. Some are practical guides; some are quieter reflections. All of them aim to leave you with something — a place to visit, a question to sit with, a small piece of the island to carry into your day.
How I work with brands
Some of what I write is supported through partnerships with brands, villas, retreats, and tour operators whose values align with the publication. When that’s the case, the article is always clearly labelled — “AD”, “Sponsored”, “Gifted”, “Hosted”, or “Paid Partnership” — in line with UK Advertising Standards Authority guidance.
Some links throughout the publication are/will be/will become affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you book or buy through them — always at no additional cost to you. These help fund the time, travel, and research that goes into Destined for Bali.
I work selectively. I only partner with brands and businesses I would happily recommend without payment. If something doesn’t live up to expectations, you won’t see it featured here — sponsored or otherwise. For partnership enquiries, please email me at annie@destinedforbali.com.
Why subscribe
Substack lets me publish without algorithms deciding who sees my work — stories land directly in your inbox, on your terms.
Free subscribers receive my regular published articles. Paid subscribers get the full archive, deeper guides, behind-the-scenes notes from my own Bali life, the occasional reader Q&A, and — most importantly — the warm feeling of supporting independent writing in a world increasingly drowning in noise.
If you’d like to come along for the ride, the subscribe button is just up there. Welcome aboard.
Get in touch
I love hearing from readers — whether you’ve got a question about a particular corner of Bali, a recommendation to share, a story of your own you’d like to tell, or simply a hello.
You can always reach me at annie@destinedforbali.com. I read every message and reply to as many as I possibly can.
A few honest notes before you read on
Destined for Bali is a personal lifestyle publication. Everything I write reflects my own opinions, experiences, and independent research at the time of publishing. It is not professional advice of any kind — not legal, not immigration, not financial, not medical, not property, not business, not safety advice.
Bali is wonderful, and Bali is complicated. Visa rules, property laws, prices, venues, transport options, businesses, and safety conditions change frequently and depend on your nationality and personal circumstances. What worked for me may not work for you.
Before making any decision based on something you read here — from booking a villa to applying for a visa, leasing land, starting a business, or trying a wellness practice — please consult a qualified, regulated professional appropriate to your situation. An Indonesian immigration agent for visa matters. A property lawyer and notary (PPAT) for land and property. An accountant for business and tax. A doctor for health. A licensed operator for any activity. Always do your own due diligence on the third parties I mention or link to — I cannot guarantee their quality, safety, or conduct, however much I rate them.
By reading and subscribing to Destined for Bali, you agree to my full Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, which set this out in full. Take a moment to read them — they’re written in plain English.
Thank you for being here, and for taking my work in the spirit it’s offered — honest, personal, and made with care.
— Annie Destined for Bali
