Bali Travel Tips
Are you heading to Bali soon? HOW EXCITING! Bali is, of course, part of Indonesia, which is at least a 16-hour flight away, so there are a few things you might want to keep in mind. That's why we've put together an overview of all our travel tips, so you can be well-prepared for your trip!
Before you go
#1 International Driving Permit
Perhaps our number one travel tip is to rent a scooter in Bali; it's the easiest way to get around the busy Bali traffic and also a lot of fun! What you do need to consider is that you'll need an international driving permit for this. While renting the scooter, no one ever asked for it, but we were stopped multiple times by the police who were checking for it. You then need to show your driver's license plus your international driving permit. You can only apply for this at an ANWB shop (Dutch roadside assistance organization). They cost 25 euros and are valid for 3 years. All you need for this is a good passport photo, and you'll receive the permit immediately.
#2 Vaccinations
Always check with your local health service (GGD in the Netherlands) for advice on travel vaccinations. Currently, DTP and Hepatitis A are recommended. It's advice, not a requirement. It's best to consult the GGD website for this.
#3 Check Corona rules
The most important thing to check is the latest Corona rules. We cannot give advice on this as it changes constantly, but you can consult your government's website for up-to-date information. They provide very clear guidance on what you need to arrange and when you will or will not be admitted.
#4 What to bring?
You don't need much clothing, as there's a laundry service on every street corner that will return your clothes washed and ironed within a day. And all for just 10,000 rupiah per kilo of laundry (approximately 65 cents). But there are some things you might not have on your packing list that are handy. Here are some packing tips from us:
- The Essentials: Passport, Credit Card, International Driving Permit, Driver's License.
- Printed vaccination certificates.
- Mosquito spray.
- Sunscreen.
- Water shoes (if you enjoy visiting waterfalls).
- 1 sweater and long pants (for example, if you want to climb the volcano. It's incredibly cold at that altitude, and you'll be very glad you have these with you).
- Less glamorous, but useful. Anti-diarrhea medication (for Bali Belly) and Paracetamol.
- Scarf or Sarong. Keep in mind that if you want to visit temples, it is not permitted to wear shorts. You can bring a sarong or rent one at the temple.
#5 Set your debit card to worldwide use
Your debit card is automatically set to Europe, which means you cannot use your card outside of Europe. Therefore, at least a day in advance, set your card to 'Worldwide' via your banking app, as banks often need a day to process this. It's super annoying if you arrive and can't pay. Always bring a credit card too, because even though we always set our card to worldwide use, it often happens that only the credit card works.
#6 Travel insurance
For a big trip like this, it's wise to have travel insurance. Perhaps you already have continuous travel insurance? But also check if it's set to worldwide coverage. If anything happens, you'll at least be insured, but we, of course, hope you'll never need it.
#7 Make a plan
One of our travel tips is to really make a plan beforehand. This is because Bali is often much larger than most people think. It's a shame to stay in one place, as you'll only see a small part of the island. The best way is to choose a different place to stay every few days. Only then will you be able to discover every part of Bali. This is especially fun because each part is so different. Psst... Don't forget to include the Gili Islands and the Nusa Islands in your planning.
Upon arrival
#8 Visa on arrival
As a Dutch citizen, it is not necessary to apply for a visa in advance to enter Indonesia. This is super convenient! You can buy a visa on the spot at immigration. This will cost you 500,000 rupiah, which is about 30 euros, and is valid for 30 days. Want to stay longer? Then you must apply for a visa at the Indonesian Embassy in The Hague before you leave. What you can also do is leave the country temporarily, for example, a nice trip to Singapore, and then return.
#9 Declaration form
Previously, you would receive a declaration form on the plane, a piece of paper where you declared that you had nothing unusual to declare at customs. This has now been made digital. This means that after you have collected your luggage from the belt, you need to scan a QR code to fill out this form digitally. This never works for us, but fortunately, there's a whole row of computers by the baggage carousel where you can easily do it. You'll then get your QR code printed on a receipt, which you can show to Bali customs.
#10 People wanting to help with your luggage
At the baggage claim, there's always a whole line of people who want to help you with your heavy suitcases. You can, of course, allow this, but be aware that they will ask for money for it, and often only tell you afterwards. It's only a short walk from the baggage claim to the taxis, so our tip is to carry your own luggage.
#11 ATM
Before you walk through the gates, you'll pass a row of ATMs. Our travel tip is to definitely withdraw the maximum amount here, as many things are still paid for in cash in Bali. Especially if you need to take a taxi afterwards, it's immediately handy to have cash with you. The maximum amount you can usually withdraw is 2,500,000 rupiah. WOW, that seems like a lot, but it's about 150 euros. You'll get a huge stack of 100,000 rupiah notes, so it's genuinely useful to bring a large or separate wallet for all your cash.
