Bali or Bondi: why are Aussies setting up shop in Bali?

With an influx of Aussies setting up restaurants in Bali, is the island at risk of becoming oversaturated. Is it still worth visiting if it’s Bondi 2.0?

The legacy of Aussies creating high-quality dining experiences in Bali has been well established over the last decade, with restaurateurs and entrepreneurs attracted by various reasons – including lifestyle and profitability, and the sense of openness and opportunity that a burgeoning industry creates.

Early on the scene was Sarong, a restaurant dedicated to south-east Asian cuisine, opened by the (formerly Sydney-based) chef Will Meyrick in 2008. Frank Camorra opened a Balinese outpost of his popular chain MoVida in 2016, and meanwhile in 2014 Melbourne’s Adam McAsey introduced Australian cafe culture to the island with Sisterfields (guaranteed to serve your avo smash and soy flat white how you like it).

He followed its success by opening a handful of nearby venues including a burger joint, BO$$ MAN, Expat Roasters and a fine-diner, Bikini. After establishing Rojo Rocket in the New South Wales town of Avoca, Adrian Reed transplanted its Mexican theme to Bali by opening Motel Mexicola in 2013. And in 2016, he opened Da Maria – an osteria-style restaurant that takes its design cues from the Amalfi Coast – alongside Maurice Terzini, of Icebergs Dining Room & Bar and Da Orazio Pizza and Porchetta. A new, Bali incarnation of the Bondi institution Icebergs is also slated to be in the works, with Reed and Terzini at the helm.

Bali restaurant food dish aussie — Established in 2014 The Plantation Grill in Seminyak is the flagship restaurant at luxury hotel Double-Six.

These venues are concentrated around the hubs of Seminyak and Petitenget; the former, a stylish beach resort area at the southern end of Bali that is home to many of the island’s expats, and the latter, a little further north and a little more low-key. These hotspots display the high-level hospitality, and diversity of offerings, that we’ve come to expect in Australia’s urban and cultural centres and their success suggests we’re eating it up. But is there a risk that this influx of Aussie culture will reach saturation point and end up detracting from the reasons we love to visit Bali in the first place?

Those on the ground don’t think so. “I don’t necessarily agree," says Sisterfields’ Adam McAsey. “It’s the same concern that Bali has become more expensive now.

It’s just not true. You can have a cheap holiday in Bali like you always did; stay in a cute bungalow, eat satay and nasi goreng and buy wooden Buddha statues at the market. The difference now is you have alternatives."

Restaurateur and one half of the original duo behind Icebergs, Robert Marchetti, established The Plantation Grill in Seminyak in 2014, the flagship restaurant at luxury hotel Double-Six.

He points out that it’s not just Australian entrepreneurs who are being drawn to the island – but entrepreneurs in general. And, as a frequent traveller, he sees what’s happening in Bali hospitality as a global, rather than local, trend; with expectations increasing everywhere. The pattern that follows will not be unique either.

“Just like the early days of Bondi, for example, when we arrived with Icebergs, there was very little there – apart from a few standouts," he says. “Every market goes through a saturation point, but if you have a unique restaurant, high standards and don’t compromise – you will always do well and stand out. You don’t have to be the first on Mars to be the most successful."

But even if these Aussie outposts offer a welcome alternative, and indeed are part of a global picture, they are still inherently tied to Balinese culture. “Bali is definitely becoming a global leader in the food and beverage industry and for good reason," says Adrian Reed of Motel Mexicola and Da Maria.

“There is a raft of world-class operators opening venues here but among them, there is a deep respect for the culture and values of the island."

Both McAsey and Marchetti agree. “Our location is surrounded by local eateries and our venues are staffed with smiling humble Indonesians," says McAsey. “That is what we see as the true spirit of Bali – our amazing, friendly, passionate local team."

“Bali as a whole has always had a very social and solid understanding of hospitality, along with a heap of local talent," says Marchetti. “Aussies may be some of the curators of these venues, but we will always be guests in Bali. It’s the locals that make Bali, Bali."

Five of the best and brightest Aussie-owned dining destinations in Bali

Tropicola

Conceived by the team behind Motel Mexicola and Bondi’s The Bucket List, Tropicola is a multi-stage beachfront development (a restaurant and hotel are set to follow) on Seminyak Beach in Bali. Its views out to the Indian Ocean provide a colourful and fun environment to relax in during the day, and party hard at into the night.

