Author: Anton Taranenko, co-founder and CEO of ANTA Group
Choosing an investment property in Bali doesn't start with the neighborhood or the ocean view, but with three checks: what type of ownership is available to you as a foreigner, who is legally building the property and with what documents, and who will manage it after completion. If these three answers are correct, then you can choose the property type that best suits your needs: a villa for your own vacation with partial rental, an apartment for long-term rental, or a room in a branded aparthotel managed by an international operator. We, developer ANTA Group, have gone through this process on three projects in Indonesia, and below we'll break down each step.
The demand for such real estate in Bali is measurable. According to Statistics Indonesia, cited by Antara, the island welcomed 6,948,754 direct foreign tourists in 2025, 9.72% more than the previous year, with 1.63 million of them arriving from Australia. The occupancy rate of star-rated hotels in Bali in July 2026 was 67.29%, the highest among Indonesian provinces, compared to the national average of 54.55%. These two figures set a ceiling for any occupancy promise in a presentation.
What type of ownership is available to foreigners in Bali?
Foreigners cannot own land in Bali outright. Hak Milik, commonly known as freehold in the market, is reserved exclusively for Indonesian citizens under Indonesian agrarian law. Therefore, the first thing we ask buyers to do is stop looking for "freehold for foreigners" and choose one of three legal structures.
- Leasehold (Hak Sewa). A long-term lease of land and a building from an Indonesian owner or company. It is notarized, does not require an Indonesian visa, and is renewable by agreement. This is the primary form of lease for aparthotels and villas in complexes.
- Hak Pakai (right of use). Registered in the foreigner's name at the land agency, but requires a valid residence permit (KITAS or KITAP). Suitable for those planning to live on the island.
- PT PMA with HGB development rights. A foreign company holds the development rights. This format is suitable for commercial projects and portfolio purchases.
We don't consider registering land in the name of an Indonesian citizen as an option at all. A detailed comparison of the timeframes, requirements, and risks of each type can be found in our analysis of freehold and leasehold in Bali.
How does this work in practice? In the Radisson Individuals Anta Canggu project, the land beneath the complex is leased for 51 years: 26 years with an option to extend the lease for an additional 25. The land lease is signed with PT Anta Group Development, the group's Indonesian legal entity, which holds the construction permits. The unit buyer enters into an investment agreement with the option of notarization, receives the right of occupancy, the right to rental income through the management company, and the right to assign the property. In the NOAH project in Sumba, the villa ownership is also leasehold, but for a term of up to 80 years with the option to extend it. The difference in terms between our two projects demonstrates why the lease term should be read in the contract, not in the advertisement.
Which type of property should you choose: a villa, an apartment, or an aparthotel?
The type of property is determined by how much time you are willing to spend on management and how much of the year you want to live in it yourself.
A villa is a detached house with a pool, often leasehold. It offers maximum personal space, but also maximum operational burden: staff, pool, equipment, and managing guests. If you want to buy a villa in Bali without living on the island, the question of "who manages it" becomes paramount. At NOAH in Sumba, we've addressed this issue from the outset: 30 villas on 14 hectares, each with its own pool, shared infrastructure, and unified management. Areas range from 45 m² (Tropical Suite, from $105,000) to 100 m² (Ocean Luxe, from $345,000).
Apartments in a residential complex. Smaller space, lower entry threshold, easier to rent out long-term. Ideal for individuals who live part of the year and rent for the rest of the year.
A room or suite in a branded aparthotel. You purchase a unit in a hotel operating under an international brand, and the operator takes care of occupancy, maintenance, and reporting. This is the most passive format. A branded aparthotel in Bali is more expensive than a nameless complex of the same size, and the buyer pays for two things: the operator's standards and their booking system. This is how we structure both of our Bali projects: Radisson Individuals Anta Canggu (a Radisson Individuals brand, Radisson Hotel Group; managed by Ribas Hotels Group, opening in Q1 2027, units from $178,000) and Ramada Encore by Wyndham Bali Anta in Pandawa Hills (a Wyndham brand, 182 units, from 31 sq m Superior rooms to 259 sq m three-bedroom villas).
Within a single type, consider the layout for the guest, not for yourself: a 31 sq. m studio with a well-appointed bathroom rents more readily than a 45 sq. m studio with a dark kitchen. Evaluate the complex's amenities through the eyes of the guest: the rooftop pool, restaurant, coworking space, and kids' club in Canggu are designed to accommodate what tourists in the area pay for.
Which area of Bali suits your purpose?
The area is chosen based on the type of guest you expect to receive.
- Canggu. The busiest area in terms of transactions and rental inventory, with plenty of cafes, surf spots, and a young, international clientele. An aparthotel with full service works well here: guests come for a week or two and want everything close by. Our complex in Canggu is located on the main street of Batu Bolong, 7 minutes from the ocean, 2 minutes from supermarkets, and 40 minutes from the airport.
- Bukit and Pandawa. The southern peninsula, with cliffs, pristine beaches, and golf, is quieter and more expensive for the guest's budget. Ramada Encore by Wyndham Bali Anta is located three minutes from Pandawa Beach and 30 minutes from the airport. It offers a resort-style accommodation with rooms and villas.
