27 Things to know before travelling to Bali

Travelling to Bali comes with great excitement. The large Indonesian island, Bali, and its smaller sister islands, Nusa Penida, Lembongan, Cenigan and even the Gili’s in Lombok are on most Bali travel itineraries.

All these beautiful places are frequently shown on social media. But nobody really talks about the practical side of travelling around Bali.

There are so many things to know before travelling to Bali.

Do you need a visa when entering Bali? What to do when the weather gets bad? Things you should not do when travelling in Bali. Even how best to plan your Bali itinerary so you are not getting stuck on an island, or in traffic.

When we travelled for 3 weeks around Bali in Summer 23, I often said “oh, I wished I knew that before coming to the island”

Quite a lot would have made travelling to Bali easier for us, and we would have maybe slightly changed our travel itinerary to Bali.

And this is why we wrote this blog post. All this practical information about travelling around Bali should make it easier for you and help you plan your most amazing Bali itinerary.

After reading this Bali blog post you can efficiently plan your trip and use all our travel tips for Bali.

Hotels & Resorts in Bali

Before we’re heading to the important things to know when travelling to Bali, check out some of the beautiful accommodations the island provides.

The choice is massive. Bali and the surrounding islands offering some of the most beautiful accommodations. And best of it all, they come at very low prices.

Pick your accommodation in Bali depending on your itinerary. If you do have a motorbike, chooses one more outside within some rice paddies. But think if you do not have a motorbike and are relying on a driver, maybe a stay closer to a centre is better.

Important things to know before travelling to Bali

Planning a trip to Bali comes with a lot of questions about logistics, where to find what and how to get around the island.

Let’s start with some important pre-arrival paperwork.

1. Do I need a Visa to visit Bali?

Every non-resident travelling to Bali/Indonesia needs a B213 Visitors Visa.

Visitors travelling from one of the visa-free countries can enter Indonesia under the Visa on Arrival scheme and stay up to 30 days (Tourist Visa). The good thing is it can now be purchased online BEFORE arriving in Bali. Therefore no need to waste time queueing at the airport. New for the Visa on Arrival is that it can NOW be extended for a further 30 days.

Note that children also need a Visa on Arrival for Bali.

Fill in all information online at the official Indonesia Visa website before travelling to Bali and pay for your entry Visa. This will allow you to skip a very long queue at the Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS). The Visa on Arrival for Bali costs US 35.-. (in 2023)

Should you travel to Bali for purposes other than tourism or want to stay longer than 60 days, you will have to apply for the B211A Offshore Visit Visa. This allows you to stay for 60 days in Bali.

You can apply for the extendable 60 day Offshore Visa with bali.com direct.

Another important check before travelling to Bali, is to ensure your passport has a minimum of six months validity and you have a return airplane ticket.

Note: Make sure to check the official website before you travel as requirements change quickly these days.

2. How to get a prepaid SIM card in Bali?

To have data on your mobile phone will be very useful when you travel to Bali, especially if it is for the first time.

You can use Google Maps which will ensure you do not get lost on the Bali trails. Also WIFI at some hotels is not always very good and often the 4G is much better.

It also allows you to WhatsApp your guide, hotel or even call a taxi. Bali functions on WhatsApp!

Everyone communicates with it and it helps a lot to organise your guided bali trip.

We organised an E-sim card from the most common provider, Telkomsel. Once we landed in Bali, we just needed to activate it.

Choose from various plans depending on your usage and days you stay in Bali.

When you have used up your data and still need more you can just top it up again.

You can also buy a sim card at the airport (not recommended) ; however, they are a bit more expensive than in shops outside the airport.

Fact: All our drivers used Telkomsel like our E-Sim card. However, they had the much better reception than we did. We did not quite understand why. Luckily they often put us on their hotspot when we needed access to the web.

3. Getting an international driving license when travelling to Bali

If you want to book a motorcycle or even a car you must have your international driving license in place before arriving in Bali.

Coming from Switzerland this can be easily done at the TCS office in your town. Normally you can wait for it and it costs Chf 65.- Every traveller that wants to hire a moped needs an international license.

Before travelling to Bali we already knew that the only places we might rent a motorbike would be on Nusa Lembongan.  because of this we opted not to get an international driving licence and tried our luck.

Nusa Lembongan is far from Bali and things run a bit differently. We did not need an international license and were able to rent a bike without any troubles.

If self-driving around Bali sounds overwhelming join one of these great Bali Tours and day trips.

4. Have your airport taxi booked before you arrive in Bali

The international Bali Airport is quite hectic and everyone tries to sell you a taxi service. Make sure to have your first transfer booked before you land in Bali.