Designer James Brown has conjured up a colourful oasis laden with bougainvillea over multiple levels, where the clean lines and bright shades of the pool club are evocative of the louche days of the ’80s, and the general vibe brings to mind the heyday of jet-set playgrounds such as Miami and Acapulco. tropicola.info

Da Maria

Opened in 2016, Maurice Terzini and Adrian Reed’s first Bali outpost is a restaurant inspired by the Amalfi Coast that offers casual-chic dining and a little of something for everyone. “Early evening you’ll find kids making pizzas, our lunch and dinner service offers one of the most authentic Italian menus you’ll find anywhere," says Reed. “ And from 10pm every night our late night pizza and disco kicks in where you’ll find the venue humming with those who want to dance the night away."

To find out more, check out Da Maria.

The Slow

Bali’s unique, Brutalist-inspired boutique hotel opened its doors in December 2017. Set a stone’s throw from the sand in Canggu, it’s a destination in itself created by Gareth Moody and George Gorrow, original designers of the Australian fashion label Ksubi. The hotel’s luxury suites are complemented by a flagship store that showcases the designers’ new menswear label Non-Type, as well as all-day dining centre around its restaurant Eat & Drink, led by head chef Shannon Moran.

To find out more, check out The Slow.

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Bikini

Opened in Seminyak in January 2017, Bikini is the latest on the scene from entrepreneur Adam McAsey’s (@adam_mcasey) growing empire. Complementing his Aussie-style cafe, Sisterfields, and burger joint, BO$$MAN, Bikini is McAsey’s foray into fine dining, with seasonal produce driving a share-plate based menu. Plans are also afoot to launch Sisterfields Jakarta at the end of the year.

To find out more, check out Bikini.

Mrs Sippy Bali

A popular hang-out spot in Double Bay, Sydney, Mrs Sippy opened a second venue in Bali in April. A beach club with a 600-seat restaurant and a huge saltwater swimming pool, come for the Jimbaran-style grill and stay for the poolside disco.

To find out more, check out Mrs Sippy.

Icebergs Bali

The details are still scant, but an Icebergs beach club is slated to land in Bali in the near future, with Maurice Terzini and Adrian Reed at the helm. We look forward to seeing that iconic pool reincarnated, Bali-style.

After youth-led protests in 2025, this year Nepal elected a 35-year-old former rapper as Prime Minister. In a country where tourism is its biggest industry, what’s next for travellers?

In 1986, Nepal changed its clock. It had used India Standard Time since 1920 so, to differentiate, it wound its clock 15 minutes ahead of, not behind, its big-brother neighbour. Boss move. “Nepal is strongly opposed to the idea that our identity is connected to India,” says Community Homestay Network (CHN) guide Bikal Khanal.

Tharu dance is traditionally set to hand drums. (Credit: Kate Lewis)

Today, Nepal is the only independent country with a 45-minute deviation to universal time; an oddity that’s become a symbol of national pride. The quirk is nearly as endearing as Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan airport where carved varnished wood and shiny red bricks rule. One sign points to a ‘Travelator’ and another to a ‘Grievance Handling Desk’ while visas are noisily stamped at customs for US dollars, cash only. When am I?

Spot the endemic Nepal gray langur. (Credit: Simon Urwin)

The 15 or 45 minute anomaly sees me tap out completely on timezone calculations. Why bend my brain calculating if it’s quarter to or quarter past elsewhere when I’m in the honking here and now of Kathmandu where the air is high-altitude crisp, the prayer flags flutter and the street dogs howl?

How tourism is changing in Nepal

Bardiya National Park is rich with wildlife. (Credit: Simon Urwin)

India is not the only association many Nepalis would like to shake. With eight of the world’s 10 tallest mountains, including Mount Everest and Annapurna, Nepal has long attracted mountaineers and trekkers, and expedition numbers are continuing to rise.

Tourism is one of the country’s biggest sources of foreign currency, so this growth is not negative, per se. But according to Ang Tshering Lama, who co-founded Phaplu Mountain Bike Club, being reduced to a mere trekking destination is limiting.

“Trekking is just one layer of our identity,” says Ang. “When it becomes the dominant narrative, it limits how we’re seen and how we see ourselves.” Nepal’s recent success, however, in diverting trekkers to less-trafficked areas such as Manaslu mofuntain, where visitor numbers rose by 117 per cent last year, offers hope that tourism can diversify even more radically.