#12 SIM card
It's super convenient to always have internet on the island. Especially if you want to navigate while riding a scooter around the island. For this, you'll need an Indonesian SIM card. This has recently been made a bit more difficult by the Indonesian government because SIM cards are linked to a person. This means your passport details are needed to get a SIM card. So, be aware that a photo of it will be taken. At the airport, there's a whole row of shops next to each other where you can buy a SIM card, even before you walk through the gates. The prices of SIM cards here are twice as high as at the roadside shops, but it does look more reliable. So, it just depends on what you prefer. You pay about 250,000 rupiah for the largest bundle, and this often lasts you your entire holiday, and if not, you can always top it up.
#13 Taxi
Okay, you've survived your long journey (YEAH!) and just need to get to your hotel/villa. After this, you can fully relax. But that taxi? The moment you walk through the gates, you'll be swarmed by taxi drivers. The prices they quote are high, but all the same. If you're staying in Seminyak/Canggu, keep in mind that the price will be between 200,000 and 300,000 rupiah. Converted, that's a maximum of 20 euros, so it's not too bad in the end, but normally prices for the same distance are 2 or 3 times cheaper. You don't have Uber at the airport, only local taxis and Grab taxis, but they all charge the same prices. So, our tip is just to pick one, but agree on a price beforehand.
During your stay
#14 Renting a scooter
Yes, you've arrived on The Island of Gods! Welcome! Now you can fully enjoy yourself. The easiest way to get around the island is by scooter. You can actually rent one at almost any hotel/villa. They all know someone who will bring a scooter to you. Per day, they cost between 60,000 and 90,000 rupiah, which is between 4 and 7 euros. Petrol here also only costs 0.70 cents per liter, so not only is this the most fun way, but also the cheapest way to explore the island. PLEASE NOTE: Traffic around Canggu, Seminyak, and Kuta is almost always chaotic in the afternoon, so it's important that you can ride a scooter well. If you can't? Then our tip is to just take a taxi everywhere, because they are also very cheap and plentiful.
PLEASE NOTE: Bali is currently working on banning all tourists from riding scooters. We do not yet know how this will be enforced in practice.
#15 Grab & Gojek
The 2 most important apps you can download to make your life so much easier are Grab and Gojek. With these, you can order taxis and food. Uber is hardly used here and is not welcome in some places, so we really recommend downloading one of these two. For less than a euro, they will deliver your favorite food to your hotel room at any time of day. They even take and pick up your laundry. You can actually use them for anything. Believe us, after this, you'll wish they had this in your home country too!
#16 Sarongs at temples
Going to visit temples for a day? Fun! Keep in mind that it's not permitted to wear shorts here. A handy solution is to simply bring a sarong; you can then tie it around you when you enter the temple. Don't have one? Then you can often rent one at the temple.
#17 List of hotspots
Have you already checked out our lists of hotspots? In every popular region of Bali, we have a list of spots you shouldn't miss during your trip. So, if you don't know what to do for a day? Then check out our list of hotspots in Bali.
#18 Avoiding crowds?
It can sometimes be very busy in Bali, and then really only around Kuta, Seminyak, and Canggu. The crowds are always in the middle of the day, so between 12:00 PM and 6:00 PM. If you don't want to move around too much within those regions, as it's a shame to waste your day in traffic. Unless you have a scooter, then you can often weave through it.
#19 Cash Money
In Bali, you always need cash. For taxis, small shops, visiting temples or waterfalls, when you refuel, and also if your card doesn't work somewhere. So make sure that when you see a reliable ATM, you withdraw enough money there. In all beach clubs and nice restaurants, you can always pay with your debit card or credit card, so that helps a lot.
#20 Washing clothes
A whole suitcase full of clothes? No, not at all necessary! Leave enough room to enjoy shopping and bring back a full suitcase instead. But how do you deal with your dirty clothes then? On almost every street corner, you'll find a laundry service. They often wash and iron your clothes for just 10,000 rupiah per kilo. Converted, that's about 0.70 cents per kilo of laundry. That's why we always drop a bag of laundry at the laundry service every other day and therefore never need much clothing when we're in Bali.
#21 Massages
Perhaps the most important travel tip during your stay: Don't leave Bali without a Balinese massage! You'll find massage parlors all over the island. Often you can book a Balinese massage for 140,000 rupiah per hour, which is about 8.5 euros. The nicest thing is to book a massage in your own villa or to splurge a bit and go to a slightly nicer massage salon. You won't regret it!
More?
The interior of all the spots in Bali is, of course, fantastic! Do you want to bring some of that atmosphere into your home? You can! Check out all the beautiful handmade items in our shop and get even more inspired.
Want to discover more hotspots in other areas of Bali? Then quickly check out our other Bali blogs.
Happy shopping! Love, Bali Lifestyle
0 comments