Balinese farmers selling land for development

Land in Bali is precious. Locals guard it as their highest possession and foreigners are always on the lookout for land that is choice. Bali’s fertile soil, unlimited sunshine and abundant water has meant the island can produce plentiful rice. This in turn has meant the Balinese can spend time on other things than just survival.

Westerners have an entirely different agenda. They are looking to build villas in their own piece of paradise. To feed this desire, property companies that specialize in helping foreigners get around the legalities and technicalities of acquiring land and setting themselves up, can be found.
Most young Balinese kids, especially those who have worked in or around the tourist industry, have no desire to farm rice. For one thing, the money is not as good, for another it does not have the status appeal. This is part of the reason Balinese farmers are looking to sell or lease part of their land to outsiders. In areas that are already somewhat developed like Canggu, landowners can expect a tidy sum for a relatively small chunk of land.
An older Balinese brahmana (high caste) once told me that the Balinese sell their land to get quick money for ceremonies and other stuff like cars and motorbikes. After 5 years all the money is gone and they want their land back. Its buyer beware for sure, which is okay with me since I don’t intend to buy land. The thing that bugs me is how beautiful chunks of land get chopped up and covered with ugly grey walls and concrete boxes. Its almost like the locals are trying to turm a picture postcard into Eastern Europe.