With international travel starting to resume, more and more people will undoubtedly begin thinking about a holiday to Bali, Indonesia. Many will be travelling here for the first time. This can be both, exciting and daunting. There are so many unknowns. When is the best time to travel there? How do I get around? What should I wear? How do I pay for things? Do the locals speak English (or German, French, Chinese…)? This page provides 30 of the Best Bali Travel Tips to help you in planning your Balinese adventure. Happy travels!
#1 Bali Travel Tips – Money
Cash is King – well not so much anymore. There are some places that only accept cash, such as smaller warungs and areas away from major tourist centres. However, most places in Bali now accept electronic payments via credit and debit cards. ATMs are widely available, however, card skimming can occur here so it’s advisable to use ATMs attached to major bank branches. Cash is accepted of course. Money changers are everywhere to change your overseas money to Rupiah. But beware of those offering higher exchange rates than everywhere else. They often have a few tricks up their sleeves and can easily swindle you out of a few hundred thousand Rupiah. You are much better off using the money changes attached to the local banks.
#2 Bali Travel Tips – Bring A Reusable Shopping Bag
The use of plastic bags in Bali has reduced significantly over the last few years, however, there are still way too many in day to day use. If each of us bring a couple of reusable shopping bags to Bali, and carry them with us at all times, it will make a significant reduction in the amount of bags that end up in landfill, rivers and oceans. And when you return home, think about leaving them with a local. They will get plenty of use out of them, further reducing the amount of waste in the environment.
#3 Bali Travel Tips – Bring A Drink Bottle
Bali is hot and you will drink a lot of water. Bring a refillable water bottle and refill whenever you can; at your accommodation, at bars, restaurants and warungs. Ask your accommodation to deliver you a 19-litre water gallon, at a fraction of the cost of bottled water. And buy a cheap pump to fill your bottle. Not only will Bali thank you for reducing your environmental footprint, but the money you save on bottled water could go towards other things such as an icy cold Bintang on the beach; A win-win for everyone!
#4 Bali Travel Tips – Charging Your Electricals
If you are anything like us, you will be travelling to Bali with a myriad of electrical equipment. Bring a portable powerboard from home and buy an international adaptor for only 20K rupiah, you can then recharge everything in one go!
#5 Bali Travel Tips – Culture Is Everywhere
One of the most beautiful aspects of the Balinese people is their rich culture, evidenced wherever you go in Bali. As visitors, there are certain cultural aspects that you must adhere to. Ensure you are adequately “covered up” by wearing a sarong when visiting temples. Many of the temples will provide sarongs for the use of visitors, however there is no way to know how clean they may or may not be. We recommend buying a sarong, you can pick them up for less than 100K Rupiah, and keep it in your backpack or under your scooter seat at all times.
#6 Bali Travel Tips – Learn The Language
English is widely spoken in Bali however being able to speak even just a few words of Bahasa Indonesia goes a long way. The locals will really appreciate your effort to say good morning (Selamat Pagi) or thank you (Terima Kasih) and will reward you with the best smiles. Download Google Translate onto your phone and you will be able to converse like a local in no time! Oh, and a good phrase to learn when walking past the street traders trying to sell you your one-hundredth Bintang singlet; tidak mkasih, Saya tidak mau, No thank you, I don’t want!
#7 Bali Travel Tips – Hire A Private Driver
Perhaps the easiest and most worry-free to tour the island and see the main attractions is by using a private driver. They can be found in most places, through your accommodation provider, referrals from friends or even on the street corner. They’ll have a number of tour packages for you to choose from. Hiring a driver for a day will set you back anywhere between 600K and 1M Rupiah per day, including fuel.
#8 Bali Travel Tips – Hire A Scooter
Hiring a scooter must be the ultimate fun way to get around Bali. You can rent them for between 60k and 100k Rupiah per day. And they are cheap to run, less than 40k Rupiah will give you a full tank of fuel and days of driving. Renting a scooter is as simple as going up to a bike rental business with a copy of your passport and some cash. They won’t even check that you have a driver’s license. But beware. To legally drive a scooter in Indonesia, you must wear a helmet and have a motorbike license from your country as well as an International Driver’s License. If you don’t have these, you will probably be pulled over and fined by the police (keep 100K Rupiah in your pocket, the fines have gone up!). Worse still, if you have an accident, and you are not properly licensed or wearing a helmet, you most likely won’t be covered by your travel insurance, and people are getting a little weary of Crowdfunding.
#9 Bali Travel Tips – Use Gojek, Grab and Bluebird
If you need to get somewhere local, and it’s too hot to walk, use the Gojek and Grab rideshares for a quick ride on a scooter. Very similar to Uber, you only need to download the apps onto your phone, add a payment method and you’re ready to go. Similarly with Bluebird taxis, using the app is safe and convenient, and you won’t get ripped off by unscrupulous taxi drivers on the street.
#10 Bali Travel Tips – Whatsapp
Whatsapp is the most commonly used app in Bali for sending and receiving text messages and voice calls over wifi. Most hotels, shops and businesses, drivers, as well as individuals all use it. It’s free to download and use and can really help with keeping in touch with everyone here in Bali.
#11 Bali Travel Tips – WiFi And Tourist Sims
Free wifi is widely available in Bali. Most restaurants, bars and accommodation providers will have fast free wifi available making it easy to keep in touch with family and friends overseas. Buy a local SIM card with pulsa (credit) for only a few dollars if you want the freedom to phone overseas without relying on wifi.
#12 Bali Travel Tips – Laundry
Laundries are everywhere and are cheap as chips. They charge anywhere from 5k to 20K rupiah per kilo. But be careful, not all are created equally. Clothes are not necessarily guaranteed to return in the same condition they were sent and sometimes items don’t return at all. Ask at your accommodation for their recommendations.
#13 Bali Travel Tips – Eat In The Local Warungs
If you want to eat some of the tastiest food in Bali and at the best prices, make sure you visit one of the many local warungs. They have a variety of local rice (nasi) or noodle (mie) based dishes with a choice of vegetables (Sayur), tofu (tahu), tempeh (tempe), chicken (ayam) or beef (daging). The meals will only cost 10K or so each and the flavours will hands-down beat anything you will get in the tourist-oriented restaurants.
#14 Bali Travel Tips – Travel Insurance
The old saying, “If you can’t afford travel insurance, you can’t afford to travel” rings true more so now than ever before thanks to the Covid 19 pandemic. The chances of catching covid are as real in Bali as anywhere else in the world. And if you get a severe case of Covid, you want the best care available. For only a couple of hundred dollars, Pounds or Euro’s you can rest easy knowing you are covered for accidents or illness while holidaying in Bali.
#15 Bali Travel Tips – Always Use Hand Sanitiser
It’s fairly common for newbies to Bali to get an upset stomach or “Bali Belly”. It can be caused by any number of things; different environments; changes in diet; or touching contaminated surfaces before eating. Don’t stress too much about it, but take some common-sense precautions. Carry some hand sanitiser with you and use it regularly, particularly before eating and after handling money. Better to be safe than sorry….
#16 Bali Travel Tips – Carry Toilet Paper
Not all toilets here in Bali provide toilet paper which means, um, well it’s cheap insurance – just in case……
#17 Bali Travel Tips – Use Mosquito Repellant
The mosquitoes can be bad at times here in Bali. At best, the mosquito bites can be annoyingly itchy, at worst, they can carry serious diseases. Fortunately, effective insect repellant, such as Soffell, is widely available here in Bali and is cheap. Most restaurants and bars will have it available for you to use. Buy a couple of bottles, keep one in your room and the other in your bag or backpack so you don’t get caught out.
#18 Bali Travel Tips – Haggling In The Markets
A highlight for many visitors to Bali is shopping at one of the many markets and street stalls. Haggling over the prices is expected and is seen as part of the fun of shopping in these places. The vendor will start with a high price, you counter with a lower offer. After some back and forth a price, often around 40-50% of the starting price, will be agreed upon. If you can’t agree on a price, walk away to the next stall. If the vendor still wants the sale they will call you back and you are in a prime bargaining position. Remember to have fun when haggling, keep a smile on your face at all times and remember not to get too caught up on prices, a few thousand rupiah is only a few pennies or cents!
#19 Bali Travel Tips – Tipping
Tipping for good service in Bali is not required and is not expected by the Balinese. However, that’s not to say they don’t appreciate any tips you may leave them. At restaurants and warungs, it’s common to round up to the nearest 10k rupiah or to leave the small notes from your change. If you use a driver for a day, you might want to leave a 100k tip. You may notice that more places in Bali, particularly hotels and restaurants targeting western tourists are now adding ++ to the bills. This comprises a 10% Government tax and a service charge (or tips) that is shared between the service staff. When you see this there really is no need to provide any additional tips for the staff.
#20 Bali Travel Tips – Medications
If you are bringing medication from overseas, make sure that it’s in its original packaging. Bring a copy of your prescription and a letter from your doctor explaining what the medication is for. Remember that some common medications from overseas can be illegal in Indonesia so please research this carefully. If you run out of medication while here, the pharmacies can assist. We find Kimia Farma very professional and helpful.
#21 Bali Travel Tips – Drugs
Quite simply don’t do drugs. It’s quite common to be offered drugs, marijuana, or special mushrooms by some of the more shady looking characters on the streets. However, drug possession is an extremely serious offence in Indonesia. The jails are full of people charged with various drug offences. If you are caught with them in your possession, it’s quite likely that you will face an extended stay in Kerobokan!
#22 Bali Travel Tips – Footpaths
Footpaths, sidewalks, call them what you may, can be an unexpected challenge in Bali. Seldom are they smooth and level. Trip hazards, holes and motorbikes (parked and being driven) are all extremely common on the Bali footpaths. So make sure you closely watch where you step at all times. The last thing anyone wants on holidays is a sprained ankle. If you prefer walking in the countryside, make sure you visit Campuhan Ridge in Ubud
#23 Bali Travel Tips – Pedestrian Crossings
Coming from overseas it’s easy to assume that it’s safe to cross a road at a pedestrian crossing. Well, no. The crossings are little more than decorations at the side of the road. Drivers and riders will NOT stop for you so take extreme care crossing the road.
#24 Bali Travel Tips – Plastic Coats
Available in any of the local shops for less than a couple of dollars, plastic coats can come in really handy if you get caught in a sudden tropical downpour. They weigh next to nothing and take up very little room in your bag. And when you leave Bali, recycle them by donating them to one of your Balinese friends. They will get plenty of use out of them
#25 Bali Travel Tips – Be Beach Smart
Bali has some truly beautiful beaches, however, the water can often be dangerous with large waves and strong currents that can quickly drag bathers into deeper water. Don’t swim alone, and preferably swim only at a beach patrolled by lifesavers. If in doubt. Don’t go in the water
#26 Bali Travel Tips – Sunscreen
The sun in Bali is strong and can begin to burn in less than 20 minutes. So make sure you apply your sunscreen liberally and regularly. Tip, bring sunscreen from home, it is very expensive in Bali.
#27 Bali Travel Tips – Bring A Backpack
Waterbottle – check, Phone and charger – check, Wallet – check, Sarong – check, Mosquito repellant – check, Sunscreen – check, Sanitizer – check. If you find yourself carrying everything but the kitchen sink, a backpack or something similar makes easy work of carrying everything you need for your day exploring Bali.
#28 Bali Travel Tips – Be Cautious Around The Animals
Be careful around the animals. They can carry rabies and other diseases. Dogs and cats are common in Bali. You can find them in the streets, on the beach and even in some warungs and cafes. Monkeys are also common in some regions, and they can be notoriously famous for their thieving ways. Better to keep a wide berth of all the animals than risk injury or illness.
#29 Bali Travel Tips – Best Time To Visit Bali
Bali has two distinct seasons, the wet and the dry. The wet season, generally between October and April has the most rain and highest humidity. Despite the name, there is still plenty of sunny weather. Most rain comes in short sharp bursts, often late in the afternoon, with the rest of the day fine. May to October is the dry season with generally fine, warm days and very little rain. This is peak tourist season and accommodation prices can reflect this
#30 Bali Travel Tips – Dress For The Climate
Bali is a tropical destination with a hot and humid climate. Dress appropriately, cool lightweight clothing, shirts, t-shirts, shorts and hats. Smart casual clothing will meet most needs. Some of the higher-end dining establishments may require tailored clothes and buttoned shirts etc. Everyone wears thongs or flip-flops everywhere, however, I would recommend packing a pair of sneakers if you are riding a scooter.