Many hotels offer a taxi transfer service. We definitely advise you to have this in place.

This way you can just walk out and seek your name on a board and ignore all the hassle.

5. Traffic in Bali is terrible

This is probably the most important fact to know when planning your Bali Itinerary. A simple journey from one place in Bali to another that takes minutes in your home country, may take hours in Bali.

The traffic is insane. If you google Bali Denpasar Airport to Ubud, you will get 2h driving time.

Double this and you will most probably have a more accurate travel time.

On weekends, and during rush hours this might even take longer.

And sometimes you may get stuck behind a Balinese ceremony which means it will take even longer. There is not such a thing as “quickly.” It all takes time.

The crazy thing is that the km distance is not long at all.

We drove from Lovina Beach in the north to Denpasar airport. Google says 2h30 minutes 80 Km. It was a Saturday when we left Lovina Beach at 15:30 and got to the International Airport at 19:30. Luckily this was the end of our holiday in Bali and we were well aware of the traffic and timings by then.

6. Booking a private driver in Bali

This is definitely the easiest way of getting around Bali. There is a lot of competition in this sector and there are several great drivers that would do anything to make your travel days in Bali special.

Most drivers like to stay with you for the entire time you are in Bali. Whether you are south near Uluwatu, around Ubud or enjoying the north in Munduk. If you have a great itinerary let your driver know when you need him and, agree to a price and start to enjoy Bali. Most daily charges are 700IDR which is around 40 Euro. This is for up to 12 hours driving.

7. Getting around Bali by motorbike

This might be an unpopular opinion, but I do not recommend travelling Bali on a motorbike. The roads are narrow with many potholes, but the most horrific thing in Bali is the traffic. Especially anything from Ubud to the south.

Spend the money and invest in a private Bali driver. For US 50.- you can travel Bali in air-conditioned comfort. The only place I would recommend renting a motorbike is on Nusa Lembongan.

8. Weekends in Bali

Whilst travelling we often lose track of which day it is. In Bali weekends means like in Europe, crowded places with locals enjoying the tourist attractions like you do.

Our advice is NOT to plan main attractions or activities you wish to visit in Bali on weekends. Indonesian people also like to travel and visit all these beautiful destinations. They even fly in from Jakarta for the weekend.

An example is the Lovina Beach Dolphin watch. Already it is a very well visited activity, but on weekends even more. Same for Nusa Penida tours. Not only will the Instagram tourist attractions be full with travellers and tourists, on top of them you will also have to deal with the locals.

9. Travel by boats between the Indonesian Islands

I researched a lot about the Bali Fast Speed boats before travelling to Bali. Most of the time it was mentioned to Pre-Book tickets beforehand as they may sell out.

Our suggestion is definitely to do this for the larger distances like Bali Sanur Harbour to Nusa Penida or Lembongan. And also, for the Nusa Penida to Gili Air stretch.

All our transfer tickets were booked with 12GoAsia. As a surprise we found that most of the tickets were cheaper than buying them on site.

Our suggestion is NOT to book the small local boats upfront. For example if you travel from Nusa Lembongan to Nusa Penida you do not need to pre book this trip. It is only 10 minutes on a local boat which departs as soon as it is full and several times a day.

Another of these kind of transfers you can just turn up is from Gili Air to Lombok Busgal. Best is to catch these boats early morning, as this is also the time when locals are commuting between the islands.

To give you an idea of the cost difference; The local boat transfer from Nusa Lembongan to Nusa Penida was only 200 IDR for the 4 of us and we paid 400 IDR online.

10. Bali timings

Welcome to Asia where time is just a 4-letter word meaning “soon”.

During our travel we had one boat transfer where the departure time was brought forward. Every other transfer was up to 1 hour or more late.

Therefore, when it is a travelling day, plan the whole day. If you have a driver waiting at the other side, just let him know that there might be a delay. Most probably he will already know about this.

11. Consider flying instead of taking the boat

If you are planning to visit the Gili Islands in Lombok, consider flying from Bali to Lombok and getting to the islands by local boat. The reason why is that many times, even during August high season, the speed boats from Bali are cancelled for several days due to rough sea conditions.

However the boats from the Gili’s to Lombok mainland rarely get cancelled.

During our stay there were no boats leaving to nor arriving from Bali for three days. This has caused of course quite some problems amongst travellers that needed to catch international flights from Bali.