Local men in Bhada village. (Credit: Simon Urwin)

The founder of CHN, Shiva Dhakal, wants that change. “The whole idea of the Community Homestay Network is to promote experiences outside of trekking,” he says. “Community tourism changes lives and helps kids stay home instead of coming to the city or migrating to the Middle East.”

Ang grew up seeing people leave, “not because they wanted to but because there weren’t enough opportunities to stay”, he states. Yet from remote villages to living traditions; food, art, music and emerging subcultures, “there’s so much that’s not being seen.”

CHN is opening some of those doors. It doesn’t own, or fund, any homes. Rather, it promotes homestays to travellers on a single, slick platform, while fostering entrepreneurship in places where women, marginalised castes, Indigenous people and the youth stand to benefit the most.

A new generation demanding more

Dalla Town Hall, where volunteers discuss anti-poaching tactics. (Credit: Bheem Thapa)

The future prospects of next-gen Nepalis can no longer be ignored. On a Kathmandu tour with 33-year-old guide Monica K.C, we pass buildings torched in the September 2025 ‘Gen Z protests’, including the Supreme Court and Parliament House. Seventy-two people died. “They were anti-corruption protests,” says Monica. “Politicians’ children are living a lavish life but the airports are crowded with youngsters leaving to find work.”

We stop in ‘little Tibet’ at the wondrous sixth-century Boudha Stupa. “The wheel of life is Buddhism in a nutshell,” says Monica. “Things such as hate, ignorance and anger keep you rotating around the wheel, so you must follow the principles of Buddhism to detach. If you can’t, there’s no nirvana for you.”

Boudha Stupa's prayer wheels — Boudha Stupa’s prayer wheels are used to recite Buddhist prayers. (Credit: Kate Lewis)

In a sun-drenched twist to the usual temple visit, we ascend the stupa’s sloping plinth and roam its whitewashed dome. Tendrils of diaphanous prayer flags stream from a steeple-like structure where the Buddha’s unblinking eyes stare out. No nirvana for you…

bouda stupa prayer flags — Tibetan-style prayer flags embellish the whitewashed dome of Bouda Stupa, a Buddhist temple. (Credit: Kate Hennessy)

The dome is delightfully free of guard rails or chiding from security. There is, however, a stern ‘No TikTok’ sign, perhaps in response to the youth’s newly flexed power. The booted-out Prime Minister, K.P. Sharma Oli, was replaced in a resounding election victory in March by 35-year-old Balendra Shah of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) – a former rapper and mayor of Kathmandu. The RSP’s manifesto indicates tourism is a priority, and that Nepal’s cultural identity in areas such as gastronomy will be strengthened.

Boudha Stupa vendors — Vibrant souvenir shops and cafes around Boudha Stupa. (Credit: Kate Hennessy)

A more confronting stop awaits at Pashupatinath Temple. Today is Bala Chaturdashi, a Hindu festival where thousands of devotees gather to honour their dead ancestors. Vendors hauling foam mattresses do a lucrative trade as people set up for a night of vigil. This includes burning the bodies of recently deceased relatives on bamboo pyres in the Bagmati River, which flows into the sacred Ganges.

A woman at annual Hindu festival Bala Chaturdashi, in Kathmandu. (Credit: Kate Hennessy)

Wrapped in a shroud, the bodies are positioned with their heads facing north to the Himalayas where Lord Shiva resides. They’re covered with flowers and straw and set alight by male family members.

Hours later, the ashes are swept into the river where devotees will take a holy dip the next day. As much as Monica assures us it’s not voyeuristic to watch, I struggle to do so. “Here you see the reality of life because everyone ends up there,” she says, gesturing to the river.

Life unfiltered in the Terai region

tharu woman — Tharu woman and master weaver Parbati Chaudhary in Bhada Village. (Credit: Bheem Thapa)

The reality of life needs processing time, which the western Terai region delivers in spades. The Terai is largely separated from India by the Karnali River and Bardiya National Park, where elephants, rhinos and the elusive Bengal tiger roam.

Once a nomadic tribe, the Indigenous Tharu people are now the largest ethnic group here. “They didn’t know their daily life was interesting for international travellers but they’re starting to understand now,” says CHN founder Shiva.