- Ubud, Sanur, Uluwatu. Each with its own guest: Ubud for long-term retreats and remote work, Sanur for families and a tranquil beach, Uluwatu for surfing and cliffside villas. We compare districts by price per square meter and occupancy rates in a separate review of Bali districts for investment.
- Sumba is near Bali. It's a neighboring island, an hour's flight away, with virtually no development. We entered the market with NOAH because there's no competition for guests seeking peace and quiet. It's an early-stage market with a different risk profile, and we communicate this directly to buyers.
A practical criterion for exploring the area: walk from the property to the beach, cafe, and store at 2:00 PM. If the walk takes more than 15 minutes or runs along a highway without a sidewalk, guests will leave this in their review, and the occupancy rate will notice.
What to check with the developer before the deal: a checklist
Five documents we show to buyers before the first payment and which we recommend requesting from any developer. If you don't show even one, there's no deal.
- Legal entity and its registration. The name of the Indonesian company that owns the land and with which you sign the contract. In our case, it's PT Anta Group Development. The company's registration certificate and tax identification number are available on the Ramada Encore project page, along with the land lease agreement.
- A PBG (Persetujuan Bangunan Gedung) construction permit is the document that replaced the former IMB permit in Indonesia. Without a PBG, construction cannot begin. The response "documents in progress" when sales are already underway means you're financing the land purchase, not your unit.
- The ownership form is specified in the contract, not in the presentation. Leasehold, Hak Pakai, or HGB through a company, with a precise term, renewal terms, and who pays for the renewal. In our Canggu contract, it's 26 plus 25 years, and this line is in the contract itself, not in the brochure.
- Operator Agreement. If the property is being sold as a branded hotel, ask for confirmation of the operator agreement. For Canggu, the agreement with Radisson Hotel Group has been confirmed by business publications; links are collected on our About Us page. For NOAH, negotiations with the operator are ongoing at the time of writing, and the buyer is aware of this before signing, not after.
- A payment schedule tied to construction. Advance payment, down payment, installments, and what happens in the event of delays. Plus, auditable construction progress: we publish quarterly reports on each project and maintain an open live stream from the site.
The sixth point is beyond the documents: look at the developer's completed projects. We have over 10 completed projects and over 400 apartments sold in Turkey before entering Bali. We've covered in detail how to distinguish a real construction site from a fancy website in our article on how to distinguish a reliable developer from a paper project.
What does a transaction budget look like: an example calculation
An example of a payment plan calculation based on the terms and conditions listed on the Canggu project page. This is an illustration of the arithmetic, not an offer: we calculate the cost for each specific unit separately.
- Unit price: $178,000 (starting price on the project page).
- Reservation: advance payment of $1,000, included in payment.
- Down payment 30%: $53,400.
- The remaining $124,600 is available in installments from the developer at 0% for up to 18 months: approximately $6,920 per month with equal payments.
- Agency commission: 0, purchase directly from the developer.
Apart from the unit price, factor in the title deed tax, notary fees, and future leasehold renewal fees. We've detailed these factors in our article on taxes and hidden fees when buying property in Bali.
Regarding profitability. Any percentage figure you see in advertising, including ours, is the result of a model with assumptions: occupancy, average nightly rate, operator share, maintenance costs, and taxes. Ask for the model, not the final percentage, and check the occupancy assumption against the island statistics we provided at the beginning. We provide this calculation for each unit before the transaction, with the assumptions explicitly stated.
Frequently asked questions
Can a foreigner purchase property in Bali outright? No. Hak Milik, a freehold title, is legally reserved for Indonesian citizens. Foreigners can purchase through leasehold, Hak Pakai (with a residence permit), or through a foreign-owned Indonesian company (PT PMA). All three forms are legal, but differ in terms of duration and buyer requirements.
What's more important when choosing: the neighborhood or the developer? The developer. A poorly built property in a good neighborhood won't be completed, while a completed property with an operator in a quiet area generates income. The neighborhood is chosen second, based on the type of guest.
Do I need to come to Bali for the transaction? No, not for signing the contract with us: documents are processed remotely, and payment is accepted by bank transfer in dollars or euros. It's worth visiting for the site: to see the construction site before the first payment or to order an independent video inspection.
What is PBG and why is it the first question to ask a developer? Persetujuan Bangunan Gedung is a building permit that replaced the former IMB permit. A project without PBG cannot begin construction, and sales at this stage mean the developer is raising funds for construction that has not yet been approved.
How does a room in an aparthotel differ from a rental apartment? A room is managed by a hotel operator according to its own standards, attracting guests through its booking system and maintaining records. An apartment is managed by you or a hired management company. The former is more passive and expensive to start with, while the latter is more flexible and requires your involvement.
If you're in the selection stage and would like to complete a checklist for a specific property, contact us: we'll show you project documents in Canggu, Pandawa Hills, and Sumba and calculate a payment plan for your selected unit. Project page in Canggu: Radisson Individuals Anta Canggu.
Projects and purchase terms are collected on our Bali property directly from the developer page.