Many tourists had to make the long  journey from the Gili’s to Bali via Lombok. A short boat ride followed by 1.5 h taxi drive to Lembar harbour. From here the slow car ferry to Padang Bai in Bali awaits. This can take anything from 4 hours to 8 hours depending on the crossing conditions.

We had to embark on this journey and it felt like a refugee boat.

Travel tip: If this is the journey you have to take, make sure you have plenty of water and food with you especially when travelling with kids. The ferry we were on only had pot-noodles to sell but soon they ran out of hot water and were left with only peanuts for sale.

Useful things to know before you travel to Bali

Below I have listed things to know before you travel to Bali that may not influence how you’re planning  your Bali trip, but more what you can expect.

And a few tips that will make your trip to Bali even more a success.

12. You need to bring cash to Bali 

Plan ahead and make sure to always have some cash on hand. Most drivers, taxi’s, street food vendors, and even entries to temples only accept cash.

Cards are acceptable in larger restaurants and hotels, boutique shops, and tourist attractions such a beach clubs and the famous Bali pools. But be prepared that you may be charged a 3% surcharge.

13. The ATMs on Bali

Although you will find ATM’s in many locations throughout Bali, we found that some machines simply do not work with all cards. Therefore don’t wait until the last moment to find an ATM only to be standing there and finding out that it is not working. In rural areas the machines are less common. Another problem in quieter areas is that they can run out of cash and nobody knows when they will be re-filled.

We also experienced that some ATM’s only let us withdraw IDR 1’000’000 ( Euro 100). Therefore we had to make multiple withdrawals.

14. Get a WISE Credit Card

Cash withdrawals with a normal credit card can quickly become very expensive in Indonesia. The charges can be horrendous. We suggest you get a WISE Credit Card. The card can be used anywhere in the World. Therfore it is a good idea to get a Wise Credit Card also for future travels.

15. The Balinese are respectful, peaceful people

Travelling is also discovering new cultures. And getting to know the Balinese people is a veritable joy and pleasure.

The Balinese are incredibly respectful, kind and helpful. We should all take notice of their behaviour.

During our travels in Bali we never encountered a rude or angry person.

16. Bali is Totally Crowded

When we booked our trip to Bali we knew it is a popular place and the influencers have kind of taken over. And because of this we changed our Bali Itinerary several times and even omitted the south totally from our travel plans.

From what I heard and saw on social media I can only say we did the right thing.

Most places from Ubud to the south were packed. And I mean packed. Consider when travelling to Bali to head north into the Munduk area. It is not yet covered with tourists you will even find places where you will be alone.

The island Nusa Penida has some amazing viewpoints but the amount of tourists at every location can become overwhelming and will only spoil your trip. I would advise to skip Nusa Penida. However if you really want to go there, stay 2 nights and visit the must see viewpoints before 10 AM. Spend the remainder of the day relaxing at one of the superb beach clubs. Thousands of day tourists arrive on the island at around 10h and then the chaos begins.

17. Best season to book a trip to Bali

Not everyone can choose when to travel. But if you do have the choice definitely avoid peak holiday season.

• Low season in Bali: January to June, and mid September to beginning of December.
• High/Dry season in Bali: July, first 2 weeks in September, Chinese New Year and Easter.
• Peak season in Bali: August and last week in December to the 1st week in January.

Keep in mind that the Bali rainy season is October/November – April. We were travelling around Bali, Lombok and the Gili’s in June/July due to our school holidays. Weather wise is was a strange year (2023) a lot of rain hit Bali during these months which apparently was not normal. When the rain started around Ubud, we were luckily already in Lombok which remained dry and beautiful. Although the sea between Bali and the Gili’s was rough and on several days the fast boats were cancelled.

In my opinion the best time to travel to Bali and the surrounding islands is late spring – April to May. If I had the choice, these would be my travel dates.

18. Nyepi, public holiday in Bali

Research on which date Nyepi day falls. This is Bali’s New Year’s day in the Balinese Saka Calendar. On this day, Bali comes to a complete standstill for 24 hours .

It is a day of silence, fasting and meditation for the Balinese. All lights and sounds are turned off, and believe it or not, even the traffic stops. No planes arriving nor departing from Bali’s International Airport. During these 24 hours complete silence and serenity reigns over the entire island.  The day following Nyepi is celebrated as New Year’s Day, where life is back to normal.

Therefore, this is not a day to plan to travel.

Nyepi date for 2024: Mon, Mar 11, 2024, 5:59 AM – Tue, Mar 12, 2024, 6:00 AM

19. The Bali belly is real

If you get sick, you will hear straight away, “oh it’s the Bali belly”. Yes, we all got it. Bali’s water is contaminated and not drinkable, we did not even brush our teeth with it and still got ill. Make sure you do have a reusable bottle with you as some hotels in Bali, offer refills. This helps to eliminate the massive waste problem in Bali. Every plastic bottle not used is a step in the right direction.