Take a Jeep safari through Bardiya National Park. (Credit: Bheem Thapa)

We fly Buddha Air to Dhangadhi airport and drive five hours to stay in Tharu homes. The journey to Bhada village is a blur of roadside fruit stalls, traffic-stopping sacred cows and fields sown with wheat, rice, mustard, spinach, cauliflower and potatoes. Nepal’s agriculture feeds only Nepal.

Marigolds are an important part of Hindu rituals. (Credit: Simon Urwin)

“The only thing we export is young people,” says our guide Bikal. As the light dims and we plunge evermore rural, mysterious mounds of compacted hay – some house-sized – loom like the creatures from Where The Wild Things Are. Even our trusty driver gets flummoxed by a dirt road that abruptly ends and we find ourselves hurtling across a paddock.

On arrival, some are ferried to mud-walled cottages greened by gourd creepers, with thatched roofs and rustic-chic mosquito nets. Myself and two others are ushered to the home of corner store owner, mechanic and mushroom farmer Man Kumar Chilaruwa and his wife Rajkumari.

community homestay entrance — A warm welcome at a community homestay. (Credit: Simon Urwin)

They escort us to a bunker-esque back building with steel doors and a folding security gate, behind which is gleaming linoleum, dolphin-printed tiles and a shower cavity that must be gingerly stepped through to reach the toilet.

The ceiling lights emit a rainbow of colours (the bathroom light gets stuck in, frankly, a quite frightening red). We’re nevertheless touched that our hosts invested in all this bling when the average salary is around $275 a month.

In the coming days, we participate in Tharu traditions such as making moonshine, dancing, weaving straw handicrafts and gold-panning. We’re fed well with staples of rice, mustard greens, lentil pancakes, daal, curried chicken and tomato chutney served on antibacterial saal leaves.

food at community homestay — Dig in. (Credit: Kate Hennessy)

Sonara community homestay president Indradevi Tharu tells us river snails are often served, and the boiled and pickled flesh of rats hunted in the rice fields. “Perhaps next time?” we say and all have a laugh.

The power of community homestays

community homestay owners in Nepal — Barda community homestay owners Parbati Chaudhary and Ram Krishni Devi Chaudhary. (Credit: Simon Urwin)

Immersing Western visitors in foreign cultural practices is not new. But with the Tharu, I never get that uneasy sensation that I’m being performed for. Despite being the only tourists, there’s no ‘othering’; just warm, composed and ultra-dignified welcomes. Like we’ve always been here.

“I love to have travellers in my village so I can see the world,” says local woman Parbati Chaudhary. “Why would I travel the world when the world comes to me?”

The graceful acceptance the Tharu offer, as well as the slow pace, works miracles on my frazzled nervous system. One day I even take a nap on a vacant homestay bed.

Sonara community room — An authentic stay in the Sonara community. (Credit: Kate Hennessy)

Roosters strut and goats bray as we sit on the ground in al fresco kitchens, rolling rice flour into cylinders steamed to make dhikri (dumplings). When water is needed, we fetch it using a hand-operated pump as a family of ducks strolls by, side-eying us like curious neighbours.

Animal lovers will delight in Tharu villages. Kind and resourceful inventions are everywhere, such as snacking stations where two posts lean together, with leafy boughs dangling on rope for baby goats to forage from.

CHN’s CEO, Aayusha Prasain, nods knowingly when one in our group says she cried when she left her host, Shayam Chaudhary, in Bhada. Shayam’s 17-year-old son, Prashant, had translated, which deepened the connection.

“Community tourism turns travel into a relationship, not a transaction,” says Aayusha. “It places decision-making power in the hands of local communities, especially women and youth.” Since 2018, CHN has hosted more than 4000 travellers from 52 countries in 408 households, and estimates women’s participation has increased by 381 per cent.

In the Bardiya community, where vexing human-animal conflict has been a balancing act for decades due to elephants raiding crops, long-time homestay operator Salik Ram Chaudhary says young people keep the older ones on their toes.

“We can’t keep homestays stagnant,” he says. “We have to upgrade our service and redefine our product or young people won’t see it as an attractive business. If we can keep evolving with this travelling trend we’re confident the youths will stay and continue it.”

Back in Kathmandu, Monica explains that after the deaths of young protestors in September, a determination had spread to not let their sacrifice be in vain. “We want to keep holding the government accountable,” she says. “We don’t know what situation we’re facing, but we’re ready to face it.”

Interested in Nepal but prefer to experience it in total comfort? Read our guide to luxury travel in Nepal.