Travel tip: Take Probiotics a few days before you travel to Bali and every day whilst in Bali. This helps to prevent getting sick. Or at least make sure you have some with you just in case.

20. SOS Emergencies

Let’s hope you do not need this when travelling in Bali, but better to be prepared. In case of emergencies, dial 112.

Make sure you know the local areal code depending on your SIM card. It is a good idea to read more about the emergency procedure on the Bali.com website

The most recognised hospitals in Bali are the BIMC. Their facilities are located in Ubud, Kuta and Nusa Dua. Because they cater mostly to foreigners it means all the doctors and nurses speak English. They also have a 24-hour medical centre and an on-site pharmacy.

21. Tipping in Bali

Tipping in Bali is not expected but always appreciated. If you feel the service was outstanding and your driver has gone the extra mile, feel free and tip one or two dollars.

Restaurants located in tourist areas normally have the service charge already included on the bill.

22. How to dress in Bali

Another good thing to know is how to dress in Bali.

Bikini and mini skirt are not the appropriate dress code. Just have a look around how locals dress. Shoulders and knees should be covered and have to be covered if you visit any temples or any other sacred places. At most of these places where you have to pay an entry fee, they provide a sarong which is included in the price.

23. Offerings & Ceremonies

Despite the influx of tourism, Balinese culture and traditions still remain very strong.

The first thing you will notice when arriving in Bali are the “Canang Sari”. The colourful offerings made daily by the Balinese Hindu women. These handmade baskets, filled with gifts, are all over Bali and will be replaced twice a day.

You will be able to witness the ritual being performed wherever you travel. Be respectful and don’t interrupt someone during the offering or any other ceremonies.

24. Period day in Bali

Don’t be shocked if someone is asking “are you on your period?”

Visiting temples and holy places in Bali whilst on your period is forbidden. They may ask you and it is out of respect to the culture that you should not lie.

25. The Bali Swings & Nests are payable

A swing on one of the many Bali swings is on many people’s itinerary. As nice as they look, they are all payable and come with a hefty price tag considering other prices in Bali. A limited number of pushes for 15 Euro. If you want to rent a flowing dress you can pay extra. Is it worth it? Maybe it is, after all you are on holiday and they do make nice photographs.

All over the country you find the Bali swings & nests. And because they don’t want you to even make photographs of the view you will get whilst on the swing or posing within a nest without paying, most of them are behind fences.

It all feels wrong to me, but having said this, the locals make super good money from these tourist attractions.

26. Entry fees and Vendors

Another rather annoying thing is that is typical in south and central Bali are the vendors. Whichever sightseeing place you visit, you have to first battle your way through all the vendors. It can get on your nerves and often makes a place less attractive. I understand that everyone wants to make money. Just be aware of what to expect.

27. Motorbike taxi’s & Guides to a attraction is a real thing

Whether you have a private driver in Bali or go with a tour group, you will have to walk to some of the sightseeing locations. Often in these places handful of motorbike taxi’s and even guides will offer their services.

Your driver should know if they are officials from the government or just locals wanting to make some money. There are some waterfalls in Munduk you can only visit with a guide. This is to help keep the environment in a good shape and to make sure nobody is behaving wildly. In these places we didn’t mind to pay as it helps the infrastructure.

Same with the motorbike taxi’s. Although I would not recommend to use one in a city, we have used motorbike taxis on several occasions in Bali and on the surrounding islands. They have always been good and they saved us a fair bit of hiking and sweating. You are hopping on the back at your own risk, but these guys have been driving motorbikes for years and are experienced drivers.

Therefore, If you don’t want to hike it, motorbike it.

Conclusion of our Bali Trip – 2023

We had a great time exploring Bali and its neighbouring islands. However, if we go again I would skip Bali and visit the islands, maybe even Sulawesi and Raja Ampat. Or stay totally north in Bali.

One island we absolutely loved was Gili Air, and we would go back to Komodo National Park without even thinking twice.

Another great thing when travelling to Bali is that you can book some of the most amazing Accommodation in Bali, for not much money. A great way to escape all the crowds on the road.

I hope that the information provided here proves useful when you plan to travel to Bali.

If I have left anything out or you have a question, please ask your questions in the comments below. This will help others and they can join in the discussion.

Thank you & Never Forget to Travel

Thanks for sharing